Social skills — how Mahnoor teaches them
Social skills here are not “make more eye contact”. They are joining a game, recovering from a no, and having one or two people who make sense. Mahnoor taught these goals as a remedial therapist in 2022 and still teaches them in inclusive Early Years at Beaconhouse Newlands.
Written by the Inclusive Developmental and Therapy Center therapy team · medically reviewed by Dr Muhammad Suffyan, MB BS (GMC 8023727) · Last reviewed September 2026
What gets practised
Waiting a turn without grabbing. Asking to join. Leaving when it is too much. A sentence for “I didn’t understand”. For teenagers, the work is lonelier and more specific — autistic teens and friendships.
She does not run a large, noisy social-skills class as the first step. Many children here learn the skill with one adult and one peer, then take it into the playground. Beaconhouse Newlands Early Years is weekly practice of that in a real inclusive classroom, not only a clinic hour.
Scripts that help, not scripts that fake a personality
A sentence for joining a game is a tool. A demand for constant eye contact is not. Autistic children are allowed to be themselves; the work is access — being understood, not being rewritten. That sits inside autism support.
ADHD can look like interrupting, not waiting, missing the social cue because the room is too loud. That is attention and load, not rudeness. See ADHD and overstimulation.
Playground and home
Clinic hours do not replace the park. Parents get one script and one situation to try that week — the cousin’s house, the school gate, the slide. Home programs: younger and older. Everyday ideas: building social skills at home.
One or two friends can be enough. Loneliness, bullying or a collapse after school is the signal, not a headcount. Bullying: when your child is being bullied.
When it is not a social-skills gap
A child who cannot ask, cannot wait, or cannot hear the instruction is not “bad at friends” yet. Fix requesting first — communication — and behaviour that is communication — behaviour therapy.
Anxiety that looks like shyness may belong with psychology. Shy, introverted or anxious and child psychology.
Related services and guides
Social skills — questions parents ask
Will you put my child in a large social-skills group?
Not as the first move. Many children learn the skill with one adult and one peer before a group is kind. We say if a group would only overwhelm them.
My teenager has one friend and seems fine. Do we still need this?
One or two friends can be enough. Loneliness, bullying or a collapse after school is the signal, not a headcount. Friendships.
Will you make my child give more eye contact?
Not as a goal of its own. Looking can be taught when it helps the child be understood. Forcing it as “normal behaviour” is not the work.
Ask about social skills
A short, friendly conversation is the best first step. Call, text or WhatsApp us — we’ll listen and guide you, with no pressure.
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