Talkabout Theory of Mind: Teaching Theory of Mind to Improve Social Skills and Relationships

Theory of mind is a key consideration in autism spectrum conditions and is frequently associated with social, emotional, behavioural and mental health difficulties. Talkabout Theory of Mind, the latest practical workbook in the Talkabout series, is designed to support those for whom theory of mind does not come naturally. It teaches strategies that can be used to identify others’ thoughts and feelings based on their behaviour, as well as to adapt behaviour in order to competently manage social situations and have positive interactions. With fully illustrated activities covering topics such as thoughts, feelings and actions, knowledge and beliefs, and respect, the programme outlined in this book can be used with children and young people to develop and confidently implement an awareness of theory of mind.

Key features include:

• Assessments, targets, lesson plans and over ninety activities to support theory of mind
• Structured activities which progress from simple concepts to more complex skills
• Opportunities for skills to be practiced and recapped
• Fully photocopiable and downloadable resources

Packed full of flexible activities to suit different levels and ages, this is a vital resource for educators and therapists looking to support children and young people with poor theory of mind as they develop the skills necessary to create positive interactions.

Table of Contents

Introduction

Section 1: This is Tom! Session Plans:

Chapter 1 Talkabout Targets – Thinking About Others

• Feelings Board
• Activity One: Name that thought
• Activity Two: Do you find?
• Activity Three: Group Rules
• Activity Four: This is Tom!
• Activity Five: Who am I?
• Activity Six: This is Mary!
• Activity Seven: Things in Common: Tom and Mary
• Activity Eight: Things in Common
• Activity Nine: Stand Up If…
• Activity Ten: Things in Common
• Activity Eleven: Find Someone Who
• Activity Twelve: Our Group

Section 2: Thoughts Session Plans:

• Chapter 2 Feelings Board
• Activity One: Name that thought!
• Activity Two: What is a thought?
• Activity Three: Things I like to think about
• Activity Four: Things I like to think about
• Activity Five: What do you think about…?
• Activity Six: How much I think about…
• Activity Seven: How much I think about things
• Activity Eight: Two Way Thinking
• Activity Nine: Our thoughts about…
• Activity Ten: How can we tell what people are thinking?
• Activity Eleven: Are you seeing what I’m seeing?
• Activity Twelve: Are you thinking what I’m thinking?
• Activity Thirteen: Can you see what I’m thinking?
• Activity Fourteen: Can you see what I’m thinking?
• Activity Fifteen: Spot the thought!
• Activity Sixteen: Good thought or bad thought?
• Activity Seventeen: Snapshot!
• Activity Eighteen: Same or Different Thought?

Section 3: Feelings Session Plans:

• Chapter 3 Feelings Board
• Activity One: Name that feeling
• Activity Two: Feelings
• Activity Three: Feelings Alphabet
• Activity Four: In the manner of the word
• Activity Five: How can we tell how someone is feeling?
• Activity Six: Freeze Frame Game
• Activity Seven: How Tom and Mary feel
• Activity Eight: How we feel
• Activity Nine: How I Feel

Section 4: Actions Session Plans:

• Chapter 4 Feelings board
• Activity One: Name That Action!
• Activity Two: What is an Action?
• Activity Three: My actions
• Activity Four: How actions make me feel
• Activity Five: How feelings make me act
• Activity Six: Tom’s actions and feelings
• Activity Seven: How would we feel?
• Activity Eight: Tell Me Why
• Activity Nine: Captain Action!

Section 5: Thoughts, Feelings and Actions Session Plans:

• Chapter 5 Feelings Board
• Activity One: Tom’s Thoughts, Feelings and Actions
• Activity Two: Thoughts, Feelings and Actions
• Activity Three: My thoughts, feelings and actions
• Activity Four: Tom’s Bad Day
• Activity Five: I only speak the truth
• Activity Six: To say or not to say?
• Activity Seven: Thinking thoughts and saying all sorts
• Activity Eight: Think before you speak
• Activity Nine: What would I say to you?
• Activity Ten: If I tell you that…

Section 6: Knowledge and Beliefs Session Plans:

• Chapter 6 Feelings board
• Activity One: Knowledge Quiz
• Activity Two: Knowledge
• Activity Three: What do I know?
• Activity Four: What do we know?
• Activity Five: I know you don’t know
• Activity Six: I know you don’t know
• Activity Seven: Types of Knowledge
• Activity Eight: Types of knowledge in our group
• Activity Nine: "They don’t know they know we know…"
• Activity Ten: What I know
• Activity Eleven: Guessing
• Activity Twelve: What can you guess about me?
• Activity Thirteen: Clues I could Use to make a Good Guess
• Activity Fourteen: Thinking About Tom’s perfect day
• Activity Fifteen: Consequences
• Activity Sixteen: How do we improve our knowledge about people?
• Activity Seventeen: Fact or Opinion? / Fact or no fact?
• Activity Eighteen: Differing Opinions
• Activity Nineteen: Giving Opinions
• Activity Twenty: Beliefs
• Activity Twenty-one: My box of beliefs
• Activity Twenty-two: Impact of beliefs
• Activity Twenty-three: Using our knowledge
• Activity Twenty-four: Time to talk
• Activity Twenty-five: What are intentions?
• Activity Twenty-six: Good or bad intentions
• Activity Twenty-seven: Spotting intentions
• Activity Twenty-eight: My intentions

Section 7: Respect Session Plans:

• Chapter 7 Feelings board
• Activity One: What is empathy and sympathy?
• Activity Two: Putting yourself in their shoes.
• Activity Three: Showing Empathy and Sympathy
• Activity Four: What is respect?
• Activity Five: Who do you respect?
• Activity Six: Find out what it means to me.
• Activity Seven: Showing respect by age.
• Activity Eight: Showing respect by place.
• Activity Nine: Showing respect by person.
• Activity Ten: Showing respect to myself
• Activity Eleven: This is Me!