What do social skills groups offer to students with ASD?

Social skills groups are designed to provide structured environments where students with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) can practice and develop their interaction skills in a supportive setting. These groups focus on improving social understanding and communication through guided activities that encourage peer interaction, role-playing, and social games. By participating in these structured settings, students are given the opportunity to apply social skills in real-life situations, receive immediate feedback from peers and facilitators, and develop their confidence in social interactions. This approach is particularly beneficial for individuals with ASD, as it emphasizes the importance of practice and reinforcement in mastering social behaviors, which they may find challenging.

The other options, while valuable in their own contexts, do not specifically address the primary focus of social skills groups. Individualized education plans cater to personalized learning needs, high-stakes testing preparation targets academic achievement, and academic tutoring sessions help improve specific subject knowledge, but none of these are designed to enhance social communication skills in the same way social skills groups do.