"This is the book all teachers of 'bright' students with social challenges should read and share with parents and administrators! Author Michelle Garcia Winner invites readers to join her in a provocative discussion about what it really takes to teach social skills to students with more sophisticated minds. Through12 questions that challenge us to think more deeply about how we view social intelligence, she illuminates the connection between social thinking, academic success, and later success in life as an adult, and how social emotional learning is linked to the Common Core Standards. She explores the complex development of our social minds and the common assumptions about social learning that impact the way we teach students. Topics span various aspects of social learning, from the need for a common definition for 'social skills'--something that doesn't exist in today's educational sector--to evidence-based practices and how they apply to teaching social thinking and related social skills."--Publisher website.

"Today's children (both neurotypical and those with social learning challenges) are entering school with declining abilities to learn in a group, attend to a lesson, be considerate toward others, or self-regulate their own behavior. Teachers are increasingly finding themselves ill-equipped with the know-how, tools, and strategies to teach students about social awareness, emotional intelligence, and self-regulation of behavior. If you've ever wanted, or needed, to make a case for social instruction to be added to a student's treatment plan, social goals written into a student's IEP, or social thinking lessons infused into a classroom or campus curriculum plan, Why Teach Social Thinking? drives home the importance of social learning to a student's academic success and later success in life. Author Michelle Garcia Winner connects the dots from social emotional learning to the Common Core Standards to increased likelihood of success in adulthood. Through exploring 12 core questions, Winner attempts to raise awareness of the many complex and interrelated issues that are at the heart of teaching social skills."--SocialThinking.com