ABSTRACT
The didactic lesson for this session helps teens recover from an unsuccessful entry into a conversation. Sometimes teens with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) are puzzled when they try to enter a conversation and their entry attempt does not go as planned (or as they were taught) because they were turned down. Although this could happen to anyone, for a socially awkward teen (especially those with autism spectrum disorders), it adds to their confusion when peers do not respond as expected. This session teaches teens important social cues to which they should attend in order to determine if they were accepted into the conversation. It also teaches them how to extricate themselves if they were not accepted in a way that minimizes the negative social impact of their unsuccessful entry attempt. Unfortunately, peer exit strategies can only be taught after the teens are taught how to slip into conversations. If the teen has confined his or her entry attempt to just watching and listening to the conversation, it is relatively easy for the teen to extricate himself or herself when the group is not receptive to the teen’s entry. It is only after the teen has begun to contribute to the conversation and has been turned down, that knowing how to slip out is more complicated.
