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by Rynette R. Kjesbo, M.S., CCC-SLP and Julie A. Daymut, M.A., CCC-SLP
What Is Scripting?
Scripting is a type of role-playing activity that students can do to help them learn
about and practice various social skills. Scripting gives students a “script” or
written text for what to say or do in a certain situation. With scripting, everything
students act out is planned and written in advance, including the characters in
the situation and the particular social scene. The organization and structure of
this role-playing activity helps students learn about both appropriate and inappropriate
social behaviors for everyday situations.
Common scripting topics include general interactions such as making eye contact,
respecting personal space, staying on topic, switching topics, and interrupting;
peer interactions such as being a friend, respecting differences, peer pressure,
joining in, and being left out; and social-emotional skills such as dealing with
failure, dealing with embarrassment, and using humor appropriately. Other topics
for scripting include conflict management, such as making an apology, and community
interactions, like identifying a need in the community and taking an active role
to help that cause.
How Can Scripting Help Students?
Scripting breaks a certain social skill into different steps. Practicing a skill
with a script can help students transfer that knowledge and behavior to real-life
situations at school, at home, and in the community. As well, scripting gives students
the chance to actively participate in learning about social skills by not only modeling
social behaviors, but by improving their self-awareness as they discuss and evaluate
how they did with the given scene. Scripting uses real-life experiences to teach
students appropriate ways to interact with others.
An Example of Scripting
An example of scripting for Personal Space, as taken from Scripting Junior by Lynda
Miller, is:
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Ms. Jarrett
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I know you’ve already learned several of the greeting skills you’ll be using. Who
can tell me what they are?
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Jennifer
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Look at the person you’re talking to.
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Ms. Jarrett
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Do you remember what that’s called?
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Jennifer
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Eye contact.
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Ms. Jarrett
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That’s right. Who can tell me another greeting skill?
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Phillip
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Talk at the right loudness.
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Ms. Jarrett
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What is that called? Do you remember?
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Phillip
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Yes. It’s volume.
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Ms. Jarrett
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Yes, it’s called volume. Who can tell me another one?
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Keanu
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Facial expression.
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Ms. Jarrett
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Yes, facial expression is another greeting skill. You learned about two more. Who
can tell me what they are?
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Natalie
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Posture!
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Ms. Jarrett
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Right! Posture is one. What’s the last one?
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Emil
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Personal space?
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Ms. Jarrett
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That’s right. And who remembers what that means?
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Keanu
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How close you stand when you talk to somebody?
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Ms. Jarrett
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Yes. Now let’s practice the personal distance you’ll use when you greet our visitors.
[She divides the group into pairs.] Take turns practicing the greeting. When it’s
your turn, try standing close, far away, and at arm’s length. Then discuss which
feels most appropriate.
[Each group practices standing close, at arm’s length, and
far away as they greet each other.]
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Ms. Jarrett
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What distance seems best for greeting our visitors?
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Natalie
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I felt uncomfortable standing too close, but standing far away doesn’t work. I’d
say we should stand at arm’s length.
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Emil
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I agree. We can’t shout at them, but we don’t want to be too close, either.
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Ms. Jarrett
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Does everyone agree? Does at arm’s length seem about right for greeting people you
don’t know?
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Jennifer
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It seems right to me. [Other students agree.]
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Ms. Jarrett
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OK, everyone practice standing at arm’s length–not too close and not too far. [Students
continue practicing.]
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