Group Programs
The Child Study Institute offers numerous group programs for children experiencing problems with social skills, language or reading, as summarized below.
Social-Skills Groups
CSI offers weekly social-skills groups for boys ages 8-11 and 12-14 and girls ages 8-11. This eight-session program is designed for children of normal intelligence who are experiencing difficulty in peer relationships. Topics covered include learning to listen, body language, conversational skills, expressing and recognizing feelings, self-control and relaxation, thinking positively, handling teasing and solving conflicts. The groups are co-led by two licensed and/or school-certified psychologists.
After-School Club
This weekly social-skills program is designed for children ages 5-6 and 6-8 who are not experiencing success in a variety of social situations. The group is co-led by a speech-language pathologist and a special-education teacher. Focus is on the use of language to negotiate social interaction with peers.
Preschool Language Groups
CSI offers an intensive and individualized preschool experience for children between the ages of 3 and 5 years for whom language delays, attention problems, social-skills deficits and difficulties with behavioral self-regulation compromise functioning in a traditional preschool setting. Class runs for 2 hours daily, with class size limited to six children. Each class is taught by a speech-language pathologist and an assistant teacher.
Specialized Pre-Kindergarten Program
This program, which meets four afternoons per week, serves a maximum of five children (ages 4 1/2 to 6). The program uses a transdisciplinary model and is staffed by a speech-language pathologist, an occupational therapist and an assistant teacher. The program is designed for children with delays in one or more areas of development who need additional practice in learning how to learn. Children are expected to have some experience participating in a classroom environment and to have acquired basic skills in following routine directions in a group setting. The program has three main curricular domains: fine motor and perceptual skills, speech and language skills, and pre-academic skills.
Summer Educational Support Services Program
The Educational Support Services Division offers several group programs each summer. These programs include a small group program for children in the primary grades who are in need of reading remediation and enrichment, as well as writing workshops, study skills workshops and reading comprehension workshops for middle- and secondary-school students. Individual tutoring is also offered throughout the summer.