The Hidden Curriculum: Social Skills for the Spectrum (ASD, ADHD, SPD, 2e)

Completed by 425 learners

Ages 7-11

Live Group Class

Kids on the spectrum are often unaware of unwritten social rules and expectations.

Nanci Norelli Smith, PhD

Average rating:

4.6

Number of reviews:

(795 reviews)

Popular

Live video meetings

1x per week, 6 weeks

3-10 learners per class

30 min

About Learning Overview Teacher Reviews

What's included

6 live meetings

3 in-class hours

Class Experience

Please note: If you do not have an official diagnosis but you suspect you would likely get a diagnosis, your child is welcome in this class. I do not talk about any specific diagnoses in class. I present the information as "sometimes people have trouble with _______"

It is common for kids on the spectrum to be unaware of the unwritten social rules and expectations. 

Autism researcher Dr. Brenda Myles defines "the hidden curriculum" as all those things that people should know but are never directly taught." It can also be thought of as implicit learning because it is not spelled out but expected that people know. Some are very subtle, and neurotypical people learn them automatically without being directly taught.

Drawing on my own experience both professionally and as a mother to a 23 year old with autism, I will lead a different topic each session. We will be practicing together, and learners will be expected to practice the topic before the next meeting. 

Week 1 Blurting & Interrupting
Week 2 Big Emotions
Week 3 Opinions, Politeness  and Accepting No for an answer 
Week 4 Non- Verbal Communication
Week 5 Practice "reading" social situations and flexible thinking
Week 6 Expected vs Unexpected Behaviors and Perspective Taking

Syllabus

6 Lessons

over 6 Weeks

Lesson 1:

Blurting and Interrupting

30 mins online live lesson

Lesson 2:

Big Emotions

30 mins online live lesson

Lesson 3:

Opinions, Politeness and Accepting No for an answer

30 mins online live lesson

Lesson 4:

Non Verbal Communication

30 mins online live lesson

Other Details

External Resources

In addition to the Outschool classroom, this class uses:

Youtube

Meet the teacher

Nanci Norelli Smith, PhD

Joined April, 2020

4.6

795reviews

Popular

Profile

Teacher expertise and credentials

Doctoral Degree in Psychology from University of Connecticut

New to Outschool? Use code NanciNo2020 to save $20 today! Can be applied to any class on Outschool including mine.


My passion is educating children (and parents) about executive functioning and its developmental importance. Too many kids get labeled as "lazy" or "troubled", when a lack of skill is the culprit, not a stubborn "will".   
This has led to extensive professional development training in executive functioning from leading experts in the field including an advanced certificate in EF for children and adolescents, and an advanced EF Mastery course of evidence- based strategies in attention, memory and self-regulation. More specific to ADHD was an intensive evidence-based Strategies course for managing ADHD across the lifespan.

I am a certified provider of the  PEERS® program, an evidence-based social skills program developed at UCLA for school age children through young adults on the Spectrum and certified as a provider (2025)  as one of the first groups of the new PEERS for Preschoolers program.

I earned a Bachelor of Science in Psychobiology from Fairfield (CT) University, and Masters and Doctorate degrees from UCONN in Biobehavioral Science.                         
 

            
One of my 6 children is autistic and has adhd, and three others have ADHD; I have ADD myself.  
I celebrate neurodiversity and see it as a superpower!

I am a self taught artist,  and volunteer for WA based non- profit "Paws with Cause", which uses art to raise money and awareness to help shelter pets get adopted and cared for.
I was interviewed on a podcast. https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/adhd-for-smart-ass-women-with-tracy-otsuka/id1443678424?i=1000634888729