Social Skills Books

Moderation state
funded
Grant Applicant
Sara Jones
School Site
Tahoe Lake Elementary
Grant Category
Life Skills & Health
Literacy
Grant Date
2026-06-09T12:00:00
Description

I teach in the Extensive Support Needs (ESN) classroom (formerly called the Special Day Class (SDC)) serving 3rd through 5th grade students at Tahoe Lake Elementary. Our students have diverse learning profiles, including autism and communication differences, and many benefit from explicit, structured instruction in social skills. We provide dedicated social skills instruction three to four times per week to support students in developing essential life skills such as communication, emotional regulation, and peer interaction.

While we currently watch social skills videos and model and role play the social skills we are teaching, our classroom lacks a library of high quality social skills books to read aloud to students and enhance our lessons. This grant would fund the purchase of developmentally appropriate, engaging social skills books that reinforce key concepts taught during lessons. These books would provide visual, narrative based learning opportunities to help students better understand and generalize social concepts.

Benefits of Program

This grant would directly benefit students by providing accessible, research-based resources that support the development of critical social, communication and emotional regulation skills. Many of my students, including those who are minimally verbal, benefit from visual supports, repetition, and storytelling to understand social expectations and interactions. Some of the benefits for our students would be to improve their ability to identify emotions in themselves and others and develop communication strategies. As well, it will help my students build foundational skills for forming and maintaining peer relationships and help increase confidence in social settings, including inclusive opportunities with general education peers. These books would also allow for differentiated instruction, making social concepts more concrete and relatable for students with a wide range of abilities and needs.

Success of Program

The anticipated outcome of this grant is improved student engagement and growth in social, communication and emotional regulation skills. Success will be measured through a combination of qualitative and quantitative data, which would include: 

  • Increased student participation during social skills lessons and read aloud discussions
  • Observable improvements in student interactions with peers (i.e., initiating communication, turn-taking, responding appropriately, understanding and regulating emotions and behaviors)
  • Progress toward IEP goals related to social, communication and emotional regulation skills
  • Teacher and staff observations documenting increased comprehension of targeted social skills concepts

Additionally, student growth will be monitored over time through informal assessments, anecdotal records, and collaboration with speech-language pathologists and support staff.

Implementation

If awarded, funds will be used to purchase a curated selection of social skills books that align with our instructional goals and address a range of topics such as friendship, emotional regulation, communication, and problem-solving. I've researched a list of some of the highest rated books focused on social skills for the population I teach and I will attach a list of those books. These books will be integrated into our existing social skills curriculum through interactive read alouds, guided discussions and comprehension activities. As well it would help students make connections to real life scenarios within the classroom and school environment. Books will be selected to ensure accessibility for all learners, including those who benefit from visual supports, simplified text, and repetitive language structures. The materials will be used consistently throughout the school year (and future school years) to reinforce learning and support skill generalization across settings.

Can you share this grant with your grade level or subject team?

Yes, there is also a TK-2nd grade ESN special education classroom on campus here at TLE, which I think would greatly benefit from these books and I would happily share them with that class and teacher. 

Sustainability
The impact of this grant will be sustained over time because the materials are durable, reusable resources that will remain a permanent part of our classroom library. These social skills books will be integrated into our ongoing curriculum and used consistently each year with new groups of students during read-alouds, small group instruction, and individualized support.

Because social skills instruction is a core component of our program, these resources will continue to support student learning long after the initial funding period. If additional funding is needed to expand or update the collection, it will be supported through school and district resources, as well as future grant opportunities and community funding efforts.

Additionally, the books can be shared among staff, including speech-language pathologists, paraprofessionals, and general education teachers, further extending their impact across settings and supporting student generalization of skills.

If additional funding is needed in the future to expand or update the library, it will be supported through a combination of school site funds, special education program resources, and potential future grant opportunities. We also anticipate supplementing materials over time through district support and community or classroom-based funding efforts.
Amount Funded
$479.00
Individual Budget Items(s)
$442 - Social Skills Books from Amazon (see attached PDF for list/Amazon Cart)
Shipping
$5.00
Taxes
$32.00
Other funding sources

Our classroom has received funding through school site funds and the TTUSD Student Services department. However, these resources are limited and are primarily used toward essential supplies and the day to day functioning of the classroom. 

We have also received book donations from parents and staff, though these are often not aligned with the specific social skills focus needed for our students. I often use the school and local public library to supplement instruction, but access to targeted social skills books is limited and inconsistent. Establishing a dedicated classroom library through this grant would ensure consistent access to appropriate materials and allow for the development of reusable, differentiated instructional supports such as visual aids and communication tools that can be used across multiple years with a wide range of learners.

File Uploads
Excellence in Ed Social skills book list_0.pdf (329.7 KB)
Notes

I have attached the books I would love to have funded as a PDF attachment of an Amazon cart. I looked around various websites and Amazon had the best prices. I chose box sets of books when I could as this was a cheaper option. I did a lot of research on highly rated books focused on the social skills lessons/instruction that I am teaching in my classroom. We would be so grateful to build up our classroom library with books that could really help my students in school and beyond. Thank you so much for considering my grant application!