Social Thinking Vocabulary Resources

Lay the foundation for social emotional learning with our most popular Social Thinking vocabulary resources

At the heart of the Social Thinking Methodology is our vocabulary. It’s our way of translating complex social concepts into a simpler form that can be taught and used as a common language to talk about what it means to “be social” across people, cultures, and context. Social Thinking Vocabulary encourages individuals to actively notice what’s happening around them. The language can be used whenever and wherever needed to talk about social expectations and interpretations: working as a group during a math lesson, dinnertime at home, hanging out with friends on the playground, participating as members of a team during P.E., etc. The concepts are expressed in simple language to make these abstract ideas easier to understand and motivate individuals to integrate them into their daily experiences as they participate in the social world.

The Social Thinking Methodology provides evidence-based strategies to help people of all ages develop their social competencies, flexible thinking & social problem solving and improve: conversation & social connection, executive functioning, friendship & relationship development, perspective taking, self-regulation, and Social Thinking vocabulary.

Teaching our 10 Core Social Thinking Concepts

Thoughts & Feelings

#1 in Our Series of 10 Core Concepts

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Thinking with Your Eyes

#2 in Our Series of 10 Core Concepts

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The Group Plan

#3 in Our Series of 10 Core Concepts

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Is Your Body in the Group?

#4 in Our Series of 10 Core Concepts

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Whole Body Listening

#5 in Our Series of 10 Core Concepts

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Expected & Unexpected Behavior

#6 in Our Series of 10 Core Concepts

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Smart Guess

#7 in Our Series of 10 Core Concepts

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Flexible & Stuck Thinking

#8 in Our Series of 10 Core Concepts

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Size of the Problem

#9 in Our Series of 10 Core Concepts

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Sharing an Imagination

#10 in Our Series of 10 Core Concepts

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We Thinkers! All-In-One Bundle

We Thinkers! All-In-One Bundle Ages: 4-7 Now for the first time in one great-value bundle! Multiple award-winning We Thinkers! is our premier social emotional learning series for helping social learners ages 4–7 develop foundational social competencies. These practice-proven, evidence-based materials are designed for both neurotypically developing children and those with social learning differences and/or challenges to strengthen social perspective taking, self-awareness, executive functioning, social problem solving, and so much more. Learn more

$274.99 $304.98

You Are a Social Detective! Explaining Social Thinking to Kids, 2nd Edition (Storybook)

You Are a Social Detective! Explaining Social Thinking to Kids, 2nd Edition (Storybook) Ages: 5-10+ A multiple award winner! The social world is a big, complicated place that requires us to constantly figure out hidden rules in situations to help us make sense of how we are all interpreting and responding to each other’s actions and reactions. Expanded and revised, this award-winning 2nd edition storybook provides an all-new structured approach to observation, illustrations that reflect a broader range of inclusion and diversity in characters, and lessons for deeper learning. Learn more

$29.99

You Are a Social Detective! Teaching Curriculum & Support Guide

You Are a Social Detective! Teaching Curriculum & Support Guide Ages: Adult You Are a Social Detective! Teaching Curriculum and Support Guide is just the tool you need to bring this important social emotional learning (SEL) into the classroom. Help your students become Social Detectives with this easy-to-use curriculum that fits into your current teaching day. This curriculum provides 10 structured lesson plans and visual tools to support building students’ social attention, social interpretation, and self-awareness—the foundation for social emotional learning for everyone. Learn more

$35.99

You Are a Social Detective!: Curriculum Guide + Storybook (2-book teaching set)

You Are a Social Detective!: Curriculum Guide + Storybook (2-book teaching set) Ages: 5-10+, Adult Bring social emotional learning for children ages 5-10+ into your classroom—and save 10%! This bundle includes the award-winning storybook, You Are a Social Detective! 2nd Edition and its new companion Teaching Curriculum & Support Guide, an easy-to-use curriculum that fits into your current teaching day. The storybook introduces students to core social emotional learning (SEL) concepts, and the curriculum provides 10 fun, structured lesson plans and visual tools to support building students’ social attention, social interpretation, and self-awareness—the foundation for social emotional learning for everyone. Learn more

$59.99 $65.98

Social Thinking and Me (two-book set)

Social Thinking and Me (two-book set) Ages: 9-12 Our best-selling curriculum for children ages 9-12, The Kids’ Guidebook introduces select Social Thinking Vocabulary through colorful illustrations and easy-to-understand content. This award-winning two-book set provides the teaching tools to break down complex social concepts to make it easier for interventionists to teach and for students to learn. Thinksheets for Social Emotional Learning includes multiple mini-lessons for in-depth exploration of each chapter of The Kids’ Guidebook to help build social learners’ metacognitive awareness and develop practical strategies. Kids enjoy becoming stronger social observers and problem solvers. A natural fit for school, clinic, and home. Learn more

$69.99

Social Fortune or Social Fate: A Social Thinking Manga-Style Map for Social Quest Seekers

Social Fortune or Social Fate: A Social Thinking Manga-Style Map for Social Quest Seekers Ages: 10+ Award winning and kid friendly, this graphic novel-style book uses comic strip scenarios to teach about common social and emotional chain reactions. Co-developed, critiqued, and inspired by Neurodivergent tweens and teens, this book represents the 10 social scenarios they most often encountered. Readers will get to see the choices of three characters and the outcome of those choices (social fortune or social fate). Designed to show “both sides of the [choices] coin,” the book allows students to read the book forward or backwards. Readers also get to see how protagonists’ choices are tied to their own thoughts, their actions or reactions, which ultimately impact how they feel. Each scenario includes either an analysis and strategy codes to decipher the characters’ choices or an “autopsy” for a better understanding of what happened and why. Learn more

$27.99

Visual Supports for 10 Key Social Thinking Vocabulary Concepts

Visual Supports for 10 Key Social Thinking Vocabulary Concepts Ages: 4+ These colorful visual supports (11” x 14”) promote the active use of 10 Social Thinking® Vocabulary concepts that lay the foundation for social emotional learning using the Social Thinking® Methodology. They are a visual way to show abstract elements of the social world in a concrete manner. As you introduce each of the 10 concepts, display the corresponding visual support (mini-poster) as a reminder to think about the concept. Set of 10; not sold individually. Learn more

$24.99

Think Social! A Social Thinking Curriculum for School-Age Students

Think Social! A Social Thinking Curriculum for School-Age Students Ages: 4+ Think Social! is a comprehensive curriculum that includes over 69 Social Thinking® evidenced-informed concepts, frameworks, and strategies. A valuable resource for any professional or parent teaching social emotional concepts to school-age students—including both neurotypicals and Neurodivergents with social learning differences and/or challenges. The curriculum has basic suggestions for linking lessons to academic standards. Learn more

$91.99

Social Thinking Frameworks Collection | 26 Teaching Frameworks (Sets 1 & 2 Bundle)

Social Thinking Frameworks Collection | 26 Teaching Frameworks (Sets 1 & 2 Bundle) Ages: 4 - adult We’ve got 26 powerful visual tools to help you and your social learners crack open the social emotional world—all in one collection. We’ve distilled 25 years of our core learning and teaching into hands-on, ready-to-use , 8.5” x 11” scaffolds to help both interventionists and social learners organize, talk about, understand, and navigate diverse social landscapes. Learn more

$44.99 $49.98

Should I? or Shouldn't I? Revised Elementary Edition

Should I? or Shouldn't I? Revised Elementary Edition Ages: 8-11 Motivate students ages 8-11 to explore social expectations and consider how they perceive, interpret, and emotionally respond to others’ actions and reactions. Use the cards to explore and discuss group expectations across a wide variety of social situations. Teachers, clinicians, and parents can gain information about which social concepts might need deeper teaching. This game leads to greater self-awareness and builds upon social competencies when players talk to each other about their shared social expectations! It also makes thinking and talking about social situations fun and allows kids to explore their own thoughts, perspectives, and behavior choices within a safe and consequences-free environment. Learn more

$34.99

Should I? or Shouldn’t I? What Would Others Think? Revised Edition for Teens

Should I? or Shouldn’t I? What Would Others Think? Revised Edition for Teens Ages: 12-18+ Revised and updated, this popular social learning card game provides the all-new Social Interpretation Scale to motivate teens to explore how they perceive, interpret, and emotionally respond to others’ actions and reactions and discuss group expectations across a wide variety of social situations. The new Teaching Guide and Instructions help interventionists shift students’ focus from discussing how someone behaved to instead learning about the power of one’s own social interpretation within a fun, safe, and consequence-free setting. This revised edition extends teaching the concept of the Social Emotional Chain Reaction (SECR), a Social Thinking® Methodology framework. Learn more

$34.99

Social Emotional Learning Curriculum Get Started Bundle | Social Detective & Superflex Series

Social Emotional Learning Curriculum Get Started Bundle | Social Detective & Superflex Series Ages: 5-10+ Introduce the Social Detective & Superflex series with these cornerstone products that teach children the basics of self-regulation while making social emotional learning fun! Begin with You Are a Social Detective! 2nd Edition storybook and the all-new You Are a Social Detective Teaching Curriculum & Support Guide, which encourage kids to observe the social world and introduce our core Social Thinking Vocabulary to help them learn more about social norms, perspective taking, and how our actions impact others. Move on to the Superflex Curriculum Package and get to know Superflex, our own personal self-regulation superhero, and the 14 original Unthinkables®. Also included are our Superflex Super Sticker Collection, Superflex Bingo, plus Superflex: My Hero Inside music CD! Learn more

$184.99 $204.94

Superflex Bingo

Superflex Bingo Ages: 7-10+ New language & character updates! A FUN and FLEXIBLE game developed for children (ages 7–10+) who have been actively working with the You Are a Social Detective! 2nd Edition storybook and the Superflex® curriculum and are familiar with core Social Thinking Vocabulary. Unlike the “matching” format of traditional bingo games, Superflex® Bingo engages players in “thinking through the Bingo Board” to expand their social emotional learning. Players listen to and think through hundreds of different social situations to identify when Superflex is engaged, which of the 14 UnthinkaBots® are causing havoc, or which Social Thinking Vocabulary concept is being discussed. Includes 12 different themed card packs. Perfect for use in the classroom, clinic, or home. Learn more

$39.99

I Get It! Building Social Thinking and Reading Comprehension Through Book Chats

I Get It! Building Social Thinking and Reading Comprehension Through Book Chats Ages: 4-9 Reading comprehension is more than decoding words. In fact, it depends less on language comprehension and more on a student's social thinking ability. Use this innovative resource to leverage children’s love of stories while teaching core Social Thinking® Vocabulary and concepts to strengthen reading comprehension. This book presents an organized teaching approach called Book Chat that helps kids explore social context and unlock character perspectives and emotions within a story. It’s loaded with recommended storybooks aligned with specific Social Thinking concepts, as well as ideas and examples for writing IEP goals for learning social emotional concepts through reading. Learn more

$28.99

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Part 1: Foundations for Early Learners—Teaching Thoughts, Feelings, and The Group Plan

Early Learners (Ages 4-7)

Part 1: Foundations for Early Learners—Teaching Thoughts, Feelings, and The Group Plan

Series Name: Introducing Social Thinking® Concepts to 4–7-Year-Olds Through Ten Storybooks and Two Curricula

Guide children’s early social learning and play experiences to strengthen social competencies and classroom learning. Part 1: Foundations for Early Learners—Teaching Thoughts, Feelings, and The Group Plan examines the foundations of our work with early learners, delves into the core concepts thoughts and feelings and the group plan, and provides strategies, lessons, and examples for teaching them to children ages 4–7 years old using We Thinkers! Volume 1 with fidelity.

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Replay access through March 31, 2023

3.5 hours toward CE credit, if applicable

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Part 2: Building on Foundations—Teaching Thinking with Eyes, Body in the Group, and Whole Body Listening (Listening with Body and Brain)

Early Learners (Ages 4-7)

Part 2: Building on Foundations—Teaching Thinking with Eyes, Body in the Group, and Whole Body Listening (Listening with Body and Brain)

Series Name: Introducing Social Thinking® Concepts to 4–7-Year-Olds Through Ten Storybooks and Two Curricula

Part 2 of this four-course series expands on the research-based foundations of our work with early learners introduced in Part 1 related to the core Social Thinking® concepts taught through our curriculum. In this course, we focus on the concepts thinking with your eyes, body in the group, and whole body listening (listening with body and brain). Learn strategies, lessons, and examples for teaching these concepts with fidelity using our We Thinkers! Volume 1: Social Explorers Curriculum with 4–7-year-olds in the mainstream classroom and specialized treatment settings.

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3.5 hours toward CE credit, if applicable

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Part 1: The Social World: Practical Vocabulary and Concepts for Teaching How It Works

Social Thinking Vocabulary

Part 1: The Social World: Practical Vocabulary and Concepts for Teaching How It Works

Series Name: Social Thinking Vocabulary and Strategies

We all need practical social emotional learning tools for teaching social information. Part 1 of this two-part series introduces two core teaching frameworks, multiple tools, and practical strategies as part of the Social Thinking® Methodology’s concrete vocabulary. Discover social emotional learning strategies for teaching how the social world works.

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3.5 hours toward CE credit, if applicable

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Part 2: Strategies and Concepts for How to Navigate to Regulate in the Social World

Social Thinking Vocabulary

Part 2: Strategies and Concepts for How to Navigate to Regulate in the Social World

Series Name: Social Thinking Vocabulary and Strategies

Using concrete social emotional vocabulary and frameworks, we teach strategies for social learners to navigate (to regulate) in the social world. In this second half of this series, learn additional Social Thinking Vocabulary to make abstract social concepts more concrete. We describe practical examples for guiding children, students or clients to build social competencies in conversations, executive functions, self-awareness, self-regulation, perspective taking, and flexible thinking.

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3.5 hours toward CE credit, if applicable

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Strategies to Build Social Competencies

The Social Thinking Methodology provides evidence-based strategies to help people ages four through adult develop their social competencies, flexible thinking & social problem solving and improve:

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What People Are Saying About Social Thinking

Parents & Families

Testimonial Thank you doesn’t seem enough for all that your teachings have done for me and my family! They have been a lifeline for me to re-connect with my 9-year-old. Everything you publish is 100% applicable. Keep up the amazing work!

Parent of 9 year old

Elementary School

Testimonial Social Thinking has completely changed the environment of who we are as a whole. Thank you for providing us with such rich social and emotional resources. The impact that your resources make are life changing and early intervention is key. Your curriculum is truly amazing! I bought into Social Thinking about 9 years ago and will use this as long as I am in education.

Natalie, Resource Teacher

Schools

Testimonial I appreciate how the Social Thinking Methodology links social intent/thinking and the common core or school based standards. This connection, and the understanding that exists, is so crucial to every member of a student's school community.

Peggy, 3rd Grade Teacher

Mental Health & Clinicians

Testimonial The Social Thinking Methodology is the philosophy that I ascribe to professionally. It serves as my guide through assessment and intervention.

Greg, School Psychologist

Speech Language Pathologists

Testimonial I love how realistic the approach is, and doable! Based on real clinical experience adaptable to individual needs/strengths. Great that all the vocabulary is simple, easy to understand, and not full of professional shop talk.

Amy, SLP

Parents & Families

Testimonial Social Thinking’s program has given me the much needed tools to communicate in a meaningful way with my 9-year-old son. Thank you. The stress level in our house has decreased along with the meltdowns. He is able to come out of the meltdowns much more readily.

Tammy, Mom of 9 year-old boy

Adult Clients

Testimonial I am a professional, high-functioning 37 year old woman diagnosed as being on the spectrum two years ago. The Social Thinking Methodology is by far the most helpful resource I have encountered. It would not be an exaggeration to say that it changed my life. Your concrete examples are extremely helpful.

Autistic Adult

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Social Thinking Vocabulary Resources

Teach Social Thinking Vocabulary

Lay the foundation for social emotional learning with our most popular Social Thinking vocabulary resources

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Get the insight you need to break down the complex social emotional world in a way our children and students can understand. Learn practical strategies from practicing clinicians. Social emotional learning you won't find anyplace else.

Free Webinars—Learn Essential Social Thinking Concepts for Free

Teaching our 10 Core Social Thinking Concepts

Thoughts & Feelings

Thinking with Your Eyes

The Group Plan

Is Your Body in the Group?

Whole Body Listening

Expected & Unexpected Behavior

Smart Guess

Flexible & Stuck Thinking

Size of the Problem

Sharing an Imagination

Best-Selling Social Thinking Vocabulary Products

Free Stuff for Home & School

Free Articles

Free Thinksheet

Free Thinksheet

On Demand Courses—Practical Strategies You Can Use Right Now

Part 1: Foundations for Early Learners—Teaching Thoughts, Feelings, and The Group Plan

Part 1: Foundations for Early Learners—Teaching Thoughts, Feelings, and The Group Plan

Series Name: Introducing Social Thinking® Concepts to 4–7-Year-Olds Through Ten Storybooks and Two Curricula

Replay access through March 31, 2023

3.5 hours toward CE credit, if applicable

Part 2: Building on Foundations—Teaching Thinking with Eyes, Body in the Group, and Whole Body Listening (Listening with Body and Brain)

Part 2: Building on Foundations—Teaching Thinking with Eyes, Body in the Group, and Whole Body Listening (Listening with Body and Brain)

Series Name: Introducing Social Thinking® Concepts to 4–7-Year-Olds Through Ten Storybooks and Two Curricula

Replay access through March 31, 2023

3.5 hours toward CE credit, if applicable

Part 1: The Social World: Practical Vocabulary and Concepts for Teaching How It Works

Part 1: The Social World: Practical Vocabulary and Concepts for Teaching How It Works

Series Name: Social Thinking Vocabulary and Strategies

Replay access through March 31, 2023

3.5 hours toward CE credit, if applicable

Part 2: Strategies and Concepts for How to Navigate to Regulate in the Social World

Part 2: Strategies and Concepts for How to Navigate to Regulate in the Social World

Series Name: Social Thinking Vocabulary and Strategies

Replay access through March 31, 2023

3.5 hours toward CE credit, if applicable

What is Social Thinking?

What People Are Saying About Social Thinking