As educators working with students in Special Education, it’s crucial to help them develop essential social skills, such as following the Restaurant Rules. These guidelines are crucial for students to learn how to behave appropriately during social dining experiences, whether it’s eating with family, friends, or at a restaurant. This blog post will provide an overview of the Restaurant Rules, a no-prep activity, discussion questions, related skills, and next steps.

Introduction

The Restaurant Rules are essential for students to understand and apply in social dining situations. These rules include:

• Using our Self-Controller to keep our body and our emotions calm
• Hygiene, which involves keeping clean, using napkins, not touching other’s food, and washing our hands
• Manners, which means using polite actions at the table

By teaching students these rules, we can help them avoid embarrassing situations and ensure they feel confident and comfortable when eating with others.

No-Prep Activity

One activity that requires no preparation or materials from the educator is the “Restaurant Role-Play.” In this activity, students are asked to pair up and take turns acting as a guest and a host at a restaurant or dinner party. The host should demonstrate the Restaurant Rules while the guest observes and provides feedback. Afterward, they can switch roles. This activity encourages students to practice the rules in a simulated environment, helping them internalize the skills for real-life situations.

Discussion Questions

1. Why is it important to follow the Restaurant Rules when eating with others?
2. Can you think of a time when you or someone else didn’t follow the Restaurant Rules? How did it make you or the other person feel?
3. What are some challenges students might face while trying to follow the Restaurant Rules? How can we help them overcome these challenges?
4. How can we support our students when they struggle with certain aspects of the Restaurant Rules, such as using their Self-Controller or practicing good hygiene?

Related Skills

There are several other relevant skills that students can benefit from learning alongside the Restaurant Rules. These include:

• Active listening: Encourage students to pay attention to their conversation partners and respond appropriately.
• Empathy: Teach students to understand and respect the feelings and perspectives of others during social interactions.
• Conflict resolution: Help students learn how to address disagreements or misunderstandings in a calm and respectful manner.

Next Steps

To further support your students in learning the Restaurant Rules and other valuable social skills, sign up for free sample materials at Everyday Speech. These resources offer a variety of engaging activities and lessons that can help students develop and refine their social-emotional learning skills. By incorporating these resources into your teaching, you can create a more inclusive and supportive learning environment for all students.