Best Social Skills Options for Inclusive Classrooms
Compare the best Social Skills options for Inclusive Classrooms. Side-by-side features, ratings, and verdict.
Choosing the right social skills tools for inclusive classrooms can make peer interactions, self-regulation, and conflict resolution more teachable within busy general education settings. The best options support differentiated instruction, align with IEP accommodations, and fit realistic planning time for co-teachers and inclusion teams.
| Feature | Everyday Speech | Zones of Regulation | Social Thinking | Second Step | Nearpod | ClassDojo |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| IEP-Friendly Differentiation | Yes | Yes | Yes | With supports | Yes | Basic |
| Progress Monitoring | Yes | Teacher-created | Limited | Limited | Yes | Yes |
| Tier 1 Classroom Use | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Visual Supports | Yes | Yes | Yes | Some | Yes | Some |
| Small Group Intervention | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | With teacher design | No |
Everyday Speech
Top PickEveryday Speech is a widely used social-emotional learning and social skills platform with video modeling, worksheets, and interactive web games. It is especially helpful for teaching conversation skills, emotional regulation, and peer interactions across whole-class and targeted support settings.
Pros
- +Strong library of video modeling lessons for pragmatic language and SEL skills
- +Includes data collection and progress monitoring features useful for documenting student response
- +Works well for both speech-language staff and classroom teams using Tier 1 and small group instruction
Cons
- -Subscription cost can be difficult for individual teachers without site funding
- -Some lessons may still need adaptation for students with significant cognitive disabilities
Zones of Regulation
Zones of Regulation is a popular framework for teaching self-regulation, emotional awareness, and coping strategies through color-coded zones. It is commonly adopted schoolwide and can be embedded into inclusive classrooms with visual supports and predictable routines.
Pros
- +Easy for students and staff to understand and use consistently across settings
- +Strong match for self-monitoring goals, calm-down routines, and regulation check-ins
- +Visual structure supports students who benefit from concrete emotional language and routines
Cons
- -Can be oversimplified if staff treat it as labeling feelings without teaching strategies
- -Teachers often need to create their own data collection systems for IEP documentation
Social Thinking
Social Thinking offers a research-informed framework and curriculum materials focused on social cognition, perspective taking, expected versus unexpected behavior, and flexible thinking. It is commonly used with students who need explicit instruction in social understanding, especially in inclusive settings.
Pros
- +Provides a well-known conceptual framework for teaching perspective taking and social problem solving
- +Offers materials for a wide age range, including upper elementary through secondary students
- +Useful for designing explicit lessons tied to real classroom routines and peer interactions
Cons
- -Implementation often requires staff training to use the language and framework effectively
- -Progress monitoring is less built in than in digital platforms
Second Step
Second Step is a well-established SEL curriculum that addresses empathy, emotion management, problem solving, and bullying prevention. It is designed for universal classroom use and can support inclusive practices when paired with accommodations and small group follow-up.
Pros
- +Strong Tier 1 classroom lessons that fit core SEL instruction
- +Covers broad social-emotional competencies including conflict resolution and responsible decision making
- +Widely recognized by schools, which helps with schoolwide consistency
Cons
- -Less individualized for students with intensive social communication needs
- -General education lessons may require added scaffolds for students with IEPs
Nearpod
Nearpod is an interactive lesson platform that many educators use to build customized SEL and social skills instruction with polls, collaborative boards, videos, and checks for understanding. It is especially useful for adapting content to varied learner profiles in inclusive classrooms.
Pros
- +Allows teachers to create differentiated social skills lessons with interactive participation
- +Useful for UDL-aligned instruction through visuals, audio, and multiple response formats
- +Can support co-teaching with whole-group instruction followed by targeted breakout activities
Cons
- -Requires teacher-created or teacher-curated social skills content rather than providing a full ready-made intervention
- -Advanced features may depend on paid plans
ClassDojo
ClassDojo is a classroom management and communication platform often used to reinforce positive behavior, teach classroom expectations, and share SEL content. While not a full social skills curriculum, it can support behavior-specific feedback and home-school communication in inclusive settings.
Pros
- +Easy to implement quickly in classrooms with limited planning time
- +Supports immediate positive reinforcement and family communication
- +Helpful for tracking participation, routines, and behavior goals tied to classroom expectations
Cons
- -Not a comprehensive social skills intervention by itself
- -Can become overly reward-focused if not paired with explicit instruction and reflection
The Verdict
For schools that want a dedicated social skills platform with lessons and data tools, Everyday Speech is the strongest all-around choice. For universal SEL instruction, Second Step works well in Tier 1 settings, while Zones of Regulation is especially effective for self-regulation routines. Teams needing flexible, teacher-designed lessons may prefer Nearpod, and ClassDojo can be a useful add-on for reinforcement and family communication rather than a stand-alone intervention.
Pro Tips
- *Choose a tool that matches your instructional tier - whole-class SEL, targeted small groups, or individualized IEP support
- *Check whether the option includes usable progress monitoring data for documenting social skills growth over time
- *Look for supports that align with UDL, such as visuals, modeling, multiple response formats, and flexible pacing
- *Consider whether general education teachers can realistically implement the tool within existing routines and planning time
- *Prioritize options that can be reinforced across settings so students hear consistent language from classroom teachers, specialists, and families