Does your child have difficulty with anxiety, routines or knowing how to interact with others in certain situations? Consider making a social story.
Social Stories as, developed by Dr. Carol Gray help children understand the events and expectations in their lives. They provide a simple description of a situation, concept or social skill. And can be a great way to teach a variety of skills and behaviors as well as outline special events and social situation. Each story is individualized for each child and features the child as the main character.
Social stories are written to:
· Describe an unfamiliar situation or event
· Explain social scenarios and expected behaviors involved
· Help with transitions, especially into unfamiliar situations or events
· Teach routines
· Address a variety of behavior challenges
· Help children learn new skills and generalize them
How to write a social story:
1. Identify the target behavior, skill or event in the title
2. Focus on one thing or event at a time
3. Use pictures to support the text
4. Break down the event or situation into simple steps
5. Include exact scripts or phrases for the child to say
6. Be descriptive and answer “wh” question about the event
7. Describe what the child or others should feel or how they will react
8. Describe exactly what the child should do
9. Write the story in the first person & in present tense
10. Keep it simple and positive
How to Implement a Social Story:
Choose a time when your child is calm and relaxed to read the social story to them. Stories should be read as much as possible so that your child becomes familiar with the story. Once your child is familiar with the story, you can stop reading parts allowing your child to fill-in-the-blank. Later you can ask questions about the story to provide your child the opportunity to practice their “new words” or target behavior embedded within the story.
For more information about social stories, visit https://carolgraysocialstories.com
For tools to help you create a story, visit: https://www.sandbox-learning.com
For a free social story example, click here.