One of the interesting bits of knowledge I learned at the AOTA autism conference was regarding Social Stories.
First, I have to admit that I have written few social stories, mostly because this is handled by many other people within my district.
However, I know that it is often a skill we bring to our diverse working environments. So, for some of you this may be oh-so-passe and I send my apologies. In that case, maybe you can teach me something.
The fabulous Jane Case-Smith shared tips from Carol Gray, a leader in the world of social stories.
What makes a good social story?
- Once upon a time, there is a child who.....did what? without getting too wordy, provide simple facts about the who, what, where, etc.
- Include illustration - add pictures of the child or clipart from the internet.
- Provide perspective - how does the targeted behavior impact others?
- Specific Directives - what is the desired response?
- A happily ever after - end with a positive.
Whenever possible, include the child when writing the story. Make it their own.
It was also noted that social stories are most successful when the goal is to extinguish/replace an undesired behavior and less successful when trying to introduce a new positive behavior.
Please let me know if you have any resources used to write social stories or tips you have learned along the way.
