social stories
Creating and Using Social Stories
Adapted from The New Social Story Book by Carol Gray
» link to What is a Social Story
» link to When would I use a Social Story
» link to How do I create a Social Story
» link to How do I use a Social Story
» download Social Stories
What is a Social Story?
- Created by Carol Gray, Social Stories are short stories, often with pictures, describing a situation from the child’s point of view
- They are individual and can be created on any topic
- They are typically written about a topic that is challenging for the child
- The idea behind Social Stories being the child will better understand and have consistent reminders of the expectations in the target situation
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When would I use a Social Story?
- When a child is experiencing challenges with an activity, routine, event or situation at school, home or other environment
- When a child is learning a new skill
- When a child is unsure about an upcoming event
- When a child is having difficulty following expectations
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How do I create a Social Story?
- Anyone can create a Social Story
- Print and personalize the Social Stories on this website or create your own (feel free to add pictures from the ____ tab)
- Include some personal information about the child to make the story his/her own
- Choose one behavior or situation to focus on in one story
- State facts about the situation
- Provide ideas of child performance around the expected behavior
- Focus on what the child should do in the situation
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- Introduce only one social story at a time
- It is very important to introduce a new social story when the child is calm and relaxed
- Read it to the child in a one on one situation. It should be an enjoyable experience
- A Social Story can be read up to a couple of times each day, with a planned reading before the activity or situation portrayed in they story
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The materials on this page created and assembled by Lindsey Lawrence