How to Create a Social Story

HOW CAN A SOCIAL STORY HELP?

• Social stories are used to help a person understand what to expect in new or difficult situations. They can also help a person understand what is expected of them in those situations.
• A social story can describe and prepare a person for situations that may be particularly challenging for them.
  Preparing with a social story can promote self-calming, self-promoting, and self-management skills.

HOW CAN A SOCIAL STORY HELP?

• Start your story by describing when or why the situation might happen.
• Identify any steps the person can do to prepare for the situation before it happens.
• Going step by step, list out all of the things that are likely to happen during the situation.
  • Include information about sensory experiences, especially ones that might be upsetting to the individual.
  • Include information about what other people might do during the situation.
  • Include information about what emotions the person might feel.
• Identify any actions or behaviors that the person will be expected to take.
• Include information about ways they can cope during the situation, including how to get help.
• Let the person know when the situation will end.

**With each of these steps, remember to use simple first-person phrases like,
“I will pump soap from the bottle to wash my hands,” or “I will ride the yellow bus to school.”

GENERAL TIPS FOR CREATING AND USING SOCIAL STORIES

• For each step in the story, include a picture to illustrate the idea. Cartoons, drawings, and clipart are useful. However, actual photos of the situation can be even more useful.
• Write the story in “first person” (i.e. using pronouns such as “I” and “me”).
• Limit each step in the story to 1-2 simple sentences.
• Invite the person with autism to help you put the story together.
• Read the story frequently with the autistic person to prepare for the situation.
• Read the story again immediately before the situation so they have it as a reminder.
• As the person becomes more comfortable with a situation, you can start to read the story less often. However, it can still be useful to continue reviewing it sometimes as a gentle reminder.

EXAMPLE OF THE CREATION OF A SOCIAL STORY

Story and Writing tips

How To Create A Social Story

What is the Purpose of a Social Story?

• • Helps a person to respond to certain social situations
  • Describes social situations and prepares a person for situations that may be challenging like appearing in court, being detained or being arrested.
  • Promotes self-calming, self-promoting, and self-management skills
  • Shows information through methods such as pictures and words

Two Types of Sentences Can Be Used in Creating Social Stories:

Descriptive Sentences

• • Reassure the person or express an opinion about a situation: “That is OK.”
  • Show what others can do to help the person: “If I am nervous about going to court, my probation officer can…”
  • Include feelings and thoughts of the person and others in the story: “The detention staff will like it if I follow the rules.”, “The police officer wants to help keep me safe.”
  • State the facts: “The police officer’s name is Officer….”

Directive Sentences

Identify possible responses to a situation:

• • If I don’t understand, I can ask the officer to repeat what was said.
  • First I can raise my hand, and if I am able, say, “excuse me”.
  • Then if I am able, I can say, “Can you please show me what I need to do?”
  • Lastly, I can do what the officer asks.

If you are trying to use the First and Then technique, it will be helpful for the individual to learn that sequence, especially if you are using pictures to create the social stories. It is important to follow up with what is going to happen last.

What Do I Do Once I Have Created a Social Story?

• • Share the accessible Social Story with the individual. If possible, involve the individual in creating it!
  • New Social Stories should be read or shared frequently with the learner.
  • The Social Stories should always be shared with a person before the experience or situation.
  • Social Stories can be faded and may no longer be needed after a person is familiar with expectations for the new situation. They can also be reintroduced and used as reminders.
  • Social Stories may need to be rewritten or paired with more visual support, e.g. a visual schedule, depending on the needs or response of the person.

Tip! Try and incorporate pictures for all routines.

For example: For an upcoming court appearance, help the individual with autism prepare for the court date by providing actual photos of the court process.

Try and incorporate pictures for all routines. For example, if an individual with autism is incarcerated or detained, having a visual schedule of the daily routine, the meal menu, the activity choices and making them aware of any changes in the routine will help that individual know what is going to occur and they can be better prepared. For an upcoming court appearance, help the individual with autism prepare for the court date by providing actual photos of the court process. For example, a photo of the outside of the court house, the metal detector, the waiting room and where they will sit in the courtroom. Visuals may also help a probationer understand and follow the conditions of probation so including pictures alongside each rule of probation may help them better understand the expectations of the court.