HOW TO WRITE A SOCIAL STORY

1. HOW TO WRITE A SOCIAL STORY Created By: Teressa Feierabend, LSSP Presented By: Trudie Dewey

2. Carol Gray Website,

3. Carol Gray, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vjlIYYbVIrI

5. Why Write Social Stories, Using Social Stories™ is a cost-effective way to provide a student with an autism spectrum disorder an unlimited amount of information about social events and social expectations. It is an individualized approach, but Social Stories™ can be used for different students.

6. A TRUE SOCIAL STORY, There are many “social stories” available on the internet and other sources that are not true Social Stories™. To be a true Social Story™, the story must meet the criteria presented today.

7. BEFORE WE BEGIN, AUDIENCE – the student or child AUTHOR – parent or teacher STORY – social story TEAM – parents and professionals working together on behalf of the child

8. The 10.1 Criteria, • One Goal • Two-Part Discovery • Three Parts and a Title • FOURmat • Five Factors Define Voice and Vocabulary • Six Questions Guide Story Development • Seven Types of Sentences • A Gr-eight Formula • Nine Makes It Mine • Ten Guides to Editing and Implementation

9. Criterion 1: One Goal, The goal of a Social StoryTM is to share accurate information using a process, format, voice, and content that is descriptive, meaningful, and physically, socially, and emotionally safe for the Audience. Every Social StoryTM has an overall patient and reassuring tone.

10. Criterion 1: One Goal, Individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorders perceive social events differently. Social Stories™ help students with Autism Spectrum Disorders understand social events and social expectations.

11. Criterion 1: One Goal, Is the goal of a Social Stories™ to get the Audience to do what the Author or Team wants him/her to do? • Yes • No

12. Criterion 1: One Goal, NO: The most common misconception is that the goal of a Social Story™ is to change the Audience’s (i.e., student) behavior.

13. Criterion 1: One Goal, • Not understanding social events and expectations can result in frustration and/or maladaptive behavior. • We use the Social Story™ to address the student’s difficulty understanding social situations.

14. Criterion 1: One Goal, Improving understanding of social events and expectations can improve behavior.

15. Criterion 1: One Goal, Every Social Story™ has an unfaltering respect for its Audience, regardless of the topic.

16. Criterion 1: One Goal, The physical, social, and emotional safety of a Story is an Author’s first concern.

17. Criterion 1: One Goal, Don’t write a socially unsafe story. Mrs. Barnes, a first grade teacher, writes a story for Adam, age six. She includes the following statements about her class: “We’re all friends here. Friends cooperate with friends.”

18. Criterion 1: One Goal, Two “friends” from his class approach him, and tell him to pull down his pants. Working from the information in the story, that these two classmates are friends and friends cooperate with one another, Adam complies with their request. He’s confused as they turn, laughing, and walk away.

19. Criterion 1: One Goal, Adam’s story was inaccurate. Classmates in a classroom are not all friends. Mrs. Barnes did not write a Social StoryTM. With all good and noble intentions, she wrote a socially unsafe story.

20. Criterion 1: One Goal, Carol Gray states that the most frequent Author mistakes are statements in a story that threaten emotional safety. Examples: “I often interrupt” “Sometimes, I hit other children” “I often don’t listen when people are talking to me and that’s rude.”

21. Criterion 1: One Goal, Self-deprecating statements or negative references to the Audience are not allowed in a Social Story™.

22. Criterion 2: Two-Step Discovery, Keeping the goal in mind, Authors (i.e., teachers and parents) • Gather accurate information • Then, identify the topic and types of information that will be shared in the STORY.

23. Criterion 2: Two-Step Discovery, A child with an autism spectrum disorder (ASD) may frequently perceive social events differently. Here, the Author attempts to understand how the situation from the Audience’s point of view.

24. Criterion 2: Two-Step Discovery, Ex. Andrew, a student in Mrs. Clark’s first-grade class, struggled in math. Only once had he raised his hand for help. As his consultant, I was curious as to why Andrew had given up on the hand-raising process. I decided to try drawing a picture with Andrew to learn more. We drew about what happened when Andrew raised his hand.

25. Criterion 2: Two-Step Discovery, While doing so, Andrew said, “I’m never going to raise my hand again. My teacher doesn’t know anything about math.” I asked why he felt that way. “Well, I raised my hand. Mrs. Clark came over and said, ‘Okay, Andrew, what’s the first number?’ Mrs. Gray, she doesn’t even know her numbers!”’ The story topics became clear.

26. Criterion 2: Two-Step Discovery, One described what his teacher knows. It included copies of her diploma and first-grade math assignments that she had completed. The second Story explained why teachers ask questions when they already know the answers.

27. Criterion 3: Three Parts and a Title, A Social StoryTM has a title and introduction that clearly identifies the topic, a body that adds detail, and a conclusion that reinforces and summarizes the information.

28. Criterion 3: Three Parts and a Title, TITLE BODY CONCLUSION

29. Criterion 3: Three Parts and a Title, TITLE & INTRODUCTION (Introduce) BODY (Describe) CONCLUSION (Reinforce the most important concepts in a Social StoryTM .

30. Criterion 3: Three Parts and a Title, INTRODUCTION Includes a clear topic sentence. Ex. “If I lose a toy, people can help.” May include a sentence to gain attention: Ex. “My name is Jeremy.”

31. Criterion 3: Three Parts and a Title, BODY Adds further description/explanation. Ex. “Mom or dad knows how to find my toy. We will try to think and look.”

32. Criterion 3: Three Parts and a Title, CONCLUSION Refers the Audience back to the beginning. It restates the original purpose with the benefit of additional information. Ex. “People can help me look for my toy.”

33. Criterion 3: Three Parts and a Title, My name is Jeremy. If I lose a toy, people can help. Mom or dad knows how to find my toy. We will try to think and look. People can help me look for my toy.

34. Criterion 3: Three Parts and a TitleACTIVITY, Directions: Considering the 3rd Criterion, complete the sentence below: A Social StoryTM must have a minimum of ___ sentences. 3

35. LET’S REVIEW, Name the first 3 criteria: • One Goal • Two-Part Discovery • Three Parts & a Title

36. Criterion 4: FOURmat!, A Social StoryTM has a format that clarifies content and enhances meaning for the Audience.

37. Criterion 4: FOURmat!, The “format” refers to how the text and illustration are tailored to the needs of the Audience.

38. Criterion 4: FOURmat!, Must consider: • The length of the Story • Sentence structure • Vocabulary • Font style/size • Organization

39. Criterion 4: FOURmat!, Age and Ability Younger Child • Story needs to be brief! • Will contain 3 to 12 short sentences (eliminate commas to create 2 short sentences rather than 1 long sentence)

40. Criterion 4: FOURmat!, Repetition, Rhythm, and Rhyme Ex. “On the playground, I may play on the swings, I may play on the slide, I may play on the monkey bars, or I may play something else.” Ex. Feeling angry is okay. It’s important what I do and say.”

41. Criterion 4: FOURmat!, Repetition, Rhythm, and Rhyme Consider the Audience when deciding. Some Audiences may regard them as “babyish” and insulting. Never risk insulting the Audience!

42. Criterion 4: FOURmat!, ILLUSTRATION Using visual arts to support the meaning of text (e.g., actual objects, photos, videos, drawings, PowerPoint presentations, figures, charts, and diagrams).

43. Criterion 4: FOURmat!, ILLUSTRATION Use caution. Don’t use anything that misleads or confuses the Audience.

44. Criterion 5: Five Factors Define Voice and Vocabulary, A Social StoryTM has a patient and supportive “voice” and vocabulary that is defined by five factors: • First- or Third- Person Perspective • Positive and Patient Tone • Past, Present, and/or Future Tense • Literal Accuracy • Accurate Vocabulary

45. Criterion 5: Five Factors Define Voice and Vocabulary, First- or Third- Person Perspective Many Social StoriesTM are written in a first-person voice, as though the Audience is describing the situation, event, or concept. This presents information from an Audience vantage point.

46. Criterion 5: Five Factors Define Voice and Vocabulary, Take care not to “put words into the mouth” of the Audience, when it is not representative of the Audience’s experience. Ex. “I will like recess.” Even though a Story is written in the first-person voice, it is likely it will contain both first- and third-person perspective statements.

47. Criterion 5: Five Factors Define Voice and Vocabulary, A Social StoryTM that is written from a third-person voice, similar to a newspaper article, is called a Social Article. Social Articles may use columns, advanced vocabulary and/or Times New Roman font to minimize any “babyish” or insulting quality in the text. They are for an older or more advanced Audience.

48. Criterion 5: Five Factors Define Voice and Vocabulary, POSITIVE AND PATIENT TONE A Social StoryTM uses positive language. A person with an autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is more likely to be challenged, corrected, and re-directed far more frequently than his or her peers.

49. Criterion 5: Five Factors Define Voice and Vocabulary, POSITIVE AND PATIENT TONE A Social StoryTM keeps the self-esteem of the Audience safe. Examples like “I have difficulty listening to my teacher” or “Sometimes when I am angry, I hit people” provide little usable information.

50. Criterion 5: Five Factors Define Voice and Vocabulary, POSITIVE AND PATIENT TONE Authors never use the Audience voice in reference to his or her negative behavior. Instead, an Author may describe a specific negative behavior in general, without “pointing a finger” at the Audience.