What are social stories?

Carol Gray, the founder of Social Stories describes them as “… a social learning tool that supports the safe and meaningful exchange of information between parents, professionals, and people with autism of all ages”. Carol Gray – Social Stories

With the wide use of social stories, we now know that they can be a great tool for any young developing child. This makes them extremely useful for school counselors!

Teachers often refer students to school counselors to work on behavior modification. When a child is young and still developing their receptive language it can be difficult sometimes for them to understand exactly what an adult wants them to do. Their perception of the directions may be off just a bit.

This is where social stories come into play! If we can teach students an internal dialogue that teaches them social expectations and cues, this can help in the process of modifying their behavior.

How can I use social stories?

The good news is that anyone can write and use social stories! I suggest you dive into Gray’s research and learn more about how to write them if you’re interested. Whether you want to do it formally or informally, social stories (or scripts) can be a very useful tool!

There are some basic rules for writing social stories because they are not in the format of a traditional story. First, gather information from teachers, parents and the student on what behaviors or situations they are struggling with.

Ask “W” questions… Who, What, When, Where, Why?

For example… Johnny spends a lot of time in the bathroom during math. Johnny doesn’t like to do math. We take a bathroom break 10 minutes before we start math and he chooses not to go.

How can I write a social story?

When you start writing think of the two main sentence types: 1) descriptive and 2) directive. Also, each story needs to be tailored to the specific student you are working with.

Descriptive Sentences

• State the facts (The teacher takes us to the bathroom right before math.)
• Include thoughts and feelings of the student and others (The teacher likes it when I learn math with the class.)
• Identify others that can help (The teacher can help remind me to use the bathroom.)
• Express a shared opinion (It may be hard at first or This is okay)

Directive Sentences

• Identify Possible Responses (When it’s math time, I will be ready to learn.)
• Gently Direct Behavior (I will try to use the bathroom before math time.)

More Resources

• Carol Gray – Founder of Social Stories
• Social Skills Checklist
• My Body is Private Story
• PBIS Tier 2 Stories
• Using a Public Bathroom Story
• School Social Stories

Books about social stories

Do you write social stories? What are some of the tips you find helpful?

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