Posted on April 4, 2013 by fspguestblogger
By Cheri J. Meiners, author of the Free Spirit Learning to Get Along® series
A
friend once asked me for advice regarding her two-year-old child. She was
concerned about her daughter’s biting and throwing tantrums. I offered to help
her write a story for her daughter. Social stories are useful behavioral tools
for teachers, counselors, and parents when working with any young child, and
have particular benefits for children who struggle with communication and
social skills.
True social stories—as defined and developed by Carol
Gray, an author and consultant to students with autism spectrum
disorders (ASD)—must include specific clinical criteria. But the stories
themselves are short and simply worded, and your own stories can be patterned
after these principles. Basically, a social story explains to a child behaviors
or skills that can be useful in a social setting. Desired actions and outcomes
are laid out in a logical step-by-step process. Through frequent readings of
the story, a child can become more prepared for social interactions, routines,
and situations.
To
begin, you will want to observe the current behavior of the child, considering
the factors that may be influencing it. Young children are often limited in
their ability to communicate, express emotions, and understand social
expectations, and may not acquire new behavioral skills spontaneously. That is
why a clearly written social story that is easy for a young child to comprehend
can be such a useful tool in learning about social expectations.
One of the first tips I gave my friend was to write her story
from her child’s perspective—in the first person. This is an essential element
of a good social story. Hearing the word “I,” a child can easily identify with,
remember, and retain the instructional phrases.
A good introduction will start at the child’s current
developmental level. Lay out the beginning situation or problem. My friend’s
story might have started: “Sometimes I play with other children. If I don’t get
my way, I may feel angry.”
In the body of the story, write almost every sentence as a
positive, affirming statement. Some people suggest that you first discuss the
undesired behavior, and then the desired behavior afterward. It is my
preference to avoid writing about negative behavior altogether. In my mind, it
can give the undesired behavior too much attention. My rule of thumb is to use
only positive statements unless the problem behavior can hurt someone or damage
property. My friend’s story was one of those times, so we may have included a
directive, like, “I won’t bite or hit people.” We could then follow up with a
simple explanation, such as, “Those things hurt. They won’t solve my problem.”
Throughout the rest of your little book, you will want to give
instruction on the target skill. My friend’s story could talk about ways to
calm down and feel in control again. The length and level of detail in your
story will depend primarily on the child’s comprehension level, but always
strive for an organized, succinct telling. Four types of sentences will
typically be used in any social story:
§ Descriptive
statements objectively describe the setting or situation. My books in the
Learning to Get Along series—which use many concepts of the social
story—actually incorporate few descriptive statements. I prefer brevity,
relying on good illustrations to fill out the setting. You will typically want
to have one statement and illustration for each page. An example from my
friend’s story could be, “Sometimes I play with other children.”
§ Perspective
statements include the feelings, thoughts, and opinions of the people in
the story, such as, “I may feel angry.”
§ Directive
statements are instructional. These statements are really the reason for
the story. They tell the child what the desired behavior looks like. For
example, “I can take deep breaths to help me calm down.”
§ Affirmative
statements might reinforce things the child is already doing well, or they
might encourage the child to try a new behavior. A child will identify with and
be receptive to a story that is upbeat and empowering. End your story with an
affirmation, such as, “When I talk about my problem, I may feel better.”
Once the story is written, the fun part is to present it to the
child. Plan to read the personalized story to the child in a calm setting.
Reread it frequently—even daily, at first, to help the child become familiar
with the concepts. Then the story can be used as a reference when a problem
situation arises.
One of the central features of a social story is that it is tailored for a particular child. While my Learning to Get Along books are for general use and don’t use specifics like a child’s name, your own story can include specific names, pictures, and personal touches that the child recognizes.
Be creative and have fun writing your stories. Your child will
likely treasure a unique story and ask for it to be read again and again. Maybe
that’s because a social story is not only a great learning tool, but it
provides a unique opportunity to encourage, motivate, bond, and build trust
with the children in your life.
Please share any suggestions or experiences
with writing social stories in the comments below.
Cheri J. Meiners, M.Ed.,
has her master’s degree in elementary education and gifted education. A former
first-grade teacher, she has taught education classes at Utah State University
and has supervised student teachers. Cheri and her husband, David, have six
children and two grandchildren. They live in Laurel, Maryland.
