Frequently Needed Answers

Social stories can be used effectively as visual strategies for helping individuals with ASD (autism spectrum disorder) to understand situations, skills, concepts and behaviours they may be struggling to master or cope with.

Developed around twenty years ago to help communication difficulties in ASD children, social stories are now a major autistic resource used to teach and encourage social and communication skills in ASD children and adults

The social skills story follows a set formula of four sentence types. 

Social stories for ASD are used in situations and skills the ASD individual finds difficult to cope with, they can be edited and adapted easily by parents, teachers and other professionals working with the ASD individual.

For example, a teacher may use a social skills story to help a student with autism feel more comfortable with recess or a lesson they may find confusing or stressful. The student with autism may also use a social skills story to help them cope with break times, home time and so on.

Teachers can use social stories for ASD in the classroom, on the playground, out and about and for other tasks like personal hygiene etc

Generally children with autism spectrum disorder are “visual thinkers and learners” meaning they think in images and pictures, therefore they are more able to absorb information and instruction when the information is visual rather than written text or auditory.

Social stories are visual strategies which describe a situation, skill, or concept in terms of relevant social cues, perspectives, and common responses.

The social skills story is used to help with communication difficulties, changes to routines, explain rules and show how other people may be feeling by explaining another’s point of view. The social skills story will also show the social cues in situations, also to help with routine changes, unexplained events and so on, helping the child with ASD understand and cope with the situation, skill, concept or behaviour.

The social skills story shows who, what, where, when, why by visually showing where and when a situation occurs, who is involved, how events are sequenced, what occurs, and why.

Social stories for ASD for your child with ASD can be downloaded from http://www.autismsocialstories.com

Other relevant sites offering social stories for ASD can be downloaded from sites such as:

http://www.autismsocialstories.com/social_skills

http://www.autismsocialstories.com/school

http://www.autismsocialstories.com/school_resources

Learning self-help skills such as good eating habits, dressing, toileting, and personal hygiene can be challenging for young people with autism spectrum disorder.

Social skills stories can be used effectively to help explain good hygiene habits and routines in autism. Social skills stories are developed to help individuals with autism understand how others perceive their appearance and the social implications of neglecting personal hygiene.

By using visual images and first person text in a step-by-step framework or plan the social story can explain exactly what individuals with autism need to remember to ensure good hygiene.

Teaching personal hygiene to young people with autism spectrum disorder can be problematic due to social skills deficits. Individuals with ASD may not understand the need to develop good hygiene habits.

Social skills deficits are common to autism and affect the way an individual processes information, thinks, acts and reacts to situations , skills and behaviours the rest of us take for granted or as “normal”

Social stories encourage good hygiene in autism by answering the important “wh” questions - who, where, why, when and what as well as giving an insight into the thoughts feelings and emotions of others.

Individuals with ASD are generally visual thinkers and learners therefore visual strategies such as social stories are beneficial. The social story should be editable, easy to personalize and print and be convenient to use.

Personal hygiene skills such as tooth brushing, showering and menstruation can be addressed using appropriate social stories for autism hygiene habits.

To learn more about how social stories for autism hygiene habits can be implemented to help ASD individuals with personal hygiene skills and routines visit sites such as: http://www.autismsocialstories.com/hygiene

Social stories short pieces of text, visual strategies which show ASD individuals how to cope with situations, skills and behaviours that they struggle to understand or deal with.

Social stories for autism hygiene habits can be downloaded from http://www.autismsocialstories.com/hygiene

Other social stories can be downloaded from http://www.autismsocialstories.com

Autism Spectrum Disorder is a developmental disorder. The disorder is characterized by a set of symptoms known as the triad of impairments, these are:

Social interactions skills deficits

Communication skills deficits

Imagination skills deficits.

This triad of impairments or social skills deficits as they are more commonly referred to are common to all individuals with ASD (autism spectrum disorder).

Therefore students with autism will almost certainly display social skills deficits.

The autistic student will have social skills impairments which can affect their ability to communicate with and understand others.

The autistic student will lack social interaction and flexibility skills, preferring set patterns and routines, this inability to be flexible can cause stress and anxiety if routines are changed even slightly.

These social skills deficits can make understanding communication and social skills in the classroom and around school difficult for the ASD student.

It is true to say that individuals with ASD cannot easily behave in a typical “more normal” way. An autistic student will not purposefully disrupt the class; all autistic behaviour happens for a reason an external or internal (illness) factor.

It is these external and internal factors that trigger a negative autistic behaviour through sheer frustration with situations and with other people.

Teaching the ASD student is difficult. Strategies can be put in place that can help deal with the affects of the student’s social skills deficits, which can help the motivation and behaviours displayed by the ASD student.

Strategies used for motivating students with autism can include visual schedules, PECS, flash cards, autism symbols and social skills stories.

For the majority of students with autism a combination of all these autism resources is favourable. However for many students with autism probably one of the most useful autism resources available is social skills stories.

Social stories as strategies used for motivating students with autism are short visual strategies used to show a skill or situation that the student is struggling with. Using visual images and first person text the social story is used like a role model of the skill or situation. Detailing the skill by giving the student with autism the relevant social cues, answering the “wh” questions (who, where, why, when and what) and giving an insight into the emotions, thoughts and nonverbal communication shown or felt by others.

Easy to implement, personalize and with no formal training needed to use social skills stories are used widely in the classroom for dealing with issues such as staying on task, calling out, asking question, recess, P.E. lessons and so on.

To learn more about autism resources and strategies for motivation students with autism visit: http://www.autismsocialstories.com/school

OR

 http://www.autismsocialstories.com/school_resources

Other autism resources such as autism symbols and flash cards are found at:

http://www.autismsocialstories.com/visual_aids

And social skills stories can be found at:

http://www.autismsocialstories.com

It is not uncommon for individuals with ASD (Autism Spectrum Disorder) to display challenging behaviors and difficulties with social interactions and communication skills.

All individuals with ASD have social and communication deficits which are often referred to as the theory of mind, or “mind blindness”. Meaning they lack the ability to predict the thoughts, feelings and emotions of other people; which can lead to social mistakes or blunders especially in teenage autistic individuals.

Some of these deficits can include:

For the majority of individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder probably one of the major difficulties they encounter the theory of mind is with initiating social interactions and responding to the social interactions they may receive from others.

Many children with autism spectrum disorder display difficulties engaging in joint attention, and have difficulties with skills such as sharing, playing, pretend play and taking turns etc.

Generally children with autism spectrum disorder lack being able to understand or demonstrate non-verbal social communication i.e. the “unwritten rules” of social interactions.

Teaching an autistic child to overcome their social skills deficits is quite often a struggle for many parents and teachers.

There are treatments of autism available which can help parents and teachers find suitable methods of tackling social skills deficits using visual tools such as social skills stories.

There is no need for any formal training or qualification to use social skills stories. And now with the internet and search engines such as google, many parents and teachers are now finding it a lot easier to source this effective resource.

Treatments of autism such as social skills stories are used effectively for ASD (Autism Spectrum Disorder) social skills lessons.

Social skills stories are visually rich, easy to implement, can be personalized and printed. Following a specific formula they effectively teach social and communication skills to autistic children.

Generally autistic youngsters are visual thinkers and learners and respond better to visual information, making visual tools such as social stories an ideal tool.

Social skills stories are implemented to teach social and communication skills to autistic children around the house and school environment.

Using images and first person text a social story breaks the skill or situation the autistic child is struggling with into smaller pieces and uses the social cues to show in a visual framework the skill in an easy to understand visual format, like a role model for the autistic child to follow.

The social story can be personalized to suit an individuals needs.

Social stories for autistic children can be downloaded from sites like http://www.autismsocialstories.com.

All the social skills stories for autistic children on this site are professionally written and visually rich.

Other sites offering visual tools such as social skills stories for (ASD) Autism Spectrum Disorder social skills lessons and autism symbols cards can be found at:

http://www.autismsocialstories.com/visual_aids

http://www.insideautisticminds.com

http://www.autismsocialstories.com/social_skills

Research into ASD suggests that the definitions of the characteristics of autism spectrum disorder: are the individual’s inability to socialize and communicate effectively.  A child with ASD will have the inability to interact or communicate socially.

The typical definition of the characteristics of autism spectrum disorder, are commonly known as the social skills deficits these include:

* Uncoordinated motor movements and clumsiness.

* Poor posture

* Social impairments

* Limited interests and sometimes unusual preoccupations

* The need for repetition and ritualistic obsessions, like lining up possessions, collecting timetables and so on…

* Inability to communicate effectively lack of ability to understand wit, humour, puns and slang words

* Inability to read body language or facial expression, lack of eye contact

* Inappropriate behaviours

* Speech and language deficits - odd use of language and sometimes language can be delayed.

* Appearing to lack the ability to understand others feelings and emotions; one sided friendships; there way or no way!

Autism spectrum disorder is probably the most common childhood disorder today.  There is no cure for autism it is a life long disorder.

However, although there is no cure for autism there are efficient treatments for autism that can help the symptoms of autism, the characteristics.

Generally an individual with autism spectrum disorder will have quite good rote memory, and may also display an intense interest in a certain topic to the exclusion of anything else.

These interests can sometimes be with the strangest of things; for example a bus timetable, a clock even some marbles etc.

Research shows us that treatments for autism like social skills stories, PECS and flash cards are an effective means of teaching and addressing the social skills deficits associated with this disorder.

Probably the biggest hurdle faced by an individual with autism spectrum disorder is a lack of social awareness and deficits in social skills and communications.

For individuals with ASD learning social and communication skills is not going to happen naturally as it would for a typically developing individual therefore individuals with ASD need direct teaching of social and communication skills.

Autism social skills stories ARE excellent resources, designed to help the child with ASD understand and deal with situations and activities that the rest of us take for granted like tooth brushing or catching a train or bus.

Autism social skills stories are like a role model or a blueprint to independent life and those things we take for granted like - shopping trips or flushing toilets.

An individual with autism spectrum disorder may be confused by certain situations and struggle to understand things like friendships, being a good sport and so on.

These are areas that autism social skills stories can help, by providing the child with ASD with clear precise information and instruction in a visual format through text and visual images like a comic script depicting the skill or situation.

Used for a variety of situations and skills that the individual with autism is finding confusing or that may be making them anxious or aggressive. The social story can be edited to personalize it and printed for convenience and use anywhere.

To learn more about how a social story could benefit your autistic child or young person visit:

http://www.autismsocialstories.com

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Alternatively other autism social skills stories for your autistic child or teen can be found at:

www.autismsocialstories.com/asperger_adolescents

www.autismsocialstories.com/autistic_teens

www.autismsocialstories.com/school

www.autismsocialstories.com/potty

www.autismsocialstories.com/social_skills

www.autismsocialstories.com/howto

www.autismsocialstories.com/hygiene

www.autismsocialstories.com/behavior

For flash cards visit:

http://www.autismsocialstories.com/visual_aids

For some teens with ASD (autism spectrum disorder) coping with puberty and the changes in their bodies can be stressful and confusing. Their growing sexuality, their friends, their environment and what is expected of them from others will change. A typically developing teen will understand these changes, ask questions and generally just “get on with it”.

However for most autistic teenagers the onset of puberty is difficult to understand. Even the most verbal teens with ASD puberty is stressful and can they can become anxious. For a lot of teenagers with autism the onset of puberty can also mean the beginning of seizures, which in themselves can be upsetting and confusing, just to add to the already confusing and stressful time called adolescents.

Many parents of individuals with autism can find the adolescent years difficult. A very good point to remember is with all individuals with ASD there will almost certainly be communication deficits.

Communication deficits are common to ASD, generally individuals with ASD tend to be visual thinkers and learners, meaning they think and talk in pictures. Therefore using visual prompts and cues is going to work far better than speaking or written text.

So to put this knowledge into practise using visual aids for autism around this stressful time is beneficial. An already stressed out teen is not going to listen, so talk less and use visual aids for autism to get your point across or to help.

Consequently, many parents of individuals with autism find huge benefits from using autism social skills stories for teenagers with ASD .  Social stories are used as a tool in autism, a visual explanation, a visual framework showing visually the “wh” questions (what, where, when and why).

Autism social skills stories for teenagers with ASD are used by parents, teachers and other professionals to explain coping with puberty, about their changing bodies, changes to routines, friends, hygiene issues and other issues that may occur around this time of life.

Social skills stories are useful visual aids for autism, and can be implemented when teaching things like using deodorant, showering, masturbation and how to deal with aggression.

To learn more about Autism social skills stories for teenagers with ASD and coping with puberty visit us at:

http://www.autismsocialstories.com/autistic_teens

Alternatively information on social stoires for teenagers with autism can be found at http://www.autismsocialstories.com/asperger_adolescents

http://www.autismsocialstories.com/asd-teens

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Social stories are used effectively by parents and teachers of teenagers with ASD as an intervention strategy that teaches social, communication, interaction, imagination and self help skills and calming methods.

Generally individuals with ASD have great difficulty dealing with unforeseen situations and changes to routines, this is common in autism and aspergers syndrome individuals.

Social stories were first developed by therapist Carol Gray as away to teach those with social deficits appropriate skills and behaviours.

A social story uses specific types of sentences to teach social skills. It is always written in first person text and will normally include visual images to help the ASD teenager identify and understand the skill or behaviour being taught or re-enforced.

Social stories for teenagers with ASD are written for specific situations or events such as puberty, going out, friendships, and hygiene issues and so on.

A social story is an easy and effective way to teach teenagers with ASD.  How to deal with skills, behaviours and situations in an age appropriate manner. By describing the particular situation, skill, event or activity in detail paying particular attention to key points, giving clear concise information about what to expect in that situation and why.

They can provide the individual with ASD some idea of how others might respond in a particular situation and therefore provide a framework for appropriate behaviour.

Generally social stories are visual which is ideal; for the majority of ASD teens that tend to be visual thinkers and learners, making social stories perfect. To learn more and download social stories for ASD teens visit:

http://www.autismsocialstories.com/autistic_teens

Alternatively social stories for the teenage aspie can be downloaded from

http://www.autismsocialstories.com/aspergers_adolescents

Other related social stories for ASD can be downloaded from:

http://www.autismsocialstories.com

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Research suggests that children with autism spectrum disorder are visual learners. And that teachers and parents alike are finding that teaching and encouraging daily living skills in children with autism spectrum disorder has greater affect when visual supports for ASD are used.

For the majority of children with autism spectrum disorder probably their most debilitating facet is their difficulty with social and communication skills and behaviors.

All individuals with ASD will have in varying degree’s social skills deficits.

Many parents of children with autism spectrum disorder worry their child with have difficulties finding and making friends and taking advantage of the vast range of opportunities of a socially orientated world, as a direct result of their child’s social skills deficits.

Consequently, parents of children with autism spectrum disorder, care gives and teaches use visual supports for ASD such as social stories to assist them in teaching and re-enforcing social and communication skills and behaviors.

Social stories help develop language and communication in children with autism spectrum disorder as well as encouraging daily living skills in children with autism. They are also used to help teach social skills such as hygiene, or behaviors such as making friends, personal space, visiting the dentist and so on..

Social stories for ASD are also useful in and around school. Developed twenty years ago to teach social and communication skills to children with autism, social stories are written in fist person text, following a set formula using visual images to show and explain the skill or behavior being taught o re-enforced.

Almost like a comic strip, the visual step by step plan will show individuals with ASD the what, why, where and when helping them feel more comfortable in and with the situation , activity, event or skill they are struggling to master.

To download and learn more about social stories for ASD and how they are used for encouraging daily living skills in children with autism spectrum disorder visit:

http://www.autismsocialstories.com/social_skills

For all other social stories for ASD visit:

http://www.autismsocialstories.com