Frequently Needed Answers

For children with ASD (autism spectrum disorder) lacking appropriate verbal and non-verbal communication skills is an issue. This absence of verbal and non-verbal communication skills is mostly due to social deficiencies, often described as social skills deficits, which are a common indicator of autism.

There is no cure for autism spectrum disorder, but there are remedies for autism which can help overcome the hurdles thrown up by an individual’s social deficiencies. Although communication concerns are a common indicator of autism, many parents struggle to find suitable methods that will help their child learn verbal and non-verbal communication skills.

Social exchanges can be difficult for children with ASD. Lacking the appropriate skill to be able to read another persons facial expression or body language can be a huge hurdle and undoubtedly lead to social MISTAKES.

All children with autism spectrum disorder experience problems with the appropriate use of language. For example they may have problems with intonation, rhythm, and word and sentence meaning.

Sometimes kids with ASD may COPY certain things for example scripts from the T.V like commercials, or shows that are of interest to them, they may repeat a line from a book, radio show or song and continually want to repeat this phrase.

Other kids with ASD may have phrases that they use in situations, for example some children on the autism spectrum may introduce themselves at the beginning of conversations, or introduce their parent each day at the start and end of school.

Many parents, care givers and teachers look for ways to teach conversational skill tactics to children on the autism spectrum

Studies suggest using autism social stories to teach conversational skill tactics to children on the autism will help the child’s communication concerns.

Certainly your first step will be to consult a speech and language pathologist to have your child’s communication concerns evaluated.

Using autism social stories to teach conversational skill tactics to children on the autism spectrum can prove successful. Autism social stories are short EXPRESSIVE visual step by step plans that show in clear no frill detail the skill or behavior being grasped. So for example with communication concerns a parent may present a suitable social story showing the child with ASD how this can be realized helping to make them more relaxed with the skill or situation. 

To learn more about autism social stories and how they can be used to help children with ASD learn social and communication skills and behaviors effectively. Plus get immediate downloads visit:

http://www.autismsocialstories.com

http://www.autismsocialstories.com/school

Autism social skills stories can be used as a tool for inspiring positive behaviours in children with ASD (autism spectrum disorder).

Using autism social skills stories as a plan does not need any formal training, parents, care givers, teachers, teacher’s assistants and so on can use autism social skills stories effectively as a means of inspiring positive behaviours as well as helping to improve social and communication skills.

Research suggests that autism social skills stories are a major proactive behaviour intervention that provides a positive approach in encouraging appropriate social behaviours.

A social story is a short story written in first person language from the ASD individual’s point of view.

We know that children with ASD tend to be visual thinkers and learners. Consequently, the social story was designed to encompass this. Developed twenty years ago as a means of communication, the social story has now evolved into a major intervention strategy in autism.

Studies show inspiring positive behaviour using autism social skills stories has proven very effective and their use has grown dramatically over the last twenty years.

Research also suggests that autism social skills stories have been proven to reduce inappropriate behaviours, for example tantrums, inappropriate vocalizations, as well as reduce social isolation.

Encouraging positive behaviour using autism social skills stories is also beneficial in helping children with ASD understand and learn skills such as sharing, making friends, taking turn, respecting personal space and so on.

Autism social skills stories are beneficial for all individuals with autism spectrum disorder, and are available from sites such as: http://www.autismsocialstories.com

Autism social skills stories are user friendly, easy to implement and require no formal training to use. Using visual images and accurate no frill text a social story is much like a visual framework of the skill or behaviour that the ASD individual’s struggling to master, understand, cope with or that needs encouraging.

Autism social skills stories are available over the internet, written by experts that can be downloaded, printed and edited to suit all individuals with autism spectrum disorder.

Visit sites such as: http://www.autismsocialstories.com

http://www.autismsocialstories.com/behavior

http://www.autismsocialstories.com/social_skills

http://www.autismsocialstories.com/school

A social story is written to help a person with Autism Spectrum Disorder address social skills deficits and pave the way for a positive social interaction or behaviour.

Children on the spectrum do not naturally acquire social and communication skills and lack he ability to interact with others effectively, this is due to social skills deficits. Social skills need to be taught directly through deliberate treatments and intervention strategies.

Teaching children with Autism Spectrum Disorder social skills using intervention strategies

Probably the most significant of the various intervention strategies are social skills stories. Social skills stories can be easily implemented and used to teach the social and communication skills and behaviours that the child with Autism Spectrum Disorder is struggling with.

Having social impairments is much like being dropped in a foreign country with no idea where or how to get home or communicate. Children on the spectrum will need intervention strategies to acquire functional and age-appropriate social skills, make friendships, and learn communication skills.

We know that the vast majority of children with Autism Spectrum Disorder are visual thinkers and learners, meaning they think in pictures, therefore visual intervention strategies are excellent.

Visual intervention strategies

Social stories ARE visual intervention strategies. Written in first person text and using visual images and pictures to describe the situation or skill in detail, a social skills story break the skill into appropriate social cues, following a set formula the social skills story is much like a comic strip conversation for the person with an Autism Spectrum Disorder to follow.

Social skills stories provide concrete information on what people in a given situation are doing, thinking or feeling. The social skills story is like a visual plan showing the steps or sequence of events, identifying the significant social cues and their meaning, answering the important “wh” questions – who, what, where, when and why

For a child with Autism Spectrum Disorder social stories should describe social situations, contexts, and the likely behaviours of others and provide an appropriate behavioural response cue that the child with Autism Spectrum Disorder can understand.

Therefore teaching children with Autism Spectrum Disorder social skills using intervention strategies LIKE social stories is beneficial.

For children with Autism Spectrum Disorder social skills stories act as a VISUAL PLAN OR FRAMEWORK that helps children with autism understand skills and behaviours that they struggle with.

To learn more about children with Autism Spectrum Disorder and social stories visit:

http://www.autismsocialstories.com

Or http://www.autismsocialstories.com/social_skills

Autism is one of the most common developmental disorders yet still it is misunderstood.

There is no cure for autism, raising a child with autism spectrum is probably one of the toughest challenges a parent could face, the physical and emotional challenges faced can be overwhelming.

Unfortunately, the typical symptoms of autism can be severe in some children which undoubtedly will have an affect on the autistic child’s entire family.

Although there is nothing that can be done to reverse autism, there are strategies parents of children on the autism spectrum can use to help with the typical symptoms of autism.

Research has shown parents of children on the autism spectrum suffer more stress than parents of children with learning disabilities.

Therefore finding the right resources for children on the autism spectrum is essential.

Which resources and children with autism are available and how can you access them quickly and easily?

Parents of children on the autism spectrum are using resources for children on the autism spectrum such as autistic social skills stories.

Studies into the use of resources and children with autism; show that there is a significant improvement in teaching autism social skills and good behaviors to children on the autism spectrum, once autistic social skills stories have been introduced.

Autistic social skills stories are used effectively for teaching autism social skills and behaviors to children on the autism spectrum; written by experts in autistic behaviors, autistic social skills stories can help an autistic child learn vital social skills and appropriate behaviors.

The social story is typically written in first person text and will normally have visual images/pictures which show the child with autism what is happening and why.

The social story aims to answer the ever important “wh” questions- who, what, why, when and where as well as “HOW” and will offer the child with autism an insight into the thoughts, feelings and emotions of others which is an area of considerable weakness in most children on the spectrum.

Consequently, parents of children on the autism spectrum are able to find better coping methods, which can in turn help alleviate some of the stress parents find themselves under.

Therefore, teaching autism social skills and good behaviors to children on the autism spectrum by using this valuable autism resource can be very beneficial.

The internet now makes finding this autism resource much easier and less time consuming.

To download autistic social skills stories that help parents of children on the autism spectrum find better coping methods, for behaviors such as screaming or even autistic stimming visit a good autism resource site such as:

www.autismsocialstories.com

Many children with an ASD can be genuinely bewildered and overwhelmed in social situations. This is due to social skills deficits which are a common characteristic of autism and are always present in varying degrees.

There is no cure for autism but there are various treatments of autism which can help children with an ASD overcome and deal with their individual social skills deficits such as picture communication cards, visual social story cards and autism social skills stories.

The common characteristics of autism are also displayed in the ASD child by repetitive and stereotypical behaviour patterns which can cause isolation and at times even bullying. For example many kids with autism display rigid behaviours and can become distressed and anxious when a routing is altered or changed.

For many kids with repetitive and stereotypical behaviour patterns can be helped and eased using visual intervention strategies like social skills stories, for example visiting Grandma, transitions, moving, shopping trips and so on.

The autism social story is a short descriptive story which focuses on a skill or behaviour that the child with autism is struggling to understand or cope with.

The autism social story breaks the skill or situation up into smaller easier to understand sections and uses visual images to show the child with autism what to expect and also what is expected of them.

Typically autism social skills stories should answer the “wh” questions – who, what, why, when and where as well as “how” and should aim on giving the child with autism an insight into the thoughts, feeling s and emotions of others which is an area of marked weakness in most kids with autism.

Tools for Social Skills Management for Kids with Autism using intervention strategies like social stories, picture communication cards and visual social story cards can be found at: http://www.autismsocialstories.com

Here you will find other Tools for Social Skills Management for Kids with Autism such as visual schedules, behaviour plans, now and next boards, flash cards, activities booklets a parent page with craft ideas and much more

Visit: http://www.autismsocialstories.com

Autism is a complex neurological disorder which affects more boys than girls. The characteristics of autism vary from person to person but the common characteristics of autism present in ALL autistic individuals are deficits in social awareness, communication and imagination skills as well as stereotypical and repetitive patterns of behaviour.

Just like a typically developing child the child with autism will want to have fun and “play” but unlike a typically developing child this is sometimes difficult, “play” does not come naturally to most autistic individuals.

Therefor when thinking about Amazing Craft Ideas for Your Child with Autism it is probably a good idea to think outside the box! No two children with autism are the same and what holds the attention of one child might not hold the attention of another as with any child.

Movement based activities can work quite well for children with autism for example – spinning, running, twirling and so on, kids with autism can be very sensitive to sensory stimulation. Try creating activities based around movement for example bouncing on a trampoline (inside and out). Or try swinging on a swing, in a hammock or try using a blanket to swing your ASD child.

Many kids with autism like to build things for example using Lego. Try engaging your ASD child in putting together a puzzle.

Other Amazing Craft Ideas for Your Child with Autism can also be viewed at: http://www.autismsocialstories.com/fun_activities_to_do_with_your_autistic_child.html

Typically children on the autism spectrum are visual thinkers and learners therefor they find visual activities, information and projects more interesting and generally greater successes are often achievable.

This applies to learning social awareness and communication skills also, a child with autism WILL better understand visual teaching methods and tools. For example an ASD child that is sensitive to sensory stimulation may find social stories useful when it comes to situations like hair washing, brushing their teeth, getting a haircut, visiting the dentist and so on…

Such social stories can be found at: http://www.autismsocialstories.com/hygiene.html

As well as at http://www.autismsocialstories.com

There is also for immediate download 33 Amazing Craft Ideas for Your Child with Autism including:

• There Candy Crafts
• Dried Flowers
• Making Gifts
• How to make a scarecrow
• How to make homemade ice cream
• How to make homemade stickers
• Making handmade paper
• Making homemade potpurri
• Making jewellery
• Sea shell crafts
• Trash Art

Ready for immediate download as well as other tools for autism such as social stories, visual social story cards, picture communication cards, now and next boards, visual schedules, behaviour charts and more…

Visit for social stories:

http://www.autismsocialstories.com

Visual social story cards:

http://www.autismsocialstories.com/visual.html

Picture communication cards:

http://www.autismsocialstories.com/cards.html

Now and next and visual schedules:

http://www.autismsocialstories.com/now.html

Behaviour plans:

http://www.autismsocialstories.com/behaviour.html

Just check out the sitemap down the side of the page for articles, information, flash cards, parent tools and more…

Commonly children on the autism spectrum HAVE difficulties WITH AND IN social situations.

The social awareness skills we take for granted – the ability to “read” peoples body and facial expression ARE NOT skills that children on the autism spectrum learn naturally.

A lack of social awareness skills makes it difficult for these children to make and keep friends and can lead to social isolation.

However, using social stories to teach social skills to kids with ASD has proven effective. The social story is typically visual, and as we know the majority of children on the autism spectrum are indeed visual thinkers and learners.

Therefore this type of teaching aid is going to work and give better results.

The social skills story can be adapted to suit all ages and abilities and there is NO formal training needed to be able to use this autism resource.

Introducing social stories

Typically using social stories to teach social skills to kids with ASD is beneficial in all area of social awareness skills teaching for example: making friends, sharing, calming down, Visiting the Dentist and so on…

·         The social story uses first person text and visual images to describe the skill or situation from the child’s own perspective

·         The social story breaks the situation/skill down into smaller easier to understand sections

·         The social skills story acts like a visual plan or framework

·         The social skills story answers the “wh” questions – who, what. why, when and where

·         The social story also explains “HOW”

·         Social stories should aim to also give an insight into the thoughts, feelings and emotions of others

·         Social stories should offer possible outcomes

For the vast majority of kids with autis,  social awareness skills ARE very difficult to learn and direct teaching is generally needed, this is what the social skills story WILL DO!

Parents and teachers report success in teaching social awareness skills and a drop in communication difficulties once social skills stories have been introduced.

To learn more about how social stories work and gain immediate access to 100 social skills stories downloads visit: http://www.autismsocialstories.com/stories.html

Typically kids with autism HAVE deficits in social and communication skills and behaviours, which can often lead to tension, stress and anxiety.

Commonly kids with autism ARE visual thinkers and learners, this means that they think in images and WILL almost certainly use speech/language secondary.

Therefore visual strategies ARE typically of more benefit to the child on the autism spectrum. Probably the most significant of the visual strategies ARE social skills stories.

Teaching kids with autism social skills using social stories as a strategy has proven successful. The social story is written in first person text and uses visual images to describe the skill or situation in a manner that the child on the spectrum can understand and is comfortable with.

The social story WILL typically answer the “wh” questions – who, what, why, when and where as well as “HOW” and should attempt to offer an insight into the thoughts, feelings and emotions of others, which is an area of considerable weakness in most kids with autism.

Social stories ACT like a visual plan or framework of the skill or situation being taught or re-enforced. The skill or situation is broken down into smaller sections with images much like a comic script and is then presented from the child’s own perspective.

Teaching kids with autism social skills using social stories CAN HELP with skills such as: making friends, sharing, taking turns, recess, trying new foods, hygiene and self-help skills.

In fact a social story can be introduced for almost any situation or skill the child on the autism spectrum is struggling with.

To learn more about how and when social stories can be used visit:

http://www.autismsocialstories.com

The social story needs NO formal training to use.

The social story should typically be written in word format making it easy to edit and personalize.

Social stories ARE typically written by experts and parents of children on the spectrum. To gain immediate downloads of OVER 100 social skills stories visit:

 http://www.autismsocialstories.com

For most children on the spectrum, Printable Autism Social Stories for Children with Autism can really HELP make skills and situation that they are not comfortable with easier to understand and cope with.

Printable Autism Social Stories for Children with Autism ARE used to help prepare children for new situations: For example:  Transitions, Going to the Dentist or even getting a haircut.

The social story uses visual images and first person text to describe the situation in terms of the relevant social cues, in a way they can understand.

Printable Autism Social Stories for Children with Autism answer the “wh” questions – who, what, why, when and where as well as “HOW” and should also offer an insight into the thoughts, feelings and emotions of others which is an area of marked weakness in most autistic children.

The social story is easy to implement and needs no formal training to use, they can be adapted to personalize them, printed and used again and again.

Printable Autism Social Stories for Children with Autism need to be visual, as the majority of autistic children ARE visual thinkers and learners, which means that they think in images/pictures and that language is secondary.

Visual Social Stories

Visual social stories are easy to use and can be implemented in the same manner as social stories.

The visual social story uses small laminated cards approx. 8 x 11cm in size. The visual social story is broken into small sections and each piece of the social story is printed onto one side of the card.

The visual social story can be used to help teach social and communication skills and behaviours for example: brushing teeth, recess, break time, moving house and so on…

To view Printable Autism Social Stories for Children with Autism visit: http://www.autismsocialstories.com/stories.html

As well as visual social stories visit:

http://www.autismsocialstories.com/visual.html

For the vast majority of autistic children social skills ARE either missing or NEED improving.

This is due to the triad of autistic impairments or social skills deficits, which ARE common to autism to varying degrees

The triad of autistic impairments or social skills deficits affect how the child on the spectrum acts, re-acts, thinks and behaves.

Methods for enhancing social skills in autistic children ARE generally visual. This is because most children on the spectrum ARE visual learners and thinkers and will tend to use language secondary.

Visual supports for autism such as: social skills stories, picture communication cards, visual schedules and flash cards etc ARE visual supports which can be introduced simply and need NO formal training to use.

Characteristically children on the spectrum find visual supports for autism beneficial. Social skills stories ARE short descriptive visual supports which describe a skill or situation in terms of the relevant social cues.

The social story looks much like a comic script, using images/pictures and short precise pieces of text. The social story is always from the point of view of the child on the spectrum, using first person text in short sentences.

The social story answers the “wh” questions: who, what, Why, where, and when as well as “HOW” and should also offer an insight wherever possible into the thoughts, feelings and emotions of others which is an area of marked weakness in most autistic children.

Social skills stories CAN be used for a wide variety of situations or skills such as: asking questions, calming down, hygiene issues, self-help skills and so on…

For many children on the spectrum visual supports for autism ARE invaluable and can be treated like visual plans or frameworks to help them cope with and learn skills and behaviours which cause stress and anxiety.

To learn more about visual supports for autism like social skills stories, picture communication cards, visual schedules and flash cards as well as other visual supports visual http://www.autismsocialstories.com

Autism is a developmental disorder which has no known cure. That said THERE ARE plenty of excellent resources which can be used to help those diagnosed autistic.

Characteristically those diagnosed autistic WILL have social and communication difficulties, this is due to social skills deficits which ARE apparent in all people with autism but to varying degrees.

Typically people with autism WILL prefer visual information and teaching, it is therefore believed that resources and teaching styles should be more visual.

This is easily achieved through the use of visual resources for autism such as social skills stories, PECS, picture communication cards and so on…

Using visual resources for autism is beneficial, and typically will need no formal training to implement and use.

For example social skills stories ARE visual resources for autism which ARE used specifically for building autistic social skills and helping to overcome communication and social awareness difficulties.

Having social skills deficits can be challenging for many children on the autism spectrum and can at times even lead to extreme behaviours, even bullying.

So how does the social story work?

The social skills story is a short visual story much like a comic script which is used as a visual framework or step by step detailed plan of the skill or situation that the child on the autism spectrum is finding hard.

Many children on the autism spectrum struggle with the chaos of recess, by implementing a social skills story the child will have a concrete plan of recess. This plan WILL explain what is happening and why, which WILL help the child on the autism spectrum cope and feel more comfortable.

Social skills stories show the skill or situation from the child’s own point of view and use first person text. The social skills story describes the situation using images and short descriptive sentences or words.

The social story should answer the “wh” questions:-who, what, why, when and where. The social skills story should also answer “how” and provide an insight into the thoughts, feelings and emotions of others which is an area of marked weakness in most children on the autism spectrum.

To view and learn more about visual resources for autism like social skills stories for building autistic social skills and to access immediate downloads visit: http://www.autismsocialstories.com

There are some very good resources available that can help children with autism to overcome social skills difficulties.

Adopting successful social skills teaching for children with autism is easier using visual support tools like: PECS, Social Skills Stories, Picture Communication Cards and so on…

We know that predominantly children with autism ARE visual thinkers and learners, which means that they ARE more likely to understand and learn from information that is presented visually.

Therefore it is believed that successful social skills teaching for children with autism is done visually using visual support tools. For example social skills stories use images/pictures to explain how and why.

The social story answers the “wh” questions – who, what, why, when and where as well as “HOW” and should also offer an insight into the thoughts, feelings and emotions of others which is an area of marked weakness in most autistic individuals.

Acting much like a visual step by step plan or framework of the skill or behaviour the social story will allow the child on the autism spectrum to rehearse the skill, reducing any stresses and anxiety.

Social skills stories use first person text in a positive manner and always from the point of view of the child on the autism spectrum.

The social story is easy to implement and needs “NO formal training to use”

The social story can be used for most situations, skills and behaviours such as asking questions and making friends. It can also be used for teaching kids on the spectrum skills like sharing, taking turns, respecting personal space, coping at recess and many other skills including self-help and hygiene skills.

To view appropriate information on adopting successful social skills teaching for children with autism using social stories and picture communication cards visit:

http://www.autismsocialstories.com

http://www.autismsocialstories.com/school

http://www.autismsocialstories.com/preschool

http://www.autismsocialstories.com/social_skills

Social stories ARE short descriptive pieces of text that use images to help show the child with ASD how to develop social understanding and interact with others which is difficult for most autistics.

Social stories are written to help children with autism learn social skills and behaviours which they struggle with like for example – making friends, asking questions, sharing and so on…

Following set patterns of sentence types the social story is typically written in first person text and always from the perspective of the child with ASD.

The social story should aim to answer the “wh” questions – who, what, why, when and where as well as “HOW” and should also aim to offer an insight into the thoughts, feelings and emotions of others which is an area of marked weakness in most autistics.

 Social stories can help children with autism learn social skills by giving them a chance to rehearse the skill or behaviour.

Characteristically kids with ASD are visual thinkers and learners, which means that they tend to think and learn visually rather than through written or spoken means. It is therefore important when trying to teach or impart information to kids with ASD you should make it visual, social stories follow this idea.

Using images to describe much like a visual plan or step by step plan the visual social story is easy to implement and will need no formal training to use.

To download social stories which can help children with autism learn social skills visit:

http://www.autismsocialstories.com

Or any of the following sites

http://www.autismsocialstories.com/school

http://www.autismsocialstories.com/preschool

Social stories ARE short descriptive pieces of text that will normally follow a set pattern of sentence type.

Social stories can HELP TEACH social and communication skills to children with autism and related conditions.

Developed around twenty years ago to aid communication social skills stories ARE now one of the major strategies used in teaching and supporting children with autism and related conditions.

The social story WILL answer the “wh” questions – who, what, why, when and where as well as “HOW” and will give an insight into the thoughts, feelings and emotions of others which is an area of marked weakness in most people on the autism spectrum.

Typically people on the autism spectrum ARE VISUAL thinkers and learners, this means that they tend to think in pictures and WILL find VISUAL information much easier to understand.

Therefore, using social stories to teach social skills is beneficial. The social story WILL act like a visual framework or step by step plan of the skills or behaviour and allow the child with autism to prepare and feel more comfortable with and in the situation.

By detailing the important social cues and giving possible answers and outcomes the social story WILL give the child with autism more confidence and reduce stress and confusion.

Characteristically children with autism HAVE social skills deficits, the social story can help to address these effectively.

Always written in first person text and from the point of view of the autistic child the social story is easy to implement and needs no formal training to use.

Visit: http://www.autismsocialstories.com where you will find information on using social stories to teach social skills and downloads.

Alternatively visual any of the following sites for downloads of social skills stories

http://www.autismsocialstories.com/school

http://www.autismsocialstories.com/social_skills

http://www.autismsocialstories.com/behavior

It is common for those with autism to have deficits in social awareness sills and behaviours.  This is due to the Triad of Autistic Impairments or social skills deficits.

The Triad of Autistic Impairments or social skills deficits means the person’s social, communication and imagination skills are missing or not developed sufficiently.

This can cause many difficulties for those with autism, for example lacking social and communication skills can make it hard for them to make friends, ask questions and join in with play.

The majority of children on the autism spectrum ARE visual thinkers and learners which means that they think in pictures and find visual information easier to understand. It is therefore a good idea to use visual autistic supports with your child on the autism spectrum.

There are various visual autistic supports available like social skills stories, PECS, picture communication cards and so on…

Download and use autistic supports with your child on the autism spectrum from sites like:

http://www.autismsocialstories.com where you will find various supports for autism which can be used effectively and with no need for any formal training.

Autistic supports such as social skills stories are designed to help you teach and re-enforce skills and behaviours that the child with autism is struggling with.

The social story WILL ACT like a visual plan or framework of the skill by answering the “wh” questions – who, what, why, when and where as well as “HOW” and will offer an insight into the thoughts, feelings and emotions of others which is an area of marked weakness in those with autism.

The social story should be written from the child’s own perspective, in first person text and in a manner the child with autism can understand. It should be use images or pictures to show visually what is happening and why, this is important.

Generally social skills stories are written in word format to make editing easy, none of us typically use the same terminology and no two children are ever going to be the same, so the ability to edit is important.

Download and use autistic supports with your child on the spectrum such as social skills stories by visiting:

http://www.autismsocialstories.com where you will also find picture communication cards and other supports for autism which can be used to help your child on the spectrum cope with and feel more comfortable in situations that he/she is finding stressful or confusing.

Motivating an ASD student can be at times stressful and difficult. A student with ASD WILL NOT process information in the same manner as a typically developing student, this means that the student with ASD may think, act, re-act and behave very differently to the other students.

A child with autism spectrum WILL almost certainly have deficits in three main areas of development: social, communication (verbal and non-verbal) and imagination. These deficits can make teaching difficult.

There are various supports which CAN be used to HELP a child with autism spectrum cope and better understand skills and situations that they may or are struggling with.

Motivating an ASD student using visual supports like social skills stories, picture communication cards and flash cards is beneficial.

These visual supports for the ASD student can be easily implemented and are readily available from sites like

http://www.autimsocialstories.com/school

 Typically social skills stories ARE short descriptive pieces of text which look almost like a comic script conversation. The social story WILL answer the “wh” questions – who, what, why, when and where as well as “HOW” and will offer an insight into the thoughts, feelings and emotions of others which is an area of considerable weakness in most children with autism.

The social story should always be written from the point of view of the ASD student and use first person text, it should always adopt a manner that the child with autism can relate to and better understand.

Generally social skills stories ARE visually rich using images and pictures to help explain to the child with autism spectrum what’s happening and why.

The social story should be editable as no two children with autism will ever be the same and we all use different terminology, therefore editing is often needed.

For more information on social skills stories for students with autism and communication cards please visit:

http://www.autismsocialstories.com/school

Where you will find immediate downloads of social skills stories for students with autism and related conditions.

General social stories can be downloaded from

http://www.autismsocialstories.com

The main difficulties experienced by those on the autism spectrum are deficits in three main areas of development: social awareness, communication (verbal and non-verbal) also imagination skills.

It is these deficits which ARE common to all those on the autism spectrum in varying degrees, depending on the individuals own abilities.

Children with autism ARE typically visual thinkers and learners which means that VISUAL SUPPORTS are going to be easier for the child on the autism spectrum to USE and UNDERSTAND.

There is no known cure for autism but there ARE significant “Autism Behaviour Supports and Techniques” available which ARE visual and can be easily implemented.

For example – Autism Behaviour Supports and Techniques like:

Autism Social Skills Stories, Visual Social Story Cards, Communication Cards, PECS and so on…

All of these ARE visual supports which can be used to help the child on the autism spectrum OVERCOME their own individual challenges and deficits.

Autism Social Skills Stories - USE images/pictures and can act like a visual plan/framework of the skill or behaviour being tackled. For example a social story can be implemented to help the child with autism cope with group activities, learn appropriate social skills like asking questions, respecting personal space, taking turns and so on…

The social story WILL answer the “wh” questions – who, what, why, when and where as well as “HOW” and WILL offer an insight into the thoughts, feelings and emotions of others which is an area of marked weakness in those on the autism spectrum.

Autism Social Skills Stories ARE normally written in first person text and WILL usually be written from the perspective of the child with autism. The social story should also be written in word format to make editing and printing easier.

No two children with autism WILL ever be the same and we all use different terminology with our kids, therefore editing and personalization ARE important.

To learn more about Autism Behaviour Supports and Techniques such as Autism Social Skills Stories, Visual Social Story Cards and Communication Cards visit: http://www.autismsocialstories.com

http://www.autismsocialstories.com/school

http://www.autismsocialstories.com/social_skills

http://www.autismsocialstories.com/behavior

Children with autism have a variety of deficits which ARE common to autism. However the main deficits associated with the disorder are often referred to social skills deficits.

Characteristically social skills deficits affect three main areas of development: social, communication and imagination skills and behaviours.

 Unlike typically developing kids a child with ASD WILL NOT learn social skills through observation, peers, family and the environment and WILL NEED direct teaching to overcome social skills deficits.

There ARE numerous supports for autism which can be used to teach social skills to kids with autism such as social stories, picture communication cards, flash cards and so on..

These supports for autism ARE commonly referred to Visual Intervention Strategies and by large ARE used to support and teach social, communication and imagination skills and behaviours amongst other uses such as help with hygiene skills, puberty, activities and events the child with ASD may find confusing or stressful.

Many parents and teachers ARE able to teach social skills to kids with autism using Visual Intervention Strategies as they need NO FORMAL training to use and implement and are readily available online from experts like http://www.autismsocialstories.com

A social skills story is a short descriptive almost comic like in appearance story which shows a child with ASD what is happening and why. This WILL help to reduce unwanted stress, anxiety and confusion, which in turn WILL HELP the child with ASD feel more comfortable with and in the situation.

The social skills story WILL ANSWER the “wh” question – who, what, why, when and where as well as “HOW” and WILL ALSO offer an insight into the thoughts, feelings and emotions of others which is an area of marked weakness in most children with autism.

Characteristically children with autism ARE VISUAL thinkers and learners, which makes social skills stories ideal. The social story should focus on one particular skill or behaviour that the child on the spectrum is struggling with and visually show and explain how and what is required of them and in return what they can expect from others.

A social skills story USES visual images/pictures a long with first person text and will always be written from the point of view of the child on the spectrum.

Children with autism fins social interactions difficult, the social skills story can act like a visual framework or plan which the child on the spectrum can follow and refer to in times of difficulty.

Social skills stories ARE USED in many situations for example: asking questions, joining in play, making friends, recess, getting a haircut, visiting a dentist, going to a birthday party and so on…

Teach social skills to kids with autism using social skills stories by visiting sites like http://www.autismsocialstories.com

http://www.autismsocialstories.com/school

http://www.autismsocialstories.com/preschool

http://www.autismsocialstories.com/social_skills

http://www.autismsocialstories.com/behavior

http://www.autismsocialstories.com/hygiene

Typically students on the autism spectrum WILL HAVE social and communication deficits.

These deficits ARE common to autism and affect how the child processes information, thinks, acts, re-acts, interacts, communicates and behaves; this is known as social skills deficits.

No two students on the autism spectrum will ever be the same and thus will display differing social skills deficits.

However although there is no known cure for autism spectrum there are various treatments and supports for autism which can are excellent for helping students with autism learn to overcome their social skills deficits and reach their full potential.

Helping students with autism integrate in to the classroom can be achieved using treatments and supports for autism like picture communication cards, flash cards, PECS, visual social story cards and social skills stories.

All of these can be implemented easily and need no formal training to use. Typically teachers and parents CAN USE supports such as social skills stories and picture communication cards equally as well in the home and the classroom/school.

Social skills stories were developed around twenty years ago to aid communication in children with autism, today they are used for much wider issues and behaviour difficulties.

For example a social story can be used to help with situations like visiting a dentist, what to do at recess, asking questions, joining in play, calming down and so on…

The social story answers the “wh” questions – who, what, why, when and where as well as “HOW” and will offer an insight into the thoughts, feelings and emotions of others which is an area of marked weakness in most autistic individuals.

Social skills stories ARE always written in first person text and from the point of view of the autistic student and WILL be in a manner that the autistic student can understand.

Typically most students with autism WILL be visual learners; which means that teaching styles which allow for this WILL be better understood. For example USE images, pictures, graphs and so on TO SHOW the autistic student what it is you are trying to get across.

Helping students with autism integrate in to the class is no easy task but with forward thinking and the use of visual information such as picture communication cards to highlight areas, tasks, rules and so on and social skills stories to teach social interaction and communication skills your task WILL BE a whole lot easier.

For example: picture communication cards can highlight the coat peg, pencil draw, bathroom, snack time and so on. They are also used as a means of communication – a card can be exchanged for a reward, behaviour etc…

To learn more about social skills stories and picture communication cards visit: http://www.autismsocialstories.com/school

Alternatively you can learn more about autism social stories and picture communication cards from http://www.autismsocialstories.com

http://www.autismsocialstories.com/preschool

Commonly children with autism HAVE difficulties with social interaction and awareness skills and behaviours.

This is mainly due to “social skills deficits” or “The theory of mind” put simply deficits in three main areas of development can be expected:

Social skills

Communication skills

And Imagination skills

The theory of mind – social skills deficits WILL affect each individual differently no two people WILL ever be identical.

There is NO CURE for autism but there are various treatments of autism which help children with autism learn social skills. For example social skills stories, visual social story cards, PECS, flash cards and so on…

In order to help children with autism learn social skills parents and teachers should first observe the child to determine which skills/behaviours that the child with ASD is finding difficult or stressful.

Developed around twenty years ago visual intervention strategies like social stories ARE implemented to teach and re-enforce already learnt skills and behaviours.

A social story is a short descriptive story written to help teach a social skill, for example joining in play, asking questions, sharing and so on…

Typically intervention strategies like social stories need NO formal training to use and can be implemented quite easily.

Commonly social skills stories answer the “wh” questions – who, what, why, when and where as well as “HOW” and WILL offer the chid with ASD an insight into the thoughts, feelings and emotions of others which is an area of marked weakness in most children with autism spectrum disorder.

The social story acts like a VISUAL PLAN OR FRAMEWORK of the skill/behaviour and looks much like a comic script.

All social stories ARE typically written in first person language and in a manner that the ASD child will understand.

The social story will help children with autism learn social skills by showing visually what they can expect and what others will expect of them.

Typically children with autism spectrum disorder ARE visual thinkers and learners which means that they think in images/pictures and will use speech/language as secondary, which makes visual intervention strategies like social skills stories ideal.

To learn more about social stories and how they can benefit your ASD child visit:

http://www.autismsocialstories.com

Or any of the following sites where you will be able to get downloads of social skills stories:

http://www.autismsocialstories.com/school

http://www.autismsocialstories.com/preschool

http://www.autismsocialstories.com/behavior

http://www.autismsocialstories.com/social_skills

http://www.autismsocialstories.com/hygiene