What are social stories?
Social stories are used as a tool to teach autism social skills to children with autism spectrum disorder. They were introduced in 1993 by therapist Carol Gray to help her communicate with the autistic children she was working with.
A social story is a short description much like a comic strip script of a particular situation, event, skill, behavior or activity, which includes specific information the social cues about what to expect in that situation and why.
The social story is used develop and improve the social skills of children with autism spectrum disorder.
The social story will provide the individual with autism spectrum disorder an idea of how others might respond or be feeling, by visually showing them a step by step plan or framework for the situation, skill, behavior or activity. Social Stories also enable others to see things from the perspective of the toddler with ASD.
Social stories are one of the most significant tools used to teach social, communication, imagination and interaction skills and behaviors to autistic infants.
Social skills stories are used to help an autistic infants cope with and control situations or skills they would otherwise struggle with, by giving them coping strategies and social cues to help them remember and learn the social skill being mastered.
For example autism social stories are used for situations such as:
- Hygiene issues: Like tooth brushing, bathing, using deodorant and so on
- School issues: Like assembley, P.E.lessons, substitute teacher, transition and so on
- Preschool issues: Like sharing, climbing on furniture, toileting and so on
- Routine changes: Like visiting grandparents, taking the train, holidays, death and so on
- Teenage issues: Like puberty, menstruation, friendships and so on
- Behavior issues: Like manners, sharing, teasing, and so on
- Communication issues: Like asking questions, having a conversation, nicknames and so on
- Social issues: Like Taking turns, playing games, pretend play, sports's day and so on
Social skills stories attempt to address the "theory of mind" (social skills deficits) of children with autism by providing the infant with ASD soial cues on the thoughts, emotions, and behaviors of others.
The social story can help the infant with ASD by providing visual cues better predict the actions, emotions and thoughts of others. The social story follows a specific formula in a structured and consistent manner.
Helping to answer the "wh" questions (what, why, where and when) making otherwise difficult skills more routine and predictable.
children with autism spectrum disorder tend to like routines and find visual images and teaching easier to understand, making social stories an ideal tool to help teach vital social and communications skills to a toddler with ASD.