1. Social stories Craig Domanski Caldwell College PS 572--Teaching Language and Social Skills to Children with Autism

2. Overview History Definitions Uses Components Guidelines
4-Term Contingency
Example
References

3. History Developed by Carol Gray First defined in 1991
Director of The Gray Center for Social Learning and Understanding in Grand Rapids, Michigan
Had been a teacher of students with autism and a consultant to public schools for 22 years
First defined in 1991
Has undergone many revisions since then
Present description:
“Currently, a Social Story is considered a process that results in a product for a person with an Autistic Spectrum Disorder.” (Gray, pp. 13-1)

4. Process
Must be written with consideration for the perspective of the child with ASD (Gray, 13-1)
Product
Short story in a specialized format
Describes a situation, concept, or social skill

5. What situations are Social Stories written for?
Are individualized based on the needs of the child
Possible uses:
Troubling situations
Describe skills that may be in the social or academic curriculums
Individualize skills that are taught in a social skills training setting
Break down a goal into manageable steps
Describe a classroom routine
Acknowledging achievement
First story should be about something that the child is successful in doing
Helps to identify with the story (Gray, pp. 13-2)

6. Components of a social story
Descriptive statements
Backbone of the story
The “logic” and “accuracy” of the story that might be “reassuring to those who are overwhelmed by social concepts and situations.” (Gray, 13-2)
Factual statements; no opinions
Should be the most frequent types of statements used

7. Examples of descriptive statements
“My name is Craig.”
“I work in a school.”
“It’s hot during the summer.”

8. Perspective statements
The “heart” of the story
Describe feelings, opinions, thoughts that are involved in a situation
The invisible (but important) aspects of a social situation
Rarely used to describe the internal events in the child with autism
Used most often to refer to the other people in the story

9. Examples of perspective statements
“My friends like to play on the playground.”
“The teacher knows the answer to the math homework.”
“Sometimes, people feel tired when they stay up late.”

10. Directive statements
Name the desired response or list of possible responses
Tell the child what to do in a situation
Often begin with, “I will try…” or “I can…”
Avoids being taken too literally for fear of child not knowing there’s any wiggle room
Must be written with much consideration

11. Examples of directive statements
“I will try to raise my hand.”
“I can try to share the toys with my friends.”
“I can decide to play with blocks, read a book, or color a picture.”
Offers a list of choices

12. Affirmative statements
Express a common opinion about an element of the situation
Usually accompany another type of statement in the story
Basically used to:
Stress an important point
Refer to a rule
Reassure the reader

13. Examples of affirmative statements
“It’s a good idea to …”
“It’s ok to…”
“<I can ask a friend for his toy.> That’s the right thing to do.”

14. Partial statements
Fill-in statements that allow the child to actively participate in the story
Helps to show that the child comprehends to story

15. Examples of partial statements
“If I share, my friends will be so _____.”
“Mom and Dad will be so ____ if I go to bed like a big kid.”

16. The Social Story Ratio Applied to the story as a whole
Desired ratio is:
0-1 directive statements
2-5 descriptive, perspective, and/or affirmative statements

17. Other kinds of statements
Control sentences
Identify strategies that the learner can use in a troubling situation
“When someone says, ‘I changed my mind,’ I can think the idea is getting better--like a caterpillar turning into a butterfly.” (Gray, 13-4)
Cooperative sentences
Identifies the people that will help the child, and how they will help
“Mom and Dad can help me take deep breaths when I’m upset.”

18. Guidelines Step 1: Picture the goal Step 2: Gather information
Important to depict all relevant information that will occur in a social situation
Use text and illustrations; be concrete
Step 2: Gather information
Include where and when the situation occurs, who is involved, how events are sequenced, what occurs, and why it occurs

19. Step 3: Individualize the text
Remember the learning styles, needs, interests, and abilities of the target student
Always use positive statements
Step 4: Teach with the title
Should state the overall gist of the story
I.e., “Mike Ties his Shoes”

20. How to implement a Social Story
Introducing the story
Most important element in implementation
Introduced in a relaxed setting
Using it punitively is not recommended
Reviewing the story
“This is perhaps the most important element in the implementation of a social story.” (Gray, 13-8)
Share joint attention with the child on the story
Have multiple people review the story with the child
Encourages generalization

21. Fading the story
“Experience indicates it may not be possible, or advisable, to fade a Social Story from use.” (Gray, pp. 13-9)
Re-write it with systematic omissions
Use partial statements
Review it less frequently

22. Where does a Social Story lie in the 4-term contingency?
(Social Story for sharing a toy)
Contextual stimulus SD Response Consequence
Play setting Peer asks for toy Student shares Praise
Peer present Social Story
NOTE: A Social Story would technically be considered a stimulus prompt, which occurs simultaneously (or in this case, just prior to) the SD

23. Example of a Social Story: Craig works hard in school
Hi, my name is Craig.
<descriptive statement>

24. I’m a big kid in Dr. Reeve’s PS 572 class at Caldwell College
I’m a big kid in Dr. Reeve’s PS 572 class at Caldwell College. <descriptive statement>

25. The students in class think that class is hard
The students in class think that class is hard. <perspective statement>
In class, there is a lot of work. <descriptive statement>

26. So much work makes me sad.
When I get sad about too much work, it’s a good idea to: <affirmative statement>
Stop
Take a deep breath
Ask for a break

27. Doing my work is important. <affirmative statement>
Dr. Reeve will be so happy if I do all my work. <perspective statement>

28. If I do a good job in class, Dr. Reeve will let me graduate
If I do a good job in class, Dr. Reeve will let me graduate. I can do it! I can graduate from Caldwell College!!! <affirmative statement>

29. References
Gray, C. (2000). The New Social Story Book: Illustrated Edition. Arlington, TX: Future Horizons, Inc.
Reynhout, G., & Carter, M. (2007). Social Story efficacy with a child with autism spectrum disorder and moderate intellectual disability. Focus on Autism and Other Developmental Disabilities, 22,
Thiemann, K.S., & Goldstein, H. (2001). Social stories, written text cues, and video feedback: Effects on social communication of children with autism. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 34,
Weiss, M.J. (2008, June). Teaching children with autistic spectrum disorders. Presentation given for Teaching Language and Social Skills to Children with Autism, Caldwell College.