A Guide to Writing Social StoriesT: Step-by-Step Guidelines for Parents and Professionals

by Chris Williams, Barry Wright

Overview

Social Stories™ are a widely used and highly effective intervention for supporting children on the autism spectrum, but it can feel overwhelming to follow all the rules put in place to create personalised stories. Developed with the input of parents and professionals, and informed by new Social Stories research, this is a comprehensive, clear, easy step-by-step guide to writing effective personalised Social Stories™ that give children social information, creating many benefits for them.

The book includes many examples of real Social Stories created for children by parents and teachers working together, and handy downloadable checklists that highlight the essential components of a Social Story, helping to ensure that each story you write achieves the best possible results.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781785921216
Publisher:	Jessica Kingsley Publishers
Publication date:	10/21/2016
Pages:	144
Product dimensions:	6.60(w) x 9.40(h) x 0.40(d)

About the Author

Chris Williams is a Clinical Psychologist and Barry Wright is a Consultant Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist. They have both worked for the NHS with children with ASDs and their families for over 20 years. They are the authors of How to Live with Autism and Asperger Syndrome: Practical Strategies for Parents and Professionals and Intervention and Support for Parents and Carers of Children and Young People on the Autism Spectrum: A Resource for Trainers, both published by JKP. They both live in North Yorkshire, UK.

Table of Contents

Introduction. Part 1. 1.1. Understanding Autism. 1.1.1. Mindblindness. 1.1.2. Getting the Gist. 1.1.3. Language and Communication. 1.1.4. Imagination, Memory, Time Perception, Planning. 1.1.5. Sensory, Interests, Preoccupations and Compulsions. 1.1.6. Strengths and Skills. 1.2. What is a Social Story? 1.2.1. What makes a Social Story different? 1.2.2. When should I write a Social Story? 1.2.3. What are they for? 1.2.4. What is different about children with ASD? Why are Social Stories important for them? 1.2.5. What are the Benefits of Social Stories? Part 2. 2.1. A Guide to Social Stories. 2.1.1. A Summary of how to write a Social Story including Jodie's Story. 2.1.2. Step I: The Goal and Gathering Information. 2.1.3. Step II: Writing the Social Story. 2.1.4. Implementing the Social Story. Part 3. 3.1. Gathering Information. 3.1.1. Worked example using the template (George) Why do people fart? 3.1.2. Worked example using the template (Matthew) Time to Think. 3.1.3. Worked example (Thomas) What happens when I have a Seizure? 3.1.4. When not to use Social Stories. Part 4. 4.1. Examples of Social Stories. 4.1.1. Why we go to school. 4.1.2. Working on my own. 4.1.3. Focussing and Concentrating. 4.1.4. Trying Hard at Swimming. 4.1.5. Joining School Swimming Lessons. 4.1.6. What is Respect? 4.1.7. Happy Playtimes. 4.1.8. Taking New Medicine. 4.1.9. Finding out about Archbishop Holgate's 6th Form. 4.1.10. Visiting the Dentist. 4.1.11. Why We Do Homework. 4.1.12. How to Take Tests. 4.1.13. Waiting to ask the Teacher a Question. 4.1.14. Going to Flamingo Land. 4.1.15. I am a Kind, Intelligent Person. 4.1.16. Spiderman is a Film Character. 4.1.17. Using Words that People Like. Part 5. 5.1. A Template for Making Sense of a Child's Behaviour and Planning Ways to Help. 5.2. Step by Step Flowchart. 5.3. Checklist. 5.4. Checklist (Short Version). References. Definition of Terms.

Editorial Reviews

Williams and Wright's book argues that Social Stories™ are a powerful method for making life easier for kids with autism or Asperger Syndrome, to reduce the confusion that arises from 'mindblindness' and a piecemeal perception of the world. Social Stories™ provide clear explanations for social conventions in a rule-based way, thereby 'systemizing' the social world, to render it less confusing. Social Stories™ need scientific evaluation in a randomised control trial, but this book will help teachers learn how to implement this imaginative method.

Professor Simon Baron-Cohen

I think this will be a helpful book for anyone who is living or working with a child who has an autistic spectrum disorder. Social Stories™ are very useful but it can be quite a challenge to write your own. This book is designed to get you started. The authors provide straightforward guidelines and lots of practical examples of Social Stories™ written for particular children. They annotate these stories so that readers can see how the process works. As a professional who regularly sees parents of children with a diagnosis of ASD, I will be adding this book to my list of valued references.

Jo McMahon

Thank heavens for Social Stories™. I have used them often to explain life on planet Earth when my son is convinced that he is the only Martian present and that humans are weird. This brilliant book is so encouraging - a great reminder of why it is worth taking time and effort to write good stories and avoid the pitfalls.

Rowena Harper

Finally, a book that combines a practical step-by-step guide on creating and using Social Stories™ with real-life examples and a collection of sample Stories. This wonderful volume presents a user-friendly approach to writing Social Stories™, and is written with humor in easy-to-understand language. It is bound to become your new "go to" Social Stories™ manual.

Anastasia Kokina