The Power of Social Stories
Social stories are a valuable tool for helping individuals living with Neurodiversity (Autism Spectrum Disorder ASD & Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder ADHD navigate social situations. These personalised, narrative based tools explain social scenarios in simple, clear language, breaking down complex interactions into manageable steps. I have used them with great success for my son who has complex needs and is non-verbal. He responds very well to this approach as he likes visuals, particularly personalised photos for new experiences which are unfamiliar to him.
Why Social Stories Matter:
- Enhance Social Understanding: Social stories help individuals understand social norms, cues, and appropriate behaviours in various situations.
- Reduce Anxiety: They provide predictability and clarity, easing anxiety about new or unfamiliar events.
- Promote Independence: By offering guidance on how to handle different situations, social stories help individuals build life skills and manage social interactions with less support.
- Personalised Learning: Social stories can be tailored to fit the specific needs and challenges of the individual, making them highly adaptable.
How They’re Used:
- In the Classroom: Teachers can use social stories to explain routines, expectations, and social interactions.
- At Home: Parents can help children understand outings, everyday tasks and emotions.
- In Therapy: Therapists use social stories to teach coping strategies and social communication skills.
By breaking down tricky or new social situations into clear, easy-to-follow steps, social stories help individuals feel more confident, reduce stress, and improve social engagement.
You can create a social story using any technology like Word or PowerPoint in the Microsoft Office Suite. There is also an app that you can use: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/social-story-creator-library/id588180598 I have found this app to be very easy to use and it’s easy to add your own photos and text to individualise the story.
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