How to write a Social Story? Tips to guide your way through the writing process

How often do you find yourself Sitting in front of the computer after being asked to write a social story?

You probably say to yourself: "Well, I have my topic. I know the issue the child is dealing with and that we wish to solve with a social story, but How do I write a social story? Where do I start? What should I write in the first sentence?

What type of utterances should appear in the child's story?

These questions, among many others, occupy every speech therapist, behavioral therapist, and educator.

So here are a few tips to light your way in the process of writing a social story.

Tip #1 - One goal

For any social story, choose a goal!

For example, if the Social Story is about a situation in which the child is interfering with others while they talk, then the story's goal would be: "understanding turn-taking."

Tip #2 - Explain more

Also, defining the goal is defining the wanted and positive behavior and marking the negative ones.

So, if the goal is "understanding turn-taking," then the positive outcome would be performing turn-taking with another person while, at the same time, marking "talking at wrong times" as a negative behavior.

Tip #3 - Make it personal

• 'why is the child frustrated?'

• 'what is it he does not understand?'

1. Who is involved in the situation?

2. What happened?

3. Where has it happened?

4. When?

5. Why?

6. How?

Answering these questions will promote one more step toward an accurate and personalized story for the specific child and situation. Also, a social story should be written with knowledge of the child’s personal interests and preferences in an effort to make Stories more interesting and fun to read.

Remember: 'off-the-peg' is not possible...

Tip #4 - linguistic structure

Three types of short, direct sentences build the structure of the story:

1. descriptive sentences relate what people do in a given situation and why.

Let us go back to our previous example:

"Usually, when people talk with another person, they wait for the other person to finish his turn before talking."

"people listen quietly while someone else is talking."

2. Directive sentences are individualized statements of desired responses. Directive sentences focus on what a student should do to be successful in a given situation

"I can wait for my friend to end his turn."

"I can ask him: "can I speak now?"

3. Perspective statements describe others' reactions to a situation or responses depicted in a story.

"my teacher would be happy if I listen quietly when my friend talks."

"Everybody would be happy if I take my turn to talk on time."

Tip #5 - personalized, accurate, and positive tone!

Keeping the story personalized for the specific child and the unique situation he is experiencing and keeping it accurate and positive are among the most valuable ingredients for compelling Social Stories!

"writing Social Stories is an art, not a science." - Carol Gray