| Social Stories were first introduced around twenty | | | | and control sentences, as set out by Carol Gray. |
| years ago by therapist Carol Gray to help her | | | | Research into the uses and success of social stories |
| communicate with the children she was working with. | | | | shows us that social stories on the whole are |
| Since then their popularity and uses has grown, today | | | | beneficial in helping to teach social and communication |
| social stories are widely used not only as a means of | | | | skills to children with autism and related conditions. |
| communication but also to teach and re-enforce social | | | | The social story gives the child with autism clear |
| skills. | | | | guidance, using visual images and first person text in a |
| Social stories are useful for children with autism as well | | | | step by step visual plan with no frills set out in a |
| as related conditions. | | | | manner they can easily understand and relate too. |
| A social story introduces appropriate social, | | | | Many parents of autistic children use social stories for |
| communication, imagination and interaction information | | | | various situations and skills their child with autism might |
| visually in the form of a story, much like a comic strip | | | | struggle with, for example - hygiene issues, learning |
| script. Which acts as a visual framework helping to | | | | rules, having a conversation, making friends, learning |
| support the autistic child or student. | | | | play skills, recess etc. |
| The social story answers the "wh" questions (who, | | | | The social story can also be used to help with a |
| why, where, when and what) by detailing the key | | | | change to routine, a trip to the dentist, getting a hair cut, |
| focus points of the skill or situation showing the autistic | | | | there are many uses for social stories. Many parents |
| child or student the how and why of a social setting. | | | | of autistic children have learnt to write social stories, |
| Guidelines suggest social stories should follow a | | | | but for many the task of finding appropriate social |
| pre-set formula of descriptive, perspective, direction | | | | stories can be confusing and lengthy. |