reading

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Gray, Carol.
The new social story book / by Carol Gray. -- Rev. and exp. 10th anniversary ed.

1. People with mental disabilities--Education. 2. Autistic children. 3. Developmentally disabled children. I. Title. II Title: Social story book

This book is dedicated to Alex Gilpin,
in memory and celebration of his wonderful
and incredible life story.

In Appreciation: The People of Social Stories™ History

I initiated the Social Story™ approach nearly twenty years ago. Since then, I have met thousands of wonderful, talented, interesting people. I am very impressed by the company that Social Stories™ keep. This book is the sum of their efforts, and I am grateful to each of them. Here, I'd like to describe the contributions of a few of them. I believe they are excellent representatives of the people—from all walks of life and all areas of Planet Earth—who write, read, or support Social Stories™—and add to their history each day.

Eric and Tim. Separated by fifteen years and 150 pounds difference in their silhouettes, Eric and Tim were both on my consultant caseload as the school year began in the fall of 1990. Eric was close to leaving his program at the high school; Tim was entering kindergarten. Eric and Tim never met, yet they each played an important role in Social Story™ history. A conversation with Eric caused me to see things from a far more accurate perspective; it was a paradigm shift. I was determined to put what I had learned from Eric into practice. One week later, I wrote the first Social Story™ for Tim. In my time, I've had many teachers; to date, however, Eric and Tim have been the most influential.

My husband, Brian. In the fall of 1990, I was having a lot of success writing stories for students on my caseload. To say I was hesitant to share that success with others is definitely an understatement. Despite my many protestations, which sprang from my innate shyness, my husband, Brian, encouraged me to share the success of Social Stories™ with others. The result was the first presentation on Social Stories™ in Indianapolis, Indiana. There was plenty of interest in my presentation, but I hid in my hotel room for the remainder of the conference. Two complete days of room service! Brian has been my coach—and, as always, my best friend—throughout the unique twists and turns of Social Story™ history.

Joanna Carnes and Barrett Gray. Brian and I are blessed with two incredible children, Joanna and Barrett. They definitely know—and are a big part of—Social Story™ history. Looking back, I'm impressed by their patient, calm support.

Joanna's maiden name is Gray, of course. She is now married to Mark, and they are the parents of our grandson, Ryan. Joanna may not realize this, but her comments have helped to bring this book to completion. At a critical point in the development of the manuscript, I was beyond overwhelmed; there were too many Stories, not enough minutes in the day—and too many other demands. Joanna listened to my frustration and, with a calm confidence that I will never, ever forget, she said, “You have to set some limits. Sometimes, you just have to say, ‘That doesn't work for me right now.’” Suddenly, I saw them: the things that did not work alongside the goal of completing this project. I am very grateful to her, and I have been happily saying, “That doesn't work for me,” (at the right times, of course) ever since. She's right. It works.

My son, Barrett, attended some of my earliest presentations. I remember one in particular, in Albuquerque. Barrett had the stack of evaluations in hand as we drove north from the conference. A hazy purple thunderstorm framed the horizon. Barrett was reading the comments on the evaluations to me. The majority of them were great, but it was the critical statements I took to heart. Praise didn't count. Barrett decided to throw the evaluations with negative comments into the back seat. Don't get me wrong—I value constructive criticism and feedback. But whenever I encounter criticism that I think is especially undeserved, in my mind I see a crumpled piece of paper, heading for the back seat, illuminated by flashes of lightning against a purple evening sky. Years later, over a glass of wine in a local bar, Barrett transformed the original Social Story™ ratio into the current Social Story™ Formula.

Joy Garand and Edna Smith, Ph.D. After the first presentation on Social Stories™ in Indianapolis, I met Joy Garand, a young special education teacher from Ohio, and Edna Smith, Ph.D, at the time Director of Missouri's Project ACCESS. Joy had attended my Indianapolis presentation, and she wrote to me a few months later to share her success with Social Stories™. I remember being surprised—not only did Social Stories™work for me in Michigan, they were now working in Ohio, too! Joy and I co-authored the article, “Social Stories™: Improving the Responses of Students with Autism with Accurate Social Information,” and Edna helped us submit it to the journal Focus on Autistic Behavior, where it was published in 1993. Meeting Joy and Edna led to the formal introduction of Social Stories™ to the field of autism.

Dr. Tony Attwood was one of the earliest professional supporters of Social Stories™. Tony contacted me for feedback on a portion of his new manuscript, titled, Asperger's Syndrome: A Guide to Parents and Professionals. He wanted to be sure that his description of Social Stories™ was accurate. Just as I had been surprised by Joy's success with Social Stories™, I was intrigued that a noted autism professional, from another country, was writing about my work. Not only that, but Tony genuinely understood Social Stories™. His description expanded my own understanding of them. (Today, Tony is a valued friend of mine, and I deeply respect his contributions to our field. I was thrilled and honored when he agreed to write the Foreword to this book.)

Diane Twachtman-Cullen, Ph.D., CCC-SLP introduced me to Wayne Gilpin, President of Future Horizons. Diane encouraged Wayne to sit in on one of my earliest presentations. At first, I don't think Wayne believed that stories could have such a positive impact. I was impressed that he stayed and listened to my entire presentation that day … and changed his mind. Ultimately, he offered to print and distribute the very first book of Social Stories™, titled The Original Social Story Book—even though it had been turned down by several other publishers.

The Gray Center for Social Learning and Understanding (TheGrayCenter.org) is a non-profit organization that serves people with autism spectrum disorders and those who work on their behalf. Led by Laurel Falvo, Executive Director, The Gray Center has been the official home of Social Stories™ since its inception in 1998. The Gray Center provides many resources and services. Among them is the distribution of accurate information about Social Stories™, and multi-faceted efforts to protect the quality and the integrity of the approach.

Keith Lovett, Director of Autism Independent (UK) brought Social Stories™ to the United Kingdom, and has sponsored Social Story™ workshops ever since. Keith is concerned for the education and welfare of people on the autism spectrum, and that includes protecting the quality of the instructional techniques that are used on their behalf. If Social Stories™ had a dad, it would be Keith. He looks out for the approach, informs me of any misinterpretations of it, and has steadfastly worked to ensure that high-quality Social Story™ workshops are held on his side of the Atlantic.

Team Social Stories™ is an ever-growing number of presenters who work with me to conduct quality workshops worldwide. I remember when I was working for Jenison Public Schools, and I was talking with the personnel director. We were discussing the increasing number of my Social Story™ workshops and presentations. I asked, “How long can it possibly take to teach the world to write a Social Story™? This can't last forever.” Now, I think it might. That's why I have recruited help from Team Social Stories™. Today we have Team members in five countries. For a current and complete list of Team Social Stories™ members, visit the Gray Center website listed above.

Melissa Andrews has been involved in Social Stories™ past and present, and will undoubtedly be a part of their future. She and I worked together at Jenison Public Schools. Today we work together in my office, scheduling workshops. Melissa reviewed a draft of this manuscript, and helped keep me sane through its completion. Melissa doesn't know this, but she makes me stop, think, and regroup, better than anyone I know.

My Cottage Friends are reflected in the pages of this book. They were the only “social norm” I had available to me this past summer, at our cottage, where most of the Stories in this book were written. I usually refer to them as the “cottage people,” and they helped me research many of the Story topics. Often, I would ask them unusual questions about social concepts and skills. For example: What is the difference between a one- and a two-person hug? My questions led to discussions with little agreement, always framed by the unique personalities and unshakable mutual respect that defines this incredible group. I am blessed to have these friends in my life. I am indebted to them for their candid contributions to this book. I'd like to publicly thank Paul and Pat, Granny, Jim and Maureen, Jeff and Marci, Sheri, Andy and C, Keith and Sandy, and Prudy and Jim. They make life on Planet Earth continually intriguing and interesting, easier, and a heck of a lot of fun. In my next life, I want to have them as my friends again.

The Boy at Barnes & Noble came up to me at a critical point in the development of this book. I wish I knew his name, so that I could thank him properly. Approaching the completion of the rough draft of this manuscript, I had been writing non-stop, eyes-open to eyes-shut, for over two weeks. I needed a change of writing venue, so I decided to head to the Rivertown Crossings Mall near our home. I worked on location. It was there that I wrote the Stories in this book about the up escalator and eating at a food court. I decided to head to Barnes & Noble, to write a Story about eating in a quiet bookstore café. However, the place was wall-to-wall people. I couldn't get to the café. So I sat down in an overstuffed chair, took out my laptop, and wrote the Story, “This Place is Busy!”

That's when he appeared: a boy about nine years old with curly brown hair. He was on his own—with his mother nearby—and approached me. Well, no, he approached my computer. He had many of the qualities of children on the autism spectrum. He read what I had written on the computer screen, looked up and around, and then turned to me and asked, “Does it help you to write a story about what is going on here?”

I was at a loss for an answer. I have it now. Yes, it does. Writing Stories about what is going on helps me because of the wonderful people, the incredible people, that it introduces me to. People like those whom I have listed here, people like the boy at Barnes & Noble, and people whom I have never met … but I know I would like if I did. Social Stories™ do keep the best company, and I have been—and will continue to be—honored to work alongside them.

Foreword

Carol Gray originally developed Social Stories™ in 1991 from working directly and collaboratively with children with autism and Asperger's Syndrome. For nearly twenty years, she has been modifying the guidelines for writing Social Stories™, based on extensive personal experience and feedback from parents, teachers, and the children themselves. The ideas and strategies have matured over the years and Social Stories™ have now been examined independently in numerous research studies published in scientific journals. There is no doubt that the use of Social Stories™ in education and therapy is what scientists describe as “evidence-based practice.” Social Stories™ really do work.

Whenever I learn that Carol Gray is working on a new publication, I become quite excited in anticipation of reading her latest insights into how children with an autism spectrum disorders perceive and experience the world. I know that her innovative ideas and strategies will be incorporated into my clinical practice, and that I will be recommending the latest publication to teachers, parents, and colleagues. As I read the manuscript for the The New Social Story Book, I thought, “Carol, you have done it again!” She has written another exceptional resource that will improve not only social understanding but also self-understanding. Carol has remarkable insight into the world of autism and the neurotypical world, and her Social Stories™ are for members of both—improving mutual understanding, communication, and acceptance.

This book is complementary to Carol's other publications and provides examples of Social Stories™ that can be used without modification, or adapted and edited to suit a specific child and his or her unique abilities and circumstances. I recommend The New Social Story Book for those who are new to the area of autism and Asperger's Syndrome as a parent, teacher, therapist, or psychologist, and also for those with considerable experience writing Social Stories™. I often refer to my copy as a source of guidance and inspiration when I am working with a child who has Asperger's Syndrome.

From her extensive experience of working with children, parents, and teachers, Carol knows the problem areas—the “hot topics.” These include coping with change, making mistakes, specific situations (such as attending a birthday party or being an airline passenger), and managing and expressing emotions. Carol chooses her words very carefully. Great thought, wisdom, and talent went into this new publication. There are some parts I will always remember, in particular the statement, “Adults are children who kept getting older,” and the Social Story™ for when “some gifts are disappointing.” I know that children with an autism spectrum disorder and neurotypical adults alike will enjoy and appreciate the comprehensive explanations and the sage advice in The New Social Story Book.

How To Use This Book

I wrote this collection of Social Stories™ with you and the child or adolescent in your care (I refer to them as the “Audience” of your Stories) continually in mind. You may use the Stories in a variety of ways. They may be used directly from the book, or as a pattern to develop Stories of your own. This brief introduction will acquaint you with the resources in this book, specifically the Stories and the Social Story™ 10.1 Tutorials.

This book contains 158 Social Stories™ that I wrote either for students I was working with directly, or for fellow parents and educators. The Stories are divided into chapters according to their subject matter: Learning with Stories, Change, Mistakes, Me and My Feelings, Celebrations and Gifts, People Skills and Friendship, Bullying, Understanding Adults, Home and Community, School, and Planet Earth. Whereas some chapters focus on specific contexts, others focus on some of the most challenging issues facing children with autism spectrum disorders. I did my best to include the Stories most requested by parents and educators, and ones that I felt, from my personal experience, had helped children the most.

Some of the Stories in this book are designed to be used in groups, in sequence. The Fort Able Stories (^# 30-38) describe an imaginary comfort zone (Come to Fort Able=ComFortAble). Each Fort Able Story describes a “room” in a “fort.” The bullying Stories (^#74-82) are intended to be read/completed chronologically as well.

Conversely, be aware that some students' reactions to the imagery can negatively impact their understanding of a social situation or skill. They may think that the Story applies to the child in the picture, but not to them. So if your child or student thinks very concretely, and has difficulty generalizing the skills, you may want to use only the Stories in Word format, customized with his or her experiences, and use the pre-illustrated Stories from the book for your reference only.

While most of the Stories can potentially be used as they are written, there are some Stories in this book that have to be revised before they are shared with your Audience. These are Stories that were written for a fictional character (e.g., Trevor, Mason, Fletcher) that include sample descriptions of past events. You will need to review those Stories for ideas, and then replace existing details with your Audience's experiences. The individualized Story will make the most sense to your Audience if it is written from a first-person perspective, as though Audience is talking.

Many of the Stories in this book are intentionally “over-written.” They may include more text or longer sentences than I typically use when writing for students on my caseload. I did this to provide you with as many ideas and phrasing options as possible, while still maintaining sound Story structure. You, in turn, may review a Story and determine that it's ready to use with the person you are caring for. Or you may decide to revise it, in which case you should have enough text to shorten and/or per-sonalize the Story as you see fit.

To shorten and simplify a Story, I suggest using only the first sentence of each paragraph and deleting the others. (This strategy only works with some of the Stories, so use your best judgment.) The onesentence paragraph structure is great for kids who are younger, chronologically or developmentally (this book is intended for children between the developmental ages of 6 and 12). Other options to simplify a Story include omitting commas to create two separate sentences, or splitting one Story into two or more Stories.

You will undoubtedly have many ideas of your own for developing a Story that will meet the unique needs, abilities, and interests of your Audience. The following Social Story™ 10.1 Tutorials are designed to teach you the art and science of writing a Social Story™. They will help you develop Stories that are not only meaningful, but also enjoyable to work on (for both children and adults!). The tutorial section will be your own Social Story™ workshop, for you to complete at your own pace. It includes an introduction to the tutorials, detailed descriptions of the ten newly revised Social Story™ criteria, and a practice activity for each criterion. Once you've successfully read and completed the activities for all ten criteria, you will be able to write effective Social Stories™ for those in your care. Still, I recommend referring to the criteria often during your writing process for ideas and support. I also encourage you to attend an official Team Social Stories™ training, where you can refine your Story writing and practice your skills with others.

Whether you are a beginner or an experienced author of Social Stories™, this book is designed to support your continued learning. You may decide to research Social Stories™ further on the web, but please use your discretion with regard to content if you refer to Social Stories™ on the internet. Above all else, the 10.1 criteria work to ensure Audience safety. There are only three web addresses that I recognize for Social Story™ information. They are my own website (CarolGraySocialStories.com), The Gray Center for Social Learning and Understanding website (TheGrayCenter.org), and Future Horizons' website (FHautism.com). While other sites may imply my involvement, it simply is not the case. Be sure to look for my name explicitly and the trademarked Social Stories™ to ensure that the information and stories found there reference Social Stories™ as they are defined in this book.

If you find this book helpful, I welcome you to explore its companion resources. Comic Strip Conversations uses simple drawings to illustrate interactions and explore social events, concepts, and skills with students. No Fishing Allowed, a peer violence prevention program, puts the strategies from the bullying Stories into action. My team and I have also created a DVD titled Storymovies™. A Storymovie™ is a Social Story™ illustrated with a short movie. Each is shot on location, merging descriptions of social concepts and skills with footage of live situations. (Stories in this book that have corresponding Storymovies™ available have a “scene slate” icon near the Story number.)

Thank you for your interest in Social Stories™. I am glad that this book has fallen into your good hands! Have fun exploring the Stories and completing the tutorials. I sincerely hope that this resource will come to your aid, like an old friend, when you need support, and become a trusted volume in your library for many years to come. Best wishes to you and your Audience!

Social Story™ 10.1 Tutorials

Introduction to the Social Story™ 10.1 Tutorials

Welcome to the Social Story™ 10.1 Tutorials! This chapter is your introductory guide to writing Social Stories™ according to the current 10.1 criteria. You will learn the basics of the approach so that you can write Social Stories™ for those in your care. As you know, I wrote the Stories in this book for students with autism spectrum disorders (ASD). The Stories will also help you. I will be referring to them frequently as you read and complete each tutorial.

A Social Story™ describes a situation, skill, or concept according to ten defining criteria. These criteria guide Story development to ensure an overall patient and supportive quality, and a format, “voice,” and relevant content that is descriptive, meaningful, and physically, socially, and emotionally safe for the Audience. The criteria define what a Social Story™ is, and the process that researches, writes, and illustrates it.

In Appreciation: The People of Social Stories™ History

Table of Contents

Foreword

How To Use This Book

Social Story™ 10.1 Tutorials

Introduction to the Social Story™ 10.1 Tutorials