When initially presented with this assignment I felt a little overwhelmed. It seemed like such a complicated task. I have to say that once I picked a topic it flowed very quickly, except for some difficulty uploading it to youtube! I could see how e-story books would be very useful to prepare a child with autism, or any child that could be easily thrown off, for some sort of change or desired expectation. I think I would also make a version in print that could be physically carried around by the child. That way he/she can refer to it as needed.
I chose the topic of having a substitute teacher in class. I thought that this could very easily set off a child that relies on routine and consistency, making it a great topic for a social story. Not only will the teacher be different, but a planned lesson might not happen, and the other students usually act differently when there is a substitute.
As with many things were have learned about in class, social stories were a foreign topic for me. They remind me a little of a simplified task analysis, the way it clearly lays out instructions to complete a task. Social stories help people with autism sort of predict how a certain social situation will play out, offering a narrative example to follow. Eliminating some portion of confusion, lessening the amount of distractions during instructional time. "Social Stories provide a little distance between teaching and the possible stresses of the social situation itself; they give the child a chance to practice the skills often and on his terms". (Wallin, J. 2004)
There are several things to remember when writing a social story. Always write the story from the child's perspective, taking into account their functioning capabilities. When possible it is often a good idea to actually include the child in the process of writing the story. Try to focus on what causes the desired or undesired behaviors, instead of the behavior itself. It's also important to clearly define the response that is expected from the child. Also, keeping in mind that these stories are written specifically for the child, therefore the language used must be tailored to the student.
Electronic versions of social stories can take things one step further by being able to use pictures of familiar places, people and the child the story is written for. This helps form an even stronger attachment to the desired behavior. "Children enjoy viewing pictures of themselves and people they know. They point, name the people, and often tell stories about the pictures of familiar faces. Given recent advances in technology, the use of digital media in classroom settings will be the next step in the technological progression". (More, C., 2008)
