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is often a child, adolescent, or adult with autism. Each Social Story^™ is developed with consideration of several individual factors, including but not limited to the age, gender, abilities, personality, preferences, and/or interests of the Audience. Audience is always capitalized when it is used in reference to Social Stories^™.

       Social Stories^™: The definition of Social Stories^™ appears in the second paragraph of this introduction. Any time the term Social Story^™ is capitalized, it refers to a Social Story^™ that meets all of the current 10.1 criteria. This distinguishes Social Stories^™ from “social stories” (lower case) that may not meet the criteria. When the term is used in these tutorials, it refers to Social Stories^™ and Social Articles^™. Social Articles are the more advanced counterpart of Social Stories^™. They are often written for students who are older or academically more advanced. Social Articles adhere to the same criteria as Social Stories.

       Story: Any time the word Story is capitalized, I am referring to a Social Story^™ that meets all the current criteria. This distinguishes Stories from stories (lower case) that may not meet the 10.2 criteria.

       Team: The Team includes parents and professionals, all those working together on behalf of an individual with ASD. Due to the specialized nature of this group, and the unique issues that they encounter and address, Team is always capitalized.

      ACTIVITY

      It is likely that you’ve already had some experiences with Social Stories^™. Maybe you have read one, written one, heard about one, seen one, or been in a room with one. I’ve developed a short exercise for you. Is this a Social Story^™? Complete the activity first and then continue reading.

       Introduction Activity: Is This a Social Story™?

      Directions: Read the Story below. Is it a Social Story” Yes No

      Many people write Social Stories^™. You may want to learn how to write Social Stories^™, too. Then you will be able to write Stories for the students in your classroom. You’ll have fun at the same time!

      You may use the tutorials in this c hapter to learn about the ten criteria that distinguish Social Stories^™ from other visual strategies. Work through each tutorial at your own pace. Have fun!

      Answer: This is not a Social Story^™. It contains errors that deviate from the ten criteria. Here are three of them:

       Every Social Story^™ has a title that represents the topic. In addition, Social Stories^™ use sound story construction, using an introduction, body, and conclusion. This story does not have a title, and the delineation of an introduction, body, and conclusion is unclear.

       Social Stories^™ contain only first and/or third person statements. Second person statements never appear in a Social Story. This story contains several second person statements.

       Social Stories^™ are accurate and unassuming. Thus a phrase like, “You’ll have fun at the same time,” would not appear in a Social Story^™. The phrase assumes the experience of the Audience; it is a guess that may or may not be true.

      These are common errors. In my work, I have reviewed several stories that people refer to as “Social Stories^™” that deviate from—or ignore altogether—many of the criteria. The term Social Stories^™ is often used carelessly to refer to anything placed in writing for a person on the autism spectrum. As a result, there is a lot of misinformation that ultimately threatens the quality and safety of this important instructional tool.

      To get a “feel” for this approach, randomly select a few Stories in this book. As you read them, note the title, introduction, body, and conclusion; the omission of second person statements, and the overall patient quality of each. The Stories in this book have additional characteristics in common as well. We’ll be discussing each of their shared characteristics in the following ten tutorials.

      FINAL NOTES

      I want to personally thank you for taking the time to learn more about Social Stories^™. You are also helping to preserve the integrity and quality of this approach worldwide. I sincerely appreciate your efforts. In return, I will do my best to support you as you work to learn the art of researching and writing Social Stories^™.

The 1st Criterion: The Goal

      DEFINITION

       The Goal of a Social Story is to share accurate information using a content, format, and voice that is descriptive, meaningful, and physically, socially, and emotionally safe for the intended Audience.

      ACTIVITY

      Unlike the other tutorials, this one opens with an activity. Complete the activity. Then, read the rest of the tutorial.

       Criterion 1 Activity: The Goal

      Directions: Reread the definition of the Goal. Answer this question:

      Is the Goal of a Social Story^™ to get the Audience to do what we want him /her to do? Check one: Yes No

      Answer: The most common misconception is that the goal of a Social Story^™ is to change Audience behavior. This has never been the case. The Social Story^™ Goal is to share accurate information meaningfully and safely. Admittedly, it is often behavior that draws attention to a specific concept, skill, or situation. However, if our objective is simply to change behavior, we are likely to focus on “telling the child what to do.” Chances are the Audience has been told what to do—perhaps many times. Instead, our focus is on the underlying causes of frustration or misinformation. Authors work to identify and share information that supports more effective responses. The theory is that the improvement in behavior that is frequently credited to a Social Story^™ is the result of improved understanding of events and expectations.

      DISCUSSION

      Every Social Story^™ has an unfaltering respect for its Audience, regardless of the topic. Read the Story in this book titled, “Why People Take Baths or Showers.” Many parents and professionals have difficulty helping the children, adolescents, or adults in their care understand the importance of personal hygiene. This Story addresses that topic with careful phrasing. Third person statements describe the importance of bathing in general, without pointing an accusing finger at the Audience. Also, the Story incorporates historical facts and a bit of humor to make the content interesting and fun. Other Stories in this book use similar strategies; all geared at sharing information accurately, respectfully, meaningfully, and safely.

      The safety of a Story is an Author’s first concern. In terms of physical safety, consider the following example. A mom writes a story for her son, Harrison, about swimming at the beach. She includes a photo of Harrison in the water. There is no one else in the photo. Dad was right

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