The Power of Social Stories: Supporting Early Childhood Development

A follow-up to the Early Childhood Development Association of Malta (ECDAM) session of May 13 2025, presented by Dr Jonathan Borg, Faculty of Education, University of Malta.

Introduction

Social stories have emerged as a powerful tool in early childhood education, offering early years practitioners an effective approach to guiding children through various social situations. Following our recent ECDAM session where we explored the use and function of social stories, this article aims to provide a deeper understanding of this technique and how social stories can be practically applied in early years settings.

What Are Social Stories?

Social stories are personalised 'narratives' designed to help children understand social situations, develop appropriate responses, and address challenging circumstances. Originally developed by Carol Gray back in 1991 for children with autism spectrum disorders, social stories have since been recognised as beneficial for all children in early years settings (Gray, 2015).

According to Gray (2010), social stories provide information that can be easily understood by its audience and that is given in a patient and a reassuring manner.

These narratives bridge the children's observations and the children's understanding, enabling them to develop responses that are social appropriate for a specific context.

Core Functions of Social Stories in Early Years Settings

Research demonstrates that social stories serve multiple purposes in early childhood development:

1.  Understanding Emotions and Responses

Social stories have the potential to develop emotional literacy enabling children to recognise and understand their own feelings and those of others. As Howley and Arnold (2005) note, these narratives help children build empathy and self-awareness.

2.  Managing Transitions and Change

Unexpected but also planned changes to the routine, whether at home, at school or at the child care centre can be particularly challenging for young children. Social stories provide the necessary preparation for transitions, unexpected events, or disruptions such as school outings or fire drills. Kokina and Kern (2010) concluded that social stories were a highly effective tool that helped reduce anxiety during transitioning processes and when introduced prior to these events.

3.  Guiding Social Behaviour

Social stories provide clear guidance about socially-appropriate behaviour in different social contexts since they clarify social expectations in various situations. Significant improvements in prosocial behaviours have been demonstrated following social story interventions (More et al., 2014).

4.  Supporting Self-Care Skills

Daily routines like handwashing, toileting, and personal self-care can be effectively supported through social stories. These narratives weave in task analysis as they break complex tasks into manageable steps, resulting in the development of autonomous and self-determined young learners (Scattone et al., 2006).

5.  Preparing for New Experiences

Social stories provide chidlrenn with crucial information about what to expect, creating mental frameworks for new experiences (Test et al., 2011).

Creating Effective Social Stories

For social stories to be effective, Gray (2018) established ten specific criteria that practitioners should follow:

1.       Each story should have a clear, specific goal addressing a particular situation or behaviour.

2.       Follow a two-step discovery process involving gathering information and tailoring the story to the child's individual needs.

3.       Include a structured format with a title, introduction, body, and conclusion that reinforces key points.

4.       Present the story in a format appropriate to the individual child, considering their abilities, interests, and attention span.

5.       Use supportive language that is:

o    Limited to first- and third-person perspectives (avoiding direct "you" statements)

o    Written in appropriate tense (past, present or future)

o    Positive and patient in tone

o    Factually accurate and clear in meaning

6.       Answer the fundamental questions of where, when, who, what, how, and why.

7.       Balance descriptive sentences (explaining situations) with directive/coaching sentences

(suggesting responses).

8.       Use descriptive rather than directive language that guides rather than commands.

9.       Regularly review and revise stories as children develop and situations change.

10.   Include a clear implementation plan for using the story effectively.

Types of Sentences in Social Stories

Effective social stories typically incorporate four types of sentences (Gray, 2010):

-          Descriptive sentences provide factual information: "Children sit in a circle during story time."

-         Perspective sentences describe feelings and thoughts: "Sometimes I feel nervous when there are many people in the room."

-         Coaching /Directive sentences suggest appropriate responses: "I can take three deep breaths when I feel worried."

-         Affirmative sentences reinforce positive aspects: "Listening quietly during story time helps everyone enjoy the book."

Conclusion

Social stories offer early years practitioners a structured approach to supporting children's social-emotional development, behaviour management, and preparation for new experiences. When implemented with fidelity to Gray's criteria, they can effectively reduce anxiety, build understanding, and promote independence in young children.

As we continue our professional development journey following the ECDAM session, weaving in social stories with our daily practice presents a valuable opportunity to enhance our knowledge and skill set and to improve the support that we provide to the young children entrusted to our care.

References

Gray, C. (2010). The new social story book. Future Horizons.

Gray, C. (2015). The new social story book: Over 150 social stories that teach everyday social skills.

Future Horizons.

Gray, C. (2018). Social stories: The new defining criteria. Retrieved from The Gray Center.

Howley, M., & Arnold, E. (2005). Revealing the hidden social code: Social stories for people with autistic spectrum disorders. Jessica Kingsley Publishers.

Kokina, A., & Kern, L. (2010). Social Story� interventions for students with autism spectrum disorders: A

meta-analysis. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 40(7), 812-826.

More, C. M., Sileo, N. M., Higgins, K., Tandy, R. D., & Tannock, M. (2014). The effects of social story interventions on preschool age children with and without disabilities. Early Child Development and Care, 183(1), 1-16.

Scattone, D., Tingstrom, D. H., & Wilczynski, S. M. (2006). Increasing appropriate social interactions of children with autism spectrum disorders using Social Stories�. Focus on Autism and Other Developmental Disabilities, 21(4), 211-222.

Test, D. W., Richter, S., Knight, V., & Spooner, F. (2011). A comprehensive review and meta-analysis of the social stories literature. Focus on Autism and Other Developmental Disabilities, 26(1), 49-62.