Name: Scratching Social Story
SKU: 614c3eef4d8a7c2140d6544f
Price: 39.99 USD
Availability: InStock

About this resource

What's inside this resource

Title: Scratching Social Story

This teaching resource, the Scratching Social Story, is an invaluable tool for educators looking to employ a patient, reassuring approach in imparting wisdom about social situations. This resource holds significant value especially for children on the autism spectrum who may have difficulty interpreting social cues or experience anxiety about uncertain situations. However, it possesses universal application — it can provide valuable understanding to any child grappling with a perplexing event, concept or needs assistance comprehending a social skill.

The focus of this particular social story centers around children who have been scratching others. Learners gain an understanding through its pages that such behavior hurts others and is inappropriate. The methodology works best when used consistently; therefore educators are advised to consider housing the pages in a display book or laminating them for durability.

The Scratching Social Story spans 11 comprehensive PDF pages filled with captivating Clipart images courtesy of Kari Bolt which act as visual supplements to drive home the important message within its covers - creating lasting impression in students' minds.
This resource isn't confined within classroom walls; it makes an excellent self-study material at home as well and provides parents who homeschool their kids an effective way to reinforce good manners and responsible behavior among their youngsters.

The relevance of this resource transcends grade level specifications; hence making it suitable across different education stages. Furthermore, underpinning all subjects lies tenets of good behavior thus making this resource applicable across diverse disciplines but most notably exceptional for special resources, specifically instrumental in bolstering learners' social skills.

'Whether you choose to utilize this teaching aid during whole group sessions inspiring collective interaction and open discussions on behavioral issues or prefer deploying it during small group teaching focusing on individuals needing specific attention or even assigning as homework enabling reinforcement at home - you can always rely on this versatile tool: The Scratching Social Story!

In the classroom

Teaching tips & learning objectives

Learning objectives

Name anger and frustration as feelings that are okay to have
Identify scratching as an unacceptable response to anger or frustration and explain why it is harmful
Select and use a calming strategy (asking for help, going somewhere quiet, or taking deep breaths) instead of scratching

Teaching tips

Laminate the pages or house them in a display book, since a social story like this is meant to be reread with a child multiple times, not used once
Read one calming strategy at a time and have the child practice it (e.g. taking three deep breaths together) right after reading that page
Pair the story with a real or role-played moment of frustration soon after reading it, so the child can practice choosing a strategy while the story is still fresh
Read the three 'why it's harmful' pages together as a set, since each names a different consequence (physical hurt, sadness, lost friendship) rather than repeating the same point

Skills covered

Emotion recognition — the story has the reader identify anger and frustration by name as the feelings that come before scratching.
Behavior-consequence reasoning — three consecutive pages each connect the scratching behavior to a distinct consequence (physical hurt, sadness, lost friendship).
Self-regulation strategy selection — the reader is given three concrete calming alternatives (asking an adult, going somewhere quiet, deep breathing) to use instead of scratching.
Self-commitment — the closing page has the reader state a personal commitment not to scratch, reinforcing the story's lesson in the reader's own voice.

Good to know