Teaching Consent to Students with Disabilities Using Social Stories
Students with disabilities, especially those on the autism spectrum, can benefit greatly from direct social skills instruction. Social stories are an excellent way to teach essential life lessons like consent in a customized, meaningful way.
What Are Social Stories?
Social stories break down complex social concepts into simple, concrete steps. They walk students through expected behaviors and responses using direct language and visuals. By providing positive examples, social stories reduce anxiety around new skills. They give students a script to reference as they practice real-world application.
Why Teach Consent with Social Stories?
For many students with disabilities, the nuances of consent can be confusing to navigate. Social stories allow educators to make abstract ideas tangible. Key points like recognizing boundaries, expressing limits, and asking permission can be illustrated through relatable scenarios. Stories can be tailored to match different learning levels and needs.
Social stories also provide a risk-free way for students to build consent skills. Educators can walk through hypothetical situations without putting pressure on students to respond “correctly” in the moment. Stories allow time for questions, role playing, and repetition to solidify lessons.
How to Write a Social Story About Consent
When writing a social story on consent, keep these tips in mind:
- Use simple language and define all key terms
- Break down the concept into small, logical steps
- Focus on expected behaviors in given scenarios
- Use positive language to state desired responses
- Incorporate relevant visual aids and symbols
- Provide concrete examples of asking for and giving consent
- Make the character and situations relatable
- Check for understanding and allow for practice
Social stories allow students to integrate consent skills into their everyday interactions. They provide a personalized, meaningful way to exercise autonomy over their bodies and make smart choices. With compassion and creativity, educators can use this tool to set students up for safety and success.
