Transition Social Stories for Students with Autism

Many of my students have a hard time with the changes they are experiencing in middle school. They are visual learners and concrete thinkers. Therefore, in order to assist my students in these transitions, I will have them do the following:



Explain the purpose of the activity. Show the students a social story that does not include realistic images. Then have each student individually (with an assistant) go through the various transitions that the student faces on a daily basis (passing periods, fire drills, bathroom, etc). The assistant and the student will photograph the student actually going through the transition. This will be done with every student and will include the things we do in the community such as grocery shopping or riding the bus.

Once the pictures have been taken, the students will download the pictures onto the computer. Each picture will be given a caption.

The pictures will be printed, and then placed in order.

The student will then create a cover and a backing for a book. The students will place each transition with the pictures in order, seperated by tabs into a small book that can be kept at their desk and reviewed on a daily basis.

These books will help the students transition and eventually establish independence from their assistants and their teachers. SOme of the activities will be edited together to create a video. The video will help reinforce the transition skills that are being taught.

As the students begin to learn the transition skills to automaticity, then the books and videos will be faded out.