Is there a specific situation or environment or activity that is stressful to one particular child in your ministry area, but is not a challenge to others? Social stories are not a new concept for students on the autism spectrum. But, perhaps you’ve never considered using them in the church setting. In this week’s episode, Beth shares examples of a few social stories to add to your toolbox.
Listen now in your favorite podcast app!
Quick Links:
Visual Schedules: Podcast Episode 006
Downloadable “Coming to Church” social story
If you enjoyed this episode, you may also like:
006: Visual Schedules with Beth Golik
013: Disability-Inclusive Event Checklist with Beth Golik
015: Seven Muti-Sensory Strategies for Memorizing Scripture with Beth Golik
Transcript:
Hi friends and welcome to Key Ministry: The Podcast. I’m Beth Golik, one of your co-hosts, and I have some ideas to share with you today that could help ministry leaders and families with kids on the autism spectrum.
You’ll want to stay tuned until the very end of the episode today, because I have a huge announcement about our podcast to share!
If you are catching this episode shortly after its release, we’ve just celebrated Holy Week culminating in Easter Sunday. If you are a ministry leader, you may be taking a bit of a breather from what has surely been an emotional and exhausting week. Hopefully, throughout the busyness of your ministry responsibilities this past week, you’ve been able to take some time to reflect on all that Jesus has done for us and that you experienced the joy of Resurrection Day!
On our weekly podcast, my co-hosts and I talk about disability inclusion ministry as a mindset, not a program. Being a welcoming church to individuals and families impacted by disability is so much more than offering a [and I’m air quoting here] special needs ministry. All the ministries of the church need to have an awareness of what the obstacles are for those with disabilities, including hidden disabilities and mental health conditions in addition to physical disabilities.
Some of the accommodations that we can consider will end up benefiting more people than just the individuals who the modification was intended to help.
For instance, the children’s ministry program at my church adopted a visual schedule for the large group worship time during Sunday School that was originally developed for just one student who was experiencing anxiety. What was created as a dry erase visual checklist of activities—worship, Bible basics, memory verse, Bible story, etc.—is now projected on a large screen for all elementary students to see. Throughout the large group worship time, the host leads them as they each make a dramatic check motion with their arms after completing an item on the list. That’s an example of universal design; it was designed for one, but benefits all. By the way, if you want to learn more about visual schedules, please check out Visual Schedules: Podcast Episode 006. It’s linked in the shownotes.
Sometimes there are tools or strategies that are specific to one person.
There may be a specific situation or environment or activity that is stressful to one particular child but it’s not a challenge to others. For instance, there may be a child in your children’s ministry setting who perseverates about something, such as about the fire alarm. This means they continue to talk about it, in this case the fire alarm, long after it’s appropriate to be doing so. You can’t remove the fire alarm from the wall. It’s not an issue for the other kids—they’re not perseverating on it so it wouldn’t make sense to add “we don’t talk about the fire alarm” as a rule for everyone in the classroom—but it is an issue for the one student.
This is an example of when a short social story might be a good tool for you to employ.
On something the size of an index card or thereabouts, you can include a picture of the fire alarm and a couple of sentences such as:
My Sunday School room has a fire alarm on the wall. If there is an emergency, the fire alarm will let us know.
In my classroom I learn about Jesus. I play trains. I have fun with my friends.
I do not need to talk about the fire alarm.
You can laminate the card and keep it handy.
If the student begins talking about the fire alarm, redirect by reading the card to the student or having them read it outloud if they’re able. Then move on to the preferred activity
I’ve included a picture of this and a few other social stories in the show notes for this episode. You can access it, as well as a downloadable tool you can print out for your classroom, at keyministry.org/podcast.
Social stories can be short, like the one I just mentioned, or a little bit longer.
You can use photos (like I’ve done in the fire alarm example) or icons (like the Boardmaker picture communication symbols I’ve used in some other examples in the show notes). Photos can be especially helpful when the goal of the social story is to help a student feel comfortable in a particular room or setting or with specific people, such as classroom helpers.
A social story can be used at the beginning of each class time, brought out when redirection is needed, or can even be given to a student’s family to be reviewed at home.
Let me read you another example of a social story. This one is printed on two index card size laminated sheets, held together with a book ring. One has a photograph of the outside of the church and says:
I like to come to church. Church is where I can learn about Jesus, read the Bible, and praise God! When I’m at church, I have a calm body.
The second page has a picture of a classroom item that this particular child enjoys. And it says:
When I am at church, I keep my body to myself. I have a calm body and safe hands. If I need a break, I tell a teacher. I am proud to do the right thing. I like to come to church. My friends and teachers in my classroom love me. God loves me, too!
Are there special events or services that happen at your church? That might be a good time to create a social story, with pictures, that can be shared with students and their families to help them prepare.
Does your church ever practice evacuating the building by hosting a fire drill? As a children’s ministry leader who oversees the special needs classrooms on Sunday mornings, I have to be honest to say our nearly-annual fire drill is never my favorite Sunday morning. However, I know that it’s important that our staff and volunteers know how to guide everyone safely out of the building in a matter of minutes. It’s important, but it’s pretty stressful, at least to me! Let me read our fire drill social story:
Sometimes at church we have fire drills. They are only practice. Usually there is not a real fire. When I hear the alarm it will probably be real loud. I stop what I am doing and line up at the door with my class. I listen to my teachers. I keep a calm body. I will walk outside with my teachers. When I get to the grassy area, I will stand quietly and listen to my teachers. When my teacher says the fire drill is all done, I will walk back to my classroom with my teacher.
Short and sweet. It has a combo of real pictures and Boardmaker images. Laminated and on a book ring.
Let me share one last example of a social story with you. You can actually download and print this one out for your own classroom or to use at home with your own child. Just visit keyministry.org/podcast to access the shownotes.
This one is printed out on an 8.5 x 11 page of paper. It does have a few Boardmaker images to help illustrate it. Its title is, “Coming to Church.”
I like to come to church. Church is where I can learn about Jesus, read the Bible and praise God!
When I first get to my classroom, I can play at any of the stations set up around the room. I can play with the teachers and with other friends in my classroom. I can draw pictures, read books, play with toys or play games.
I follow the schedule and listen to the teachers so that I know what to do. When it is time to sing, I can clap my hands and sing to the music! God loves to hear me worship and sing!
When it is time to do an activity, I sit at the table to do it. I listen to the instructions. If I need help, I can ask a teacher.
When it is time for the Bible Story, I am a good listener. Sometimes the teacher reads the Bible Story. Sometimes I watch a video of the Bible Story. I like hearing the Bible Story because the Bible is a love story written by God showing me how much He loves me. After the story, I praise God with more singing and dancing to the music!
When I am at church, I keep my body to myself. I remember to keep personal space. I can give a high five, fist bump or smile at someone I like. If I need a break, I tell a teacher. I am proud to do the right thing.
You probably noticed a couple of things in these social stories. They’re written as “I” statements and they are written to show positive behaviors. For instance, the wording is: “I keep a calm body.” It is not: “I don’t hit.”
Social stories are not a new concept for students on the autism spectrum. But, perhaps you’ve never considered using them in the church setting.
If you would like to create a social story but need a little assistance, you can reach out to a teacher, you can ask the family if they already have one for that particular behavior or situation, or you can reach out to us at Key Ministry by going to our website and clicking on the Contact tab.
Social stories can be a useful addition to your toolbox as you strive to create welcoming environments where all students can learn about Jesus and where you can make disciples who make disciples.
And now, some big podcast news.
We are about to hit a humongous milestone in terms of downloads. But that isn’t even my news. What I wanted to share with you today is that we are adding a new co-host to the lineup!
In two weeks you’ll get to meet Garett Wall.
Garett serves as the Connections Minister with Shine Disabilities Ministry at Southeast Christian Church in Louisville, KY where he faithfully shepherds kids, teens and adults with disabilities and their families. I know we are all going to learn from his experience. He is also the father of a kiddo with Down syndrome and autism, so he has the family perspective as well.
Thank you for joining me this week for Episode 046 of Key Ministry: The Podcast. In addition to our big podcast news that I just shared, these next two weeks are pretty exciting for Key Ministry and for me. On April 28 & 29, we will be hosting Disability & The Church, our annual conference that is the largest gathering of disability ministry leaders in North America.
