Webinar overview 

Social Stories^TM are a very popular evidence-based instructional strategy used worldwide with people with a diagnosis of autism as well as other social communication disorders. They are a wonderful "go to" intervention for an infinite variety of purposes. Unfortunately, they are frequently misused and misunderstood - resulting in stories...but definitely not Social Stories. Using lecture, discussion, demonstration, and a series of very short practice activities and exercises, participants will learn how to develop a Social Story (or Social Article for adults) according to the newly revised, reorganised, and improved Social Stories 10.4 Criteria. Easier to translate, simpler to learn, with more time for practice than ever before! The time will fly by! Participants will finish the course understanding and knowing how to develop genuine Social Stories with a certificate to prove it!

Here's what's new in Social Stories 10.4:

• Clearer Criterion titles, vocabulary, and replacement of the workbook with a few key documents to improve the ease of translation into other languages. 
• Improved organization  that involves participants in the process of researching and developing Social Stories early in the webinar. 
• New case examples, in addition to those that are considered classics. 
• A re-designed, re-written, and "rebooted" 5th Criterion.
• Updates to the Social Story Formular and Story Rating (8th Criterion). 
• More time to complete activities and write Stories!

Learning outcomes

At the conclusion of this workshop, each participant will be able to:

1. Define the term Social Story
2. Describe Social Humility, the Social Story philosophy
3. List the current Social Stories 10.4 Criteria
4. Explain the difference between a Social Story and a story
5. List the five most frequent Social Story errors and how to avoid them
6. Summarise five case examples of Social Stories that teach concepts and skills
7. Explain how Social Stories improve parent and professional responses to children, adolescents, or adults in their care
8. Research, write and illustrate a genuine Social Story for an infant, toddler, or child, or a Social Article for an adolescent or adult. 

Target audience

This webinar is for parents and professionals interested in learning how to write **Social Stories right! The first Social Stories were developed for school-age and adolescent students with a diagnosis of autism. Today, Social Stories and Social Articles are used in the care, education, and support of people of all ages with a wide range of intellectual and social-communication disabilities. Participants who attend all of the live sessions in their entirety receive a Social Stories 10.4 Certificate of Completion. 

Workshop details 

This webinar series is completed in 5 x 1.5 hour sessions. Topics covered in each session are approximate. 

First webinar

• Criteria 1 - Social Humility: Philosophy, Definition & Goal

Second webinar

• Criteria 2 - Discovery: Story or Alternate Solution?

Third webinar

• Criteria 3 - Structure: Organize & Describe  
• Criteria 4 - Format: Tailor & Personalize

Fourth webinar

• Criteria 5: Tone: Safety & Respect           
• Criteria 6: Questions: Consider & Answer 
• Criteria 7: Celebrate: Praise & Affirm   

Fifth webinar      

• Criteria 8: Formula: Describe (and maybe coach)
• Criteria 9: Revise: Check & Correct
• Criteria 10: Share: Introduce & Monitor                                                           

Each session is a LIVE, interactive 90 minute webinar. Recordings of each session will be available to view afterwards for those who have registered their attendance. Registrations will remain open until sold out or until the final session on Thursday 29th May 2025. 

Certificates of attendance will be provided to those who have attended all live events in-person. A recorded certificate version will be available to those who have watched all recordings. 

Session dates

Thursday 1st May 2025

Thursday 8th May 2025

Thursday 15th May 2025

Thursday 22nd May 2025

Thursday 29th May 2025 

Timezones

VIC/NSW/ACT/TAS/QLD: 9am

SA/NT: 8.30am

WA: 7am

Presenter

Carol Gray began her career as a teacher with four children diagnosed with autism at Jenison Public Schools, in Jenison, Michigan. Currently, she works as a consultant providing support via presentations, information, referral, and direct services for autistic individuals, their families, and the professionals who work on their behalf. Carol is best known for the development of Social Stories, a well respected evidence-based practice. She is an internationally sought-after keynote and seminar speaker, completing over 1,300 presentations. Carol serves on many advisory boards, including the Advisory Board on Disabilities for Delta Air Lines. 

Carol is the founder of a very effective social philosophy that 1) "abandons all assumptions", 2) regards both the typical and autism perspective as equally valid, and 3) recognizes the "social impairment in autism" as shared (noting the well-intentioned but nonetheless misguided mistakes of parents and professionals). She has completed ground-breaking work on some of the toughest topics in autism by reviewing the research, outlining new theories, and developing practical instructional strategies, most notably Gray's Guide to Bullying (2004) and Gray's Guide to Loss, Learning, and Students with ASD (2003). 

Carol has received many awards for her work, including Social Thinking's Lifetime Achievement Award (San Francisco, 2015); Learning Spring School's Spectrum Award for her global efforts to improve the lives of people with autism (New York City, 2012), the Autism Society of America Education Book of the Year, The New Social Story Book: Revised and Expanded 10th Anniversary Edition (2009), and the Barbara Lipinski Award (Lansing, Michigan, 2005) for her international contribution to the education and welfare of people with a diagnosis of autism. 

Disclosure

AGOSCI would like to thank Carol for delivering this live international online event for our Australian audience. The information presented in this webinar represents the views and expertise of the presenter only, and may not always align with AGOSCI philosophies.

AGOSCI is an independent body and does not endorse individual products or brands.

AGOSCI acknowledges the presence and contributions of all suppliers and resources available in the Australian and International AAC marketplace.

Registration and Cancellation Policy

Updated February 2025

Registration is only confirmed upon full payment of fee. Please note total ticket price will include an additional $0.69 + 0.7% per transaction service fee. To access the discounted rate for members you must be logged into your AGOSCI member account prior to registration. 

• 100% refund minus the service fee ($0.69 + 0.7% per transaction) until 60 days before event
• 50% refund minus the service fee ($0.69 + 0.7% per transaction) between 8-59 days before event
• No refunds within 0-7 days before event start date

Applications for registrations are subject to final approval by AGOSCI to ensure fair and equal access to events across organisations. Waitlist registrations will be taken upon all positions being filled.