Write social stories in the first person, present tense. The child will read or hear the story as if he/she is the one talking. This is easiest for him/her to understand. Simply describe the situation, who is involved, what is happening, where the action is taking place, as well as why the situation has occurred. Give some perspective about the thoughts and feelings of the other people involved in the story. Plainly state what the desired response of the child should be in the story. You may use a sentence to summarize the situation at the end of the story to better enable the child to understand the desired actions. Here is an example of how to write social stories for kids with behavior problems. This social story was written for a child who doesn't understand that other kids don't appreciate it when someone stands too close to them when carrying on a conversation.
Sometimes I talk to the other children in my class.
The other children don't like when I stand very close to them.
When I stand too closely, it makes my friends feel crowded.
If I stand too close, other children sometimes get mad at me.
I can back up and stand three feet away from my friends when we talk.
It makes my friends happy when I stand three feet away when we talk.
