Social Skills Stories: When People Don't Follow the Rules & Ignore Distractions

Social narratives are stories designed to help students better understand social situations and behavioral expectations. This visual social skills story bundle helps students to know what to do if other kids are not following the rules. Some students get frustrated when rules are broken and take on the role of "rule police”. Other students get excited or upset and engage with their peers in ways that escalate the situation. The “Sometimes People Don’t Follow the Rules” social story can help students to understand that when kids have a hard time remembering the rules, the teacher is there to help that situation, and they do not need to correct the behavior of their peers. The story also emphasizes that when students model positive behaviors such as following the classroom rules, it can help their classmates to learn what to do.

The social story, “Ignore Distractions” helps students learn how to ignore distracting behavior from peers. When students engage in attention seeking behaviors, the best way to prevent the disruption from escalating is often by helping their classmates to focus on their work instead of responding to the behavior. If students are able to model what should be happening in the moment (e.g. quietly listening to the teacher, working on an assignment etc.) and ignore attempts to get them off task, this can help prevent the behaviors from continuing or increasing. This social story is a great way to introduce the idea of ignoring distractions to students in both mainstream and special education classrooms. The Ignore Distractions social narrative may also be beneficial for students on the autism spectrum who have sensory sensitivities to sounds that might distract them from paying attention to what they need to do. The story recommends that if it’s too hard to simply ignore a distraction, students could request headphones or ask to move to a different space.

This bundle includes:

Sometimes People Don’t Follow the Rules

• One 8 1/2 x 11 social skills story "Sometimes People Don't Follow the Rules", 13 pages. Each page includes a large visual as well as small visuals over key words to support story understanding.
• One half page version of the same story, 13 half pages. Each page includes a visual to support the story.

Ignore Distractions

• 18 page full-page color version with large visuals and text enhanced with key word pictures.
• Simplified full-page color version with large visuals and text enhanced with key word pictures but less background graphics.
• Half-page color version with visuals but no key-word pictures in the text.
• BONUS! Product also includes a simple activity idea with a teaching visual, positive reinforcement tokens to acknowledge when students are successfully ignoring distractions and two versions of a visual cue card to help students ignore distracting behavior by prompting keeping eyes, hands and thoughts on work, using positive self-talk, and taking deep breaths.

If you find this social story helpful, check out these other social narratives available in my Autterpaw Press store:

I Raised My Hand But I Didn’t Get Called On plus Raising Your Hand at School and visual cue cards.

Friendly Words and Voice (Plus a visual cue card!)

More Than One Friend (I'll be okay!)

Heart Power Words: Positive Self-Talk to Build Resiliency and Empower Kids