This social story is used to show children how we talk nicely to others. It is one example of Show Empathy - Use Kind Words. The story shows that being polite is made up of several components: tone, volume, body language, words and turn taking.

At School

Tone - At Wairakei, we teach children to understand tone as the feeling our words make. We want the tone to be described as happy and smiling, not angry or grumpy. This can be best illustrated to children by using simple phrases said in different tones. eg That's not my bag or It's in the kitchen.

Volume - This is about reminding children that during talking, we use a talking volume. Shouting has its purpose of course - for getting attention outside, or during an active game that involves space eg tag, football.

Body language - At Wairakei, we approach this is the way how the body is standing when we talk. The talker needs to look relaxed in the face and the shoulders and the arms in particular. 

Words - This is a big part of what we teach. Firstly, this story uses the special person as Grandma, but we encourage the child to replace this Grandma with their own special person - a person they want to impress and that they have respect for. Secondly, we get the children to imagine that the special person is standing there next to them. In this way, the two components of polite words can be taught. One, would the special person like every single word you are saying. Two, would the special person like how you have put a whole bunch of polite words together. We illustrate this with a teacher talking in a bubbly tone, big relaxed smile, but saying Hi there, we won't need you on our team today because you're not very good. Please play somewhere else. So sorry and thank you.

Turns - This is simply reminding children that when two people talk at once the voices get tangled together. Instead one talks, while the other listens and thinks about what is being said.

At Home

This social story can be used at home to support the use of kind words. It might be directed at the way a child is talking to adults. It could be used to address the way siblings are talking to each other. It is likely to be most useful by focusing on just one or two aspects of the social story - eg tone and volume.  

In general, We ARE Wairakei social stories illustrate positive behaviours that can be actively done. Therefore children can be spotted doing the positive behaviour. Therefore they can be praised and acknowledged for doing the positive behaviour. Although they are written with school in mind, the content is very easily reused or adapted for the home.

The best behavioural changes come from adults promoting positive behaviours that can be observed and praised. Tell a child the positive thing you need to see, praise and acknowledge when you see them doing it.