The National Autistic Society is also a company limited by guarantee, registered at Companies House (01205298). Comic strip conversations use symbols to represent social interactions and abstract aspects of conversation, and colour to represent the emotional content of a statement or message (Gray, 1994). Showing what people are thinking reinforces that others have independent thoughts a concept spectrum children don t intuitively understand.

Comic strip conversations use stick figures and symbols to represent social interactions and abstract aspects of conversation, and colour to represent the emotional content of a statement or message. By seeing the different elements of a conversation presented visually, some of the more abstract aspects of social communication (such as recognising the feelings of others) are made more 'concrete' and are therefore easier to understand.Children can also recognize that, although people say one thing, they may think something quite different―another concept foreign to "concrete-thinking" children. It's important to present the information in a way which allows for unexpected changes to a situation. Children can also recognise that, although people say one thing, they may think something quite different another concept foreign to concrete-thinking children.

In a comic strip conversation, the autistic person takes the lead role, with parents, carers or teachers offering support and guidance. Comic strip conversations can also offer an insight into how a person with autism perceives a situation. Comic strip conversations are visual representations of the different levels of communication that happen in a conversation. Gather information about the person including their age, interests, attention span, level of ability and understanding.

Comic strip conversations can be used to increase social understanding in young people and adults on the higher functioning end of the autism spectrum. Use age-appropriate photographs, picture symbols or drawings with text to help people who have difficulty reading or for younger children. This book combines stick-figures with conversation symbols to illustrate what people say and think during conversations. Showing what people are thinking reinforces that others have independent thoughts―a concept that spectrum children don't intuitively understand.

The 103 third parties who use cookies on this service do so for their purposes of displaying and measuring personalized ads, generating audience insights, and developing and improving products. For complex situations, or for people who have difficulty reporting events in sequence, comic strip boxes may be used, or drawings can be numbered in the sequence in which they occur. This worked well, but unfortunately this book does not give anything pre written conversation strategies. The content and presentation of social stories should be appropriate to the person's age and level of understanding.Comic strip conversations can help autistic people understand concepts that they find particularly difficult. Creating or using a social story can help you to understand how the autistic person perceives different situations.

Present the social story to the person at a time when everyone is feeling calm and relaxed, using a straightforward approach, eg I have written this story for you. Social storiesTM and comic strip conversations can help autistic people develop greater social understanding and help them stay safe.You can change your choices at any time by visiting Cookie preferences, as described in the Cookie notice. The idea is that the child can draw something that has happened or will happen, colours can express different feelings, green = happy. Stories should appeal to the interests of the person they are written for and avoid using words that may cause the person anxiety or distress. Comic strip conversations can help people with autism to understand concepts that they find difficult. If it is for a situation where a particular outcome is not guaranteed, use words like ‘sometimes’ and ‘usually’ in the story.