Have you ever spent what feels like days teaching a particular social skill? You find the perfect social story, review it daily, send a copy home for parents to read, and even do various activities reinforcing the main concept. It seems like your student understands and recognizes what behavior is expected. Then it happens. One or two weeks later, you find yourself in that precise situation you practiced and talked about. Maybe it is in an assembly, or maybe it is waiting in line for pizza in the cafeteria. You feel confident, your student will behave perfectly, just like you practiced. But then it falls apart. It is as if all that work was for nothing. Your student seems to have forgotten all the cues, all the appropriate responses. It is just a mess.
Boy, have I been there. It can be really discouraging. We all know that social stories are an effective tool. We should not abandon them just because it feels like they may not be working. Maybe they just need a little more support. Maybe we need to add some power cards.
What are power cards?
Power cards are small, often 3 x 5, that summarize, in just a few words or pictures, what the appropriate behavior is in a given situation. You can easily create a power card for just about any social story. They can be highly effective reminders, especially when it has been a while since you focused on that particular skill. Because they are so small and portable, students can easily carry them and refer to them as needed. In addition, they do not draw much attention from their peers.
How do you make power cards?
There are a lot of tips out there for making the perfect power card. The bottom line is that it depends on your particular student. Here are some things to keep in mind:
- Keep them small enough to be portable. How will your kids carry them? In their pocket, on a key chain, in a phone holder? This will determine the best size to make them.
- Use materials that will withstand wear and tear. I like printing them on cardstock and laminating them. You can also use packing tape as a quick, cheap way to make them more durable.
- Make sure they look age-appropriate. The front image can be just about anything that is of high interest to your student. Often, they can look like trading cards. I also let my kiddos personalize them with stickers, color, and even glitter. You can always substitute the front image with something else.
How do you use power cards?
Review the power card as part of the daily lesson when you are focused on teaching that skill. Then, make sure there is a designated space where either you or your student keeps their card. In some instances, I kept all the cards myself. For example, I would keep the cards we made for a field trip in my desk. I would pass them out before leaving and collect them again once we returned. On the other hand, cards we made for what to do when the teacher is talking were kept in a location that students could easily access. For some kids, that was in their desk; for some, it was in a pencil box; and for some, it was on a keychain. As long as they could get it out quickly when needed, it was fine with me.
I found Power Cards to be a really nice tool to help students quickly review expectations. It allowed me to use less intrusive prompts. I could simply point to the card as a reminder of appropriate behavior.
An additional benefit of power cards
One last great thing about power cards is that they serve as a clear cue for other adults about what is expected. If you are not present, another adult can review the power card and apply the same expectations. Having everyone on the same page so quickly and easily is invaluable.
So, consider adding power cards to your social skills strategy. They are a great tool to have in your arsenal. Click the button below to download this one on telling the truth to try today. There is a copy with pictures and one with just words.
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