Social story topics
Social story: Putting up my hand
Putting up a hand and waiting to be picked is a social rule with a hidden cost: you might not be chosen, and the answer you were holding has to wait. Many autistic and neurodivergent students know the answer and call it out, not from rudeness but because the rule about turns is unwritten and waiting is hard.
This story describes the hand-up routine, what to do while waiting, and what happens when someone else is chosen, in plain, kind language. Read it before a discussion-heavy lesson and pair it with a quiet way to hold an answer, such as writing it on a whiteboard.
A sample story
My Hand Goes Up
- 1In class, the teacher asks a question.
- 2I raise my arm straight up into the air.
- 3My teacher sees many hands up and picks one person at a time.
- 4I keep my arm up and wait until the teacher says my name.
- 5The teacher says my name and I put my arm down and talk.
A sample made with HandsOnTop. Yours is written for your student.
Make this story for your student
The situation is filled in. Add a name and what they love, then click Make it — the first one is free.
Free to try · no card needed.
Tips for using it
- Give the student a mini whiteboard to write the answer on while they wait.
- Choose the student early once or twice so the waiting pays off.
- Keep the story about turns, not about being quiet.
Common questions
Will the story stop calling out straight away?
Rarely on its own. It works alongside a way to hold the answer and a teacher who picks the student early for a while. Expect progress over weeks, not a day.
Does it suit older primary students?
Yes. Set the age and the reading level and the length of each sentence adjust, so the story reads as a reminder rather than a baby book.
Can I print it small?
The PDF prints two pages to a sheet. Many teachers cut it down to a palm-sized booklet that lives in the student’s tray.