Social Narrative: Taking Breaks at Work for Young Adults, Ages 14 to 21

This taking breaks at work social narrative walks young adults through a real workplace or community moment in a calm, grown up voice.

Why I made this: Breaks look easy, but they are where a lot of new workers get into trouble: leaving without telling anyone, eating at the workstation, or coming back late because of a video. This narrative walks through a break from start to finish, with a phone timer habit that solves most of it.

What's included:

• Cover and teacher how to page

• 6 short story sections on 3 narrative pages, each with a layout box for a photo of your own site

• Talk About It page with 7 discussion prompts

• Practice page with 4 situations: circle the calm next step and write what you would say

• My Plan page for the student's real break rules

• Teacher discussion key with suggested answers

How I use it: Read it before the first real work break at a placement. Fill in My Plan with the site break rules and timer habit. Use Practice for four break problems. Pair with Instead of No when the student also needs words for asking for a break or saying they need help.

How this is different from my related products: My Instead of No self advocacy workbook includes break request cards for work refusal and asking for a break. This is a full social narrative about taking breaks at work from start to finish, with story pages, discussion, and practice. They work well together.

Part of the Social Narratives series: young adult voice, story pages with visual layout boxes you can fill with photos from your own site, discussion prompts, practice situations, a My Plan page, and a teacher key.

Also available: FREE Social Narratives Sampler | Workplace + Transition (try five short pages before you buy a full set). A Social Narratives family bundle is coming soon.

Who it is for: high school special education, transition programs for ages 18 to 21, job coaches, and work based learning teams. Grades 9 to 12 and adult transition. Written for young adults, not preschool story voice.

What you download: one printable PDF, 10 pages, US Letter. Teacher discussion key included.

Real workplaces and routes vary. Cross out and write in the real names, places, and times from the student's site. Always follow the training and rules at the actual job or transit system.

Made by Jeremy D. Gooch, special education teacher and transition coordinator. Drafting and layout had AI assistance; every page was checked by me.