I Can Speak Up for Myself Social Story Self-Advocacy and Communication Skills

Help your students build confidence and learn to express their needs with this engaging I Can Speak Up for Myself Social Story. Perfect for teaching self-advocacy at school, this printable helps children understand how to ask for help, use calm words, and express emotions respectfully.

This social story for self-advocacy supports SEL lessons, speech therapy, special education, and counseling groups. It’s also ideal for classroom guidance, self-confidence lessons, and behavior management plans.

Use it to teach kids how to:

• Ask for help when they need it
• Speak up respectfully to teachers and peers
• Build self-awareness and emotional vocabulary
• Learn that expressing feelings isn’t being “in trouble”
• Develop self-advocacy skills through real-life school examples

What’s Included

✅ Full-color and black-and-white versions

✅ Easy-to-read text for young learners

✅ Clear visuals that model social behavior

✅ Great for morning meetings, social skills groups, and calm-down corners

Skills Targeted

• Speaking up for myself
• Communication skills
• Self-expression for kids
• Social emotional learning
• Self-confidence activities
• Assertiveness in the classroom
• Coping strategies for school anxiety
• Empathy and perspective-taking
• Listening and responding appropriately

Perfect For

• Preschool, Kindergarten, and Elementary students
• Students with autism, ADHD, or speech delays
• School counselors and special education teachers
• Teachers looking for social emotional learning printables
• Back-to-school lessons or individual counseling sessions

Why Teachers Love It

Teachers love that this story encourages student voice and teaches that it’s okay to ask for what you need. Kids relate to the clear examples and friendly illustrations while building independence and confidence.

Make it part of your Social Story Bundle for consistent SEL instruction — explore more stories like I Can Stay Calm, I Can Follow Directions, and I Can Keep My Hands to Myself!



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