Storytelling to Support Autistic, ADHD, and SEND Students

Every child experiences the world in their own unique way. For many neurodivergent learners, including students with autism and ADHD, storytelling can be more than just a creative activity; it can be a powerful tool for communication, self-expression, and learning.

Storytelling helps children organise their thoughts, build social connections, and explore emotions in a safe and structured way. For students with additional needs, it can also support memory, confidence, and engagement in the classroom.

In this article, we’ll explore why storytelling matters, how it benefits autistic and ADHD students in particular, and practical strategies parents and educators can use to make storytelling more accessible and empowering.

Why Storytelling Matters for SEND Students

Storytelling is more than just sharing a tale. It’s about building connections, organising thoughts, and making sense of experiences. For students with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), storytelling can:

• Strengthen communication and language skills

• Support social interaction and understanding others’ perspectives

• Improve memory, sequencing, and organisation

• Provide a safe outlet for emotional expression

• Boost confidence and engagement in learning

Whether it’s through spoken words, pictures, role-play, or digital media, storytelling meets children where they are and helps them grow.

Storytelling and Autism: Creating Connection Through Narrative

For autistic students, storytelling can open doors to communication and social understanding. Many autistic learners are strong visual thinkers and may find stories supported by pictures, diagrams, or digital tools especially engaging.

Benefits for autistic students include:

• Practising social situations in a safe, structured way (e.g., social stories)

• Developing empathy by seeing different characters’ perspectives

• Building routines and predictability through narrative structures (beginning–middle–end)

• Reducing anxiety by rehearsing scenarios in story form

Tips for supporting autistic learners with storytelling:

• Use visual supports like storyboards or picture cards

• Keep language clear and concrete

• Allow time for processing and reflection

• Encourage choice, let the student pick topics that interest them

Storytelling and ADHD: channelling creativity and focus

Students with ADHD often have vivid imaginations and boundless creativity. Storytelling allows them to harness that energy while also developing focus and organisation.

Benefits for ADHD students include:

• Turning big ideas into structured narratives

• Building sustained attention through engaging, interactive stories

• Strengthening planning and sequencing skills

• Encouraging self-expression and boosting self-esteem

Tips for supporting ADHD learners with storytelling:

• Break the story into smaller, manageable chunks

• Use interactive methods, role-play, drama, or digital storytelling

• Provide movement breaks during longer activities

• Celebrate creative ideas, even if they don’t follow a “typical” structure at first

Practical strategies that work for all neurodivergent learners

While autism and ADHD present different challenges and strengths, many storytelling strategies can benefit all neurodivergent students:

• Use multisensory tools: pictures, props, audio, or digital apps

• Scaffold the process: start with story maps or sentence starters

• Encourage collaboration: pair storytelling with peers or group activities

• Be flexible with formats: written, spoken, visual, or even physical movement

• Celebrate effort and creativity, not just the final product

Storytelling is a bridge, a way for neurodivergent students to connect with themselves, their peers, and the wider world. For autistic learners, it provides structure and clarity. For ADHD learners, it channels creativity and supports focus. For all children, it’s a joyful and meaningful way to learn.