Pragmatics is the social component of language. It is the ability to learn and use socially acceptable patterns needed to interact with others. Individuals with deficits in this area tend to exhibit behaviors that impact their daily social skills such as:
**Helpful Tips**
~ Prep child on expectations before going into new situations
~Model appropriate behaviors
~Limit the amount of abstract language (i.e. jokes or statements that require child to read between the lines)
~ Explain expectations and be specific
- Turn-Taking
- Reading between the lines
- Understanding when to adjust the way you speak based on the listener (i.e. speaking to an adult v.s speaking to a friend)
- Topic Maintenance
- Beginning and ending conversations appropriately
- Understanding figurative language and/or jokes
- Taking the feelings of others into consideration
- Understanding personal space/boundaries
**Helpful Tips**
~ Prep child on expectations before going into new situations
~Model appropriate behaviors
~Limit the amount of abstract language (i.e. jokes or statements that require child to read between the lines)
~ Explain expectations and be specific