Language

 

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PRAGMATIC LANGUAGE PLAYS A UNIQUE AND MAJOR ROLE

IN COMMUNICATION.

 

How can we know if pragmatic language (social language) is making interactions with peers, adults, family, or less familiar people a significant challenge?  Is it social anxiety, difficulties with pragmatic language, a combination of the two, or something else in the way of this communication? 

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How do we know if there is an issue with social communication? Social communication includes difficulty knowing what, when, and how to say something in conversations, difficulties can include appropriately reading non-verbal cues, correct understanding of figurative speech, and appropriately  interacting with others across environments and in a variety of situations. 

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Individuals can have difficulty in this area with high intellectual functioning which can be frustrating.  Many individuals think back on negative speaking experiences,  and those memories only serve to exacerbate the problem.

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Speech-Language Pathologists provide evaluation and treatment in this area.  A pragmatic language assessment can be given to provide an accurate measure of an individual's skills and needs.  A standardized assessment, as well as, observation and checklists, help to provide for a better understanding of the functional use of language.  Standardized assessments are tests which compare an individual's scores with peers of the same chronological age across the United States. They provide a standard score and percentile ranks.  We also feel it is important to gather information from classroom teachers and/or other professionals. 

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*If you notice difficulties in the areas below, then this area of language may be the underlining reason*

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Securing listener's attention

Initiating topics of conversation

Asking permission before touching or borrowing other people's belongings

Making eye contact

Using friendly body language

Using topics correctly (dealing with here and now, with the past, with the future, topics of interest, topics appropriate to the situation).

Correct use of turn-taking or reciprocity in conversations

Maintain topic through repetition, agreement, by adding information, sustaining topic over several turns, asking appropriate questions on topic.

Repairing of information if a listener does not understand

Repeating or revising what is said

Making request to clarify information

Keep messages organized, focus is on important details, use of cohesion through linking ideas

Responding appropriately to other's messages

Disagrees without disrupting

Asks questions more than once if not understood

Understands a variety of idioms, metaphors, analogies and other figurative speech.

Reads face and body language to determine what is happening and/or to predict what will happen.

Will engage with lesser known peers/adults if they approach to have a conversation.

Feels secure in speaking opinions or facts in a variety of environments; does not feeling limited or that the words may not be appropriate. 

Difficulty with problem solving.

Additional Information can be found on the American Speech Language Hearing Association's website:

https://www.asha.org/public/speech/development/social-communication/

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Speech-Language Pathologists can work with all parties involved to build an individualized plan, including long and short-term goals, to help build confidence, and apply what is learned to real life situations.  Should you have any additional questions, or concerns please reach out for a free consultative visit.

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