Pragmatics, or social language, is the use of verbal and non-verbal language in social situations. Examples of pragmatics include:

• Using language to greet, inform, or request
• Changing language based on the needs of a listener or situation
• Talking differently to a baby than to an adult
• Giving background information to an unfamiliar listener
• Speaking differently in a classroom than on a playground
• Following rules for conversations
• Turn-taking in a conversation
• Introducing topics of conversation
• Staying on topic
• Using verbal and nonverbal signals

Characteristics of Children with Pragmatic Language Challenges

Children with pragmatic challenges may:

• Say inappropriate or unrelated things during conversations
• Stay fixated on a limited amount of topics that only interest him or her
• Tell stories in a way they are not understood or don’t make sense
• Have a limited variety in language use
• Have difficulty interacting with their peers  
• Find it more difficult to make and maintain peer relationships
• Have trouble considering other people’s perspectives
• Demonstrate decreased eye contact

Services for Children with Pragmatic Language Challenges

We offer evaluation and therapy services for children with pragmatic language issues that include:  

• A comprehensive evaluation of receptive and expressive language skills
• Assessment of a child’s knowledge of pragmatic language (the rules of social situations)
• Parental report of interactions and behaviors of the child in different settings (e.g., home, social, academic)

After a complete evaluation, individual therapy, group therapy, or a combination of both may be recommended. Some skills addressed or activities performed in therapy may include:

• Role playing (the child pretends to be in situations and acts out behaviors)
• Social stories (talking through different situations that may arise)
• Turn-taking skills (learning to listen and talk)
• Problem-solving (working out different problems by talking through them)
• Making inferences (learning how to draw conclusions)
• Predicting (learning how others may act based on things he or she says or does)
• Humor (getting the jokes in abstract ideas)
• Idiomatic expressions (understanding how words and expressions may mean different things, or when not to take things so literally)
• Others’ thoughts and feelings (awareness that other people think and feel differently)
• Behavior consequences (learning how the child’s behavior impacts others)

Why Is This Appointment Important?

Communication is a vital part of life. Finding a successful way for a child to be understood and express themselves can improve family and social interactions, facilitate learning in school, reduce frustration with miscommunications, and provide an overall enhanced quality of life.

To schedule an evaluation, contact Duke Speech Pathology and Audiology at 919-684-3859, Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.