Pragmatics & Play

Major Milestones of Social Development www.socialthinking.com

Birth - 3 months

Imitates tongue, protrusion; social smile; facial expressions match mental state.

7-12 months

Preference for caregivers; social referencing; responds to name; pointing.

13-18 months

Collaborative engagement; recognizes self in mirror;

recognizes others’ desires as distinct from their own.

19-24 months

Symbolic play emerges; shows awareness of own and others’ feelings; talks about feelings.

3 years

Group imaginative play begins; infers emotions from facial expressions and vocal tone.

4 years

Social problem solving; passes false belief tests—theory of mind! Uses language to indicate meta-cognition.

5 years

Able to learn in a group; fully functional language ability: uses language to learn; solid group collaborative play skills.

Early Childhood Social/Pragmatic Skills

WRSD - Early Childhood Center

Nonverbal Communication Skills

1. Uses appropriate eye contact

2. Understands others' use of body language/physical boundaries

3. Uses appropriate body language/physical boundaries

4. Understands changes in facial expressions/tone of voice

5. Displays appropriate emotions to given situations

General Conversation Skills

1. Initiates a/o reciprocates greetings/farewells

2. Uses polite forms (i.e. please, thank you, excuse me)

3. Gains attention appropriately

4. Tells of wants, needs, and preferences

5. Self-advocates/asks permission

6. Topic Maintenance

a) initiates topic

b) maintains topic

c) uses at least 2-3 volleys

7. Responds appropriately

8. Requests clarification/repetition

9. Revises messages when listener misunderstands

10. Demonstrates and shares feelings appropriately

11. Shares ideas and opinions in a socially appropriately manner

12. Understands and uses humor

Play Skills

1. Enters on-going play situations appropriately

2. Engages in appropriate pretend a/o cooperative play with others

3. Demonstrates appropriate use of toys