Pragmatics

Pragmatics

A child's pragmatics are their abilities to appropriately participate in social scenarios. This includes: conversation skills, understanding rules/dynamics of known settings, eye contact, etc. Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders often demonstrate impairments in the area of pragmatics and benefit from direct, repetitious teaching of social rules and expectations. Of course, some children demonstrate pragmatic impairments without demonstrating other disorders.

Helpful Tip

Students with pragmatic impairments can be easily overwhelmed in situations with a lot of social expectations. Be prepared to help your child if they will be interacting with a new person or a large group. It is important to allow your child opportunities to practice good pragmatic interactions without presenting situations that are overly stressful.