What is Social Communication?

These are the rules that we follow when we talk to others. There are rules about when and how you should talk to people. We use facial expressions or gestures to share how we feel. We learn how to let someone know when we change the topic. Knowing and using these rules makes it easier to communicate. Social communication skills are also knows as pragmatics.

Social Communication Skills

Social communication includes three major skills.

Using language for different reasons, such as:

• Greeting. Saying "hello" or "goodbye."

• Informing. "I'm going to get a cookie."

• Demanding. "Give me a cookie right now."

• Promising. "I'm going to get you a cookie."

• Requesting. "I want a cookie, please."

Changing language for the listener or situation, such as:

• Talking differently to a baby than to an adult.

• Giving more information to someone who does not know the topic. Knowing to skip some details when someone already knows the topic.

• Talking differently in a classroom than on a playground.

Following rules for conversations and storytelling, such as:

• Taking turns when you talk.

• Letting others know the topic when you start talking.

• Staying on topic.

• Trying another way of saying what you mean when someone did not understand you.

• Using gestures and body language, like pointing or shrugging.

• Knowing how close to stand to someone when talking.

• Using facial expressions and eye contact.

These rules may be different if you come from another culture.

Information gathered from the American Speech Language and Hearing Association (ASHA). https://www.asha.org/public/speech/development/social-communication/

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