Social Communication Benchmarks

4–5 Years

• uses indirect requests; correctly uses deictic terms (e.g., this, that, here, there)

• uses twice as many effective utterances as 3-year-olds to discuss emotions and feelings

• uses narrative development characterized by unfocused chains—stories have a sequence of events but no central character or theme

• develops basic understanding of theory of mind, including judgment that another person may have a belief that differs from the truth

• shifts topics rapidly

• shows fantasy schemes in play

• understands that beliefs can result in predictable emotions

• understands that someone may feel the same way when experiencing a similar event

• uses comissives/promises

School-Age Years (6–12 Years)

• demonstrates increased understanding of theory of mind (predicting what one person is thinking about what another person is thinking or feeling; understands strategies to hide deceit, recognizes sarcasm)

• provides assistance and demonstrates altruism

• uses narrative development characterized by causally sequenced events using “story grammar”

• demonstrates improved conversational skills (e.g., topic maintenance, repair, and increased number of turns)

• extends topic of conversation

• demonstrates refined social conventions

• demonstrates metapragmatic skills—child is able to think about social and conversational rules

• uses language for varied functions, including persuading and advancing one’s opinion

• understands that people can feel multiple emotions at the same time

• practices increased self-regulation

• uses indirect requests

• uses inferential language

• uses ambiguous language (figurative)

• uses sarcasm

• uses double meanings (puns)