Social Skills

Many of your students are working on pragmatics (this is our social use of language such as: turn taking, initiating conversation, maintaining conversation, appropriate eye contact, etc.). This post will focus on specific skills that fall under the category of pragmatics.

Turn Taking: One way to focus on turn-taking is through play. You and your child can each take turns while building something or playing with playdough. You can also practice turn-taking while completing a craft. Once your child is able to take turns during play, and if you feel they have enough language, you can begin to build their turn-taking skills by reading stories. Take turns telling each other about what you see on each page, or asking each other questions about the story. Use the resource below to help your child self-monitor their turn taking skills and to help your child use turn-taking during conversation.

Maintaining Conversation: One way I have practiced maintaining conversation is through the “Add-a-Thought” technique taught by Michelle Garcia Winner. For more information on this technique and ideas on how to use it, please visit: https://www.socialthinking.com/Articles?name=add-thought-teach-essential-conversation-skill

To learn more about different pragmatic skills, and ways to help your child grow them, please see the following document:

Please contact me if you need any additional resources or support checkm@dearbornschools.org – best wishes to you and your family!

Author:

Hello! I am the speech-language pathologist at Haigh Elementary School and Bryant Middle School. I recently graduated with a Master of Arts degree in Speech-Language Pathology from Wayne State University and am looking forward to beginning my career with Dearborn Public Schools. The best way to reach me is by email, mcheck@dearbornschools.org or at the following phone number (313) 827-7307.

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