What is Pragmatic Language?
Social skills or “pragmatics” are a vital part of living and functioning in our world today. Pragmatic language is defined as “the social use of language: Use of language & communication behaviors needed to interact effectively and appropriately with others.” Many children with Autism Spectrum Disorder, Asperger’s Syndrome, or PDD have difficulties learning the complex understanding of social interaction. They are challenged to acquire the “unspoken” rules of social behavior. Usually children pick up these skills through experience and learn from interactions. Children with disabilities sometimes lack the understanding to learn from their life experiences and have more difficulty with social skills. These special children often need to be directly taught these critical life skills. Acquiring social skills is a vital part of a child’s development.
