Language Pragmatics: 

The practical aspects of language; i.e., how to gain a listener's attention, maintain a topic of conversation, take turns in conversation, answer questions, provide information related to the topic, and attend to your conversational partner's non-verbal cues. In Pragmatics group, we learn about: 

1. language concepts, especially those commonly used in classroom verbal directions

2. playing games

3. retelling stories and events, and

4. making and serving snack.

Playing games offers excellent opportunities for children to experience the power of communication as well as the real life experiences of NOT winning and then coping with frustration and disappointment.  

Students have to ask their peer for the items they need. Students have to look at the person to whom they are talking. 

During "snack and serve" children  request materials, and follow directions. Children in pragmatics gain each other's attention appropriately and make their requests known when they are called on. 

We often incorporate adaptive skills, such as cutting food, spreading peanut butter or jelly, etc.

   Understanding concepts can make a huge difference in a child's ability to follow classroom directions! Here are just a few of the ones we teach explicitly:

Between

Same/Different                                                               More/less

first/last

       Long/Longer

Color                                                       under

Gender                                                                       Top/Bottom

SABOTAGE!

One of our favorite language interventions is sabotage. Adults create the need for the children to use language by NOT anticipating a child's needs. If adults automatically provide materials, the need to speak has been eliminated and "learned helplessness" is often the result.  When the need to communicate has been eliminated, children do not get to practice their communication skills. Therefore, it's up to the adults to create the need to communicate by NOT providing everything children need. There are lots of ways to sabotage situations. Here are a few: 

1. Describe the project the children must complete and tell them to get started, BUT do not provide any of the supplies they will need. Require them to use language to get what they want.

2. Physically block a child's way so he will have to ask you to move.

3. Misstate a fact in an absurd way so that children will want to correct you.

4. Limit portion sizes during snack or meal time so that children will have to ask for more.

5. Try not to anticipate what children want!