Social Skills/Pragmatic Language Objectives in N.C.

Pragmatic Language and the Standard Course of Study (From the website of the Exceptional Children Division, N.C. DPI) http://www.ncpublicschools.org/docs/ec/instructional/autism/pragmaticcontent.pdf

"This document represents various objectives that address pragmatic language development within the North Carolina Standard Course of Study. The intent is to clarify that teaching staff and related service personnel are responsible for assuring the development of these competencies. Providing instruction in these objectives assures both access to the standard course of study and to functional communication skills that will promote access to other objectives and skills. The variables and objectives identified within this document are taken from Foundations (at the preschool level) and the North Carolina Standard Course of Study (grades k-8). The grade level notes where the performance is expected for students on the standard course of study. It is important to assure that students have mastered prerequisite skills, if at all possible, before you choose a goal at grade level. Also, this document helps to assure that skills that are above grade level are not emphasized inappropriately."

"Defining the instructional design and accommodations (visual cues, assistive technology, initial intervention and generalization strategies, etc.) for each objective is the responsibility of the teaching staff and related service personnel. This document only outlines objectives at the expected grade level. Some students will use a verbal response, others will use an augmentative device, and others will use a picture or a gesture. With regard to the objective of ‘observing turn-taking rules in the classroom (kindergarten),’ the instructional design includes a turn-taking card to alert the student visually to whose turn it is and to assist the student in responding to the use of this rule. As another example, addressing the 3rd grade objective of ‘focusing attention’ requires a recognition of the student’s level of innate distractibility, processing difficulties in a crowded room, etc. in determining how the student will focus attention and where. Accommodations that address learning style features of the student to assist attention are often crucial to achieving any success with the objective. Accommodations to support ‘focusing attention’ may require partitioned space, separate space, visual directions, shortened assignments, and/or materials adjusted to enhance interest level."

Pragmatic Language


Preschool
Using one- to two-word utterances to communicate sentence-like meanings to others in the school environment
Uses gestures to request, reject or identify objects/people/animals in a structured play
Situation _______
Looks at, point to or give adult object/people/animals named in structured play situation
(e.g. name of family member, label for game, manipulates object, etc.) _______

Produces word approximation in imitative, meaningful situation _______
Initiates a one- two-word phrase expressing the following meanings in a structured play setting:
Rejection (no) _______
Disappearance (all gone, no) _______
Cessation of action (stop) _______
Prohibition of action (no, headshake) _______
Recurrence (more, again, another) _______
Noting existence (this, that, it) _______
Labeling (Mama, doggie, baby, sock) _______
Actions on objects (give, throw, eat) _______
Actions involving location (put, up, go) _______
Descriptions (big, hot, dirty) _______
Possession (Mama’s, doggie’s) _______
Responding to and using polite forms (greeting, farewell)
Responds appropriately to greetings and farewells from others _______
Expresses and respond to thank you, you’re welcome, excuse me, I’m sorry _______
Asks for help from others appropriately and offer help to others appropriately _______

Producing a variety of assertive and responsive meaningful communicative interactions
Looks at the speaker within 3 seconds when name is called from across a
room which includes other people _______

Tells own first name (and last name and age if appropriate) when introduced
to unfamiliar adult who asks _______
Responds to request for information _______
Responds to request for action _______
Responds to request for clarification _______
Responds to request for attention _______
Requests information _______
Requests action _______
Requests clarification _______
Requests attention _______

Observing turn-taking rules in the classroom or in social situations
Gives attention when it is requested (eye contact, proximity, body orientation) _______
Gets attention from prospective listener using appropriate verbal and nonverbal
cues (including proximity and orientation) _______
Makes one relevant comment about a topic during a conversation _______
Makes two relevant comments about a topic during a conversation _______
Initiates an appropriate verbal exchange with peers or adults _______

Kindergarten
Responding to and using polite forms (greeting, farewell)
Makes and respond to greetings and farewells to and from others _______
Expresses and respond to thank you, you’re welcome, excuse me, I’m sorry _______
Asks for help from others appropriately and offer help to others appropriately _______
Responds to and uses polite forms appropriately _______
Observing turn-taking rules in the classroom or in social interactions _______
Faces listeners and speakers with appropriate body proximity _______
Makes one relevant comment about a topic during a conversation _______
Makes two relevant comments about a topic during a conversation _______
Makes two relevant comments about a topic and ask a relevant question
during a conversation _______
Observes turn-taking rules in the classroom or other social situations _______

Adapting speech to the listener
Adjusts or modifies language based on the topic _______
Adjusts or modifies language of peer group appropriately _______
Uses the language of peer group appropriately _______
Uses an intelligible rate and appropriate volume of speech _______
Adapts speech to listener _______

First Grade
Recognizing and labeling positive and negative emotions
Identifies and labels emotions using photographs and/or role playing _______
Recognizes and labels positive and negative feelings in pictures _______

Accurately expressing own feelings through use of words and non-verbal cues
Responds to teasing, anger, disappointment appropriately _______
Expresses positive feelings appropriately _______
Expressing personal ideas, information and experiences
Express personal opinions appropriately _______
Avoids use of repetitive or redundant information _______

Second Grade
Inferring implied requests from statements
Accurately infers implied requests from teacher statements such as, “It’s time for lunch”.

Choosing appropriate topics
Chooses appropriate topics for conversation _______

Using introduction forms
Uses polite forms when introducing others _______

Third Grade
Apologizing, including making steps toward restitution
Uses polite forms of apology, including making steps toward
restitution in the apology _______

Focusing attention
Focuses attention when the teacher is speaking, and actively attends to
directional words and cues needed for following directions _______

Fourth Grade
Interpreting speaker’s non-verbal and verbal messages accurately
Reads and interprets facial cues _______
Reads and interprets body language _______
Reads and interprets tone of voice _______

Interpreting speaker’s purposes and/or intent
Matches verbal and nonverbal messages _______
Understands and expresses an argument by:
a. makes inferences _______
b. predicts an outcome _______
c. compares and contrasts _______
d. uses persuasion _______

Using an appropriate tone of voice
Uses an appropriate/polite tone of voice when conversing _______

Signaling changes of conversational topics
Indicates when he/she wishes to change the topic of conversation appropriately _______

Fifth Grade
Elaborating and making judgments about information and ideas presented
Makes three relevant comments related to information presented _______
Determines relevant versus non-relevant information _______
Expresses an opinion _______

Identifying the problem and determining possible solutions
Identifies the problem _______
Gives three possible solutions _______
Determines the best solution _______
Determines consequences _______

Initiating questions to extend conversations (in the context of social scripts)
Initiates questions to extend conversations (in the context of social scripts) _______

Closing conversations and accepting termination of conversations by others

Follows appropriate politeness conventions in order to close conversations
smoothly, and accepts termination of conversations by others _______

Sixth Grade
Actively applying listener rules in various situations.
As a listener, demonstrates attention by turning toward and/or looking at
speaker and not interrupting _______
As a listener, demonstrates understanding by gesture or verbal cues,
or by performing an action related to content of what speaker has said _______
Waits to be acknowledged before speaking _______

Contributing relevant comments in the classroom situation
Responds appropriately to requests for information, action, clarification and/or attention _______
Responds appropriately to requests for more information by extending and elaborating on original message _______
Participates in class discussions/group activities/oral presentations, and waits turn appropriately _______

Seeking clarification as needed
Identifies types of situations in which to ask for clarification _______
Asks for clarification during conversations and class discussion _______

Evaluating the effectiveness of conversational interactions
Talks about conversational interactions and how to improve them _______

Seventh Grade
Interacting appropriately in a group setting
Responds appropriately to comments and questions _______
Offers personal opinions confidently without dominating _______
Gives appropriate reasons that support opinions _______
Solicits and respects another person’s opinion _______

Eighth Grade
Interacting appropriately in a group setting
Shares personal reactions to questions raised _______
Gives reasons and cites examples from texts in support of opinions _______
Clarifies, illustrates or expands on a response when asked to do so _______

9th – 12th Grade
See 6th through 8th Grade

(Note:  There is a need to develop similar social skills/pragmatic language competencies for high school students that also support interactions related to the work place.)