Welcome to this introductory video about social communication. In this short video, we will be talking about what social communication is, and some of the different areas of social communication.
Put simply, social communication is communication as it happens between different people and how different people relate to each other. Social communication includes the way language is used to interact with other people in a range of social situations.
Communication includes understanding and using language, non-verbal communication, and speech. Non-verbal communication means communication that doesn’t involve speech.
Social communication is also part of communication. Social communication includes: • imagining other people’s perspective, for example being able to consider what another person may be thinking or feeling ; Having conversations ; relating to people in different ways, for example changing your communication when you speak to a teacher as opposed to a friend; and communicating for many different reasons which will be discussed further on in this video.
Here are some of the areas of social communication where children and young people may present differently. Children and young people may have difficulty understanding body language – for example, understanding what someone may mean by the way they’re standing, or what they’re communicating when they cross their arms. They may also have difficulty understanding gestures, for example pointing at things, or gestures we might make with our hands to describe things. They may have difficulty working out how someone is feeling from the expression on their face. They may use unusual body language, gestures, or facial expressions themselves; or they may not use many gestures at all.
They may also use a tone of voice that is unusual. As a result, other people may find it hard to understand what they’re expressing and how they’re feeling. Children and young people may interpret social expectations in a different way. They may take a different approach to having conversations – for example, they may find it hard to introduce particular topics into a conversation, or they may suddenly start talking about a topic that seems completely unrelated to the one everyone was talking about just a moment ago. They may not give as much information as the other person feels is needed for them to follow the conversation, or they may talk a lot, giving much more information than the other person was expecting! Taking turns with other people is another common difficulty.
Some children and young people may use echolalia – this means repeating language that they hear – either what people say to them, or language from videos, TV or films, or games.
Children and young people may interpret language literally – for example: sarcasm, jokes, or idioms, such as ‘I was over the moon about it’ or ‘that’s a pain’. These aren’t bad or negative things in themselves, but they may cause difficulties when trying to have conversations with other people.
Children need to communicate for a range of reasons. You might consider supporting the child in areas such as: Using greetings to acknowledge the other person or start an interaction ; Getting another person’s attention. For example, by waving, or calling out to them ; Asking for things you want or need; Sharing information. For example, talking about your day, or something you have done ; Describing emotions. For example, to share when you are excited, or feeling angry ; and Seeking comfort when you are upset.
You could also include: Getting permission. For example, to leave the classroom ; Showing empathy. This means understanding how others might feel ; Keeping a conversation going. For example, taking turns in a conversation, and spotting a good time to ask a question or add a comment ; Negotiating. For example, when arranging how to play a game on the playground ; Clarifying information when you have not understood ; When we support children, we are not trying to change them. The emphasis should be on adults adapting their communication style and the environment to promote social communication.
If you have any further questions or would like to find out more information you can: Watch the other videos on our website about how to support social communication, comic strip conversations, and social stories, emotional regulation, and zones of regulation;
Access the Neurodiversity Support Pack by following the link on the screen;
Speak to the 0-19 team, setting or school.
For more information on supporting children and young people’s speech and language needs please visit our website by following the link shown on the screen. Our Facebook page contains lots of useful tips for supporting speech, language, and communication. Thank you.
[0534] [e01]