Description
Working on pragmatics is difficult. Working on pragmatics with teens is even harder. Use this thorough product designed to work on a variety of social skills within the community. These interactive activities will give your students control of the situations and questions presented. There are 80 social situations included, plus options to include custom-made ones depending on your student’s needs.
Pragmatic concepts targeted with this product:
– Topic maintenance
– Initiating conversations
– Asking & answering questions
– Identifying non-verbal aspects of language
– Identifying the problem & solution
– Spontaneously seeking assistance
– Asking questions to clarify
Use these activities individually or in groups. The more complex cards are great for discussions.
The activities in this product are organized in order from easiest to hardest. Keep in mind, many of these questions don’t have one right answer.
Some of these scenarios are difficult, even for adults, but are real situations that will arise in life which are important to think about and discuss. If you find them too difficult for the teenager you are working with, try asking a different question that is more direct (e.g. Instead of asking “What should you do?” Ask: “Since she appears to be feeling upset. What can you ask her?”)
I hope these activities help you work on pragmatics in an interactive and engaging way! All activities are in color and black & white.
Store & Situation Cards
Includes:
8 stores
16 situations
8 blank situation cards to write scenarios that are applicable to your student
Directions: Cut out the cards and place in 2 piles face down – store & situations. Have the student pick one card from each pile, applying the situation to the store and answering.
These situations are the most basic and result in a straightforward answer.
Social Conversations
Includes: Pages discussing “Initiating Conversation”, “Asking & Answering Questions”, and “Body Language”.
Directions: Read and discuss the points on each page. Answer the 6 open-ended or multiple choice questions per page.
Pick Your Adventure Pragmatics Book
Includes: Map with stores, 6 pages (a page per store) with 4 corresponding scenarios on each page.
Directions: Print the pages and staple together on the left hand side where the margin is.
The student makes 3 choices:
Choose a store from the map
Choose if they are shopping or browsing
Choose if they are alone or with friends
When the choices have been made, the students finds the page of the store chosen and finds the appropriate scenario for the choices picked. There are 24 possible options to choose from.
These scenarios require more complex social thinking and awareness.
Social Experience Web Maps
Includes: Going to the Doctor, Going to a Restaurant, & Going to the Hair Salon.
Directions: Each page shows a web map starting from the beginning of the experience to the end, with various social situations that arise. The student is asked to find solutions incorporating many pragmatic skills. Start at the beginning of the web diagram, read & answer each situation before moving onto the next box. Works great for group discussions.
Personal Reflection Worksheet
Includes: Single page with questions about difficult social situations and how to overcome them.
Directions: Use as a personal activity or for discussion.
“Roll the Dice” Pragmatics Game
Includes: A single page game. You will need to provide 2 dice and place holders.
Directions: Included on page. This is the most difficult activity in the packet. It is a generalization activity, and targets thinking of a problem & solution. The purpose is to think about the social scenarios that may arise before you are put a particular situation.
You may be interested in:
Teen: Traveling Social Skills
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This is a digital product that will be available for download upon purchase. Due to the nature of this product, there are no returns.
Do not share or email this document with anyone. Permission to copy for individual use only. If you would like to share with other therapists, teachers, or parents please direct them to my store. Copying any part of this product and placing it on the Internet in any form is strictly forbidden. Do not modify or alter this document.
Esther Hood (verified owner) –
I love this product for teaching social skills in the community. I am a music therapist and I used my purchase as visual aids to lead a “shopping” themed unit for groups of young adults with special needs. It is such a great help to have these images to support the community life skills I target, particularly as they are simple and easy to understand but not too “kiddie.” It can be difficult to scale my lessons so they are age appropriate for teens and adults. Can’t wait to explore the online shop some more.