Social Skills & Pragmatics

           Connecting words, gestures, and moments

            so your child can stay in the conversation.

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​What We Talk About When We Say “Social Skills” (or “Pragmatics”)

Communication isn’t just about what we say—it’s how we say it, when, and to whom. Pragmatics (also called “social communication”) refers to the everyday rules and skills that make interaction smooth, meaningful and fun. For example: greeting someone, waiting your turn, keeping a topic going, changing how you speak depending on your listener.

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Why It Matters

Even children who speak clearly and have strong vocabulary may still feel “off” in friendships or social settings. They might struggle to:

• join a conversation or start one easily

• read body language, gestures or tone of voice

• change their tone depending on the person they’re talking to

• keep a topic going or switch topics appropriately

These challenges can affect confidence, peer relationships, and overall participation.​

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How We Help
At FirstRowe, we work with children (and young teens) to build and strengthen these social communication skills — in ways that feel natural, interactive, and fun.

Here’s how our approach looks:

• Assessment & Observation: We watch how your child interacts, what social cues they attend to, and what gets in the way.

• Skill-Building in Real Contexts: We use games, role-play, group activities, story-talk, and everyday scenarios (like lunch table, playground, classroom) to practice social skills. 

• Coaching Parents/Caregivers: Because social communication doesn’t just happen in the clinic—it happens everywhere. We give you tools and ideas to support your child at home and in community settings.

• Progress & Generalization: We focus not just on isolated skills, but on using them in real life—with peers, in different environments, on different days.

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Common Signs That a Child Might Benefit from Social Skills / Pragmatics Support

• Has trouble starting or maintaining conversations

• Frequently interrupts or struggles to wait a turn

• Appears “out of sync” with peers, even when vocabulary is strong

• Finds it hard to read others’ facial expressions, body language or tone

• Struggles to adjust language depending on the listener (talks to adults like kids, or kids like adults)

• Avoids or is anxious in social situations, has few friendships or difficulty playing cooperatively

If you’ve noticed some of these, it’s worth exploring support—early help often makes the biggest difference.

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What to expect at FirstRowe

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Step 1: Screening / Consultation

Free 15-minute consultation: We’ll chat about your concerns, behaviours you’ve noticed, and whether a full evaluation is the right next step.

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Step 2: Evaluation

Comprehensive Evaluation: We explore how your child uses language socially—verbal and non-verbal cues, peer interactions, adaptability across settings.

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Step 3: Individualized Plan & Therapy

Customized Plan & Therapy Sessions: Together with you, we build goals that matter for your child—whether it’s asking questions, joining play, telling stories, or making friends. Sessions can be one-on-one or small-group depending on need.

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Step 4: Social Life Integration

Bridge to Everyday Social Life: We integrate what’s learned into home, school, and community. We’ll involve you, peers (when appropriate), and real-world settings so skills stick and grow.

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Ready to Get Started?

Click the button below to schedule your free 15-minute consultation and explore how social-communication support at FirstRowe can help your child connect more comfortably, confidently and meaningfully.