Communication is
not only about being able to pronounce words and put them in the correct
order, it is a social phenomenon, and as a society we have rules and
conventions that govern how we are supposed to communicate with each
other (this area is called "pragmatics"). For example, taking
turns, making eye contact, not being overly familiar etc
When these rules
and conventions are broken, we often feel uncomfortable. Think
about the sorts of things do people do that make it difficult to sustain
or carry on a conversation with someone? What makes you feel uncomfortable
during a conversation?
After
a TBI a person may have difficulty following the social rules and conventions
of communication, even if they are able to pronounce words and use the
correct grammar.
Problems can include:
Poor eye contact
Inability to
take turns
Difficulty initiating
conversation
Interrupting
others
Talking too
much
Getting stuck
on a topic (perseveration)
Going off the
topic without finishing the idea (tangential)
Not listening
to others
Using too much
gesture
Lack of facial
expression, flat affect
Standing too
close
Not taking the
hint to finish the conversation
Pragmatics
Re look at
David's video again and brainstorm ideas about his social communication
skills.
David 1
min 30 sec
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