Many children, with or without language delays, may also have trouble with social skills. This may be due to certain conditions that impair social skills, like autism, or it may just be because these children have difficulty with learning language. Social interactions, not only rely on language skills, but also rely on non-verbal communication skills. Social communication skills, such as, eye-contact, volume, turn-taking, and rate of speech can also be critical to effective communication. Whatever the case, one of the best ways to help improve these skills is through the use of “Social Skills Groups.”
Doing social skills training in a group setting, allows children to practice their communication strategies with their peers instead of just in the context of their individual therapy sessions. Practice is crucial for children to successfully be able to carryover these skills into their day to day lives.