From Eye Rolls to Actual Conversations: Why Social Communication Skills Matter for Teens

The teenage years are an exciting yet sometimes challenging time in a person's life. Teens are gaining independence, navigating their social lives and school responsibilities while also beginning to think about their lives after graduation. Communication is the center of all of these experiences. This includes not only the words they use but also how they express themselves, connect with others, and understand the world around them.

In this digital era, teens face a unique set of communication challenges. Many communicate primarily through texting and social media. Because of this, some struggle to express themselves clearly in face-to-face social interactions as well as public speaking and job interviews.

There is a common misconception that speech therapy is only for young children. That is incredibly incorrect. Speech therapy can be beneficial for people of all ages, including teenagers. 

How Can Speech Therapy Help Teens?

Speech-language pathologists (SLPs) can help teens with a variety of communication areas, including but not limited to:

Pragmatics (Social Communication)

• Pragmatics refers to understanding and using the rules of conversation. This includes taking turns, reading body language, understanding tone and sarcasm, as well as adapting language for different situations and people. 

Articulation (Speech Sound) Disorders

• An articulation disorder (also known as a speech sound disorder) is when an individual struggles to pronounce certain speech sounds (often l, r, s, or th). They frequently substitute one sound for another, leave out sounds, or distort them. Articulation disorders can negatively impact a teen's self-confidence.  

Stuttering

• Stuttering is a speech disorder that affects the normal flow of speech. An individual with a stutter may repeat sounds or syllables in a word (st-st-st-stutter), prolong word sounds (ssstutter), or have moments where their mouth moves but no sound comes out. Stuttering can cause anxiety around speaking. Anxiety can also make the stuttering worse, which is especially difficult for teens when speaking aloud in group settings such as the classroom. 

Expressive Language Skills

• Expressive language skills refer to an individual’s ability to use language effectively to communicate their thoughts, feelings, and needs to others. They are the building blocks of communication and are essential for social, emotional, and cognitive development. 

Receptive Language Skills

• Receptive language skills refer to understanding what other people are saying, both spoken and written. This includes processing questions, following directions, and understanding abstract language. Strong receptive language skills are important for communication, learning, and social interaction. 

Each of these areas can impact a teen’s social life, academic performance, and overall emotional well-being. Therefore, it's essential to seek guidance from an SLP if you or someone you know is struggling in any of those areas - regardless of their age. 

Why Pragmatic Skills are Especially Important for Teens

While all areas of communication are important, pragmatics, otherwise known as social communication, is especially critical during the child and teen years. 

Pragmatics refers to how language is used in social situations. It includes:

• Taking turns while speaking
• Knowing how to start and end a conversation
• Staying on topic during conversation
• Understanding facial expressions, tone of voice, and body language
• Recognizing sarcasm, jokes, and other social cues
• Adjusting language based on who you are talking to

Some teens may have difficulty with pragmatics. This may be due to:

• Limited social exposure or isolation
• Language or learning disabilities
• Anxiety
• ADHD
• Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)
• Social (Pragmatic) Communication Disorder

In this current digital world of fast-paced social media, texts, group chats, and shifting peer dynamics, some teens struggle with pragmatics without a diagnosis. 

Teens who struggle with pragmatics might:

• Interrupt conversations
• Misinterpret sarcasm and jokes
• Control conversations
• Miss subtle nonverbal cues
• Say things that are inappropriate or seem “off”
• Struggle with group work
• Have difficulty making friends

These struggles can lead to feelings of social rejection, loneliness, and low self-esteem. For a teen, friendships and being accepted by peers is everything, and struggling with pragmatics during this time has a negative impact on their quality of life and experiences. 

Why are strong communication skills important for teens? 

Friendships and Social Interactions

To make and keep friends, you must be able to understand social cues, show empathy, and know how to communicate effectively. Speech therapy can help teens by working through the following:

• Conversation starters
• “Small talk”
• Ways to join and exit conversations
• Conflict resolution
• Perspective-talking
• Strategies to help understand humor and tone

Classroom Participation and Academic Success

For school, especially middle and high school, communication is essential for:

• Understanding teacher instructions
• Asking for help or clarification
• Presentations
• Group projects
• Class discussions

Teens who have difficulty with language or speech may hesitate to participate or fall behind academically. Speech therapy can build confidence and language processing skills that support success at home and at school. 

Job Readiness and Future Success

Great communication skills are always sought after in the job market. Teens should learn how to:

• Speak with clarity and confidence in job interviews
• Follow directions on the job
• Handle customer service situations
• Work on a team
• Resolve misunderstandings and differing opinions

SLPs can work with teens during speech therapy to practice these real-world scenarios, setting them up for future success.

Signs a Teen May Benefit From Speech Therapy

It's worth seeking an evaluation from a speech-language pathologist if your teen shows any of the following signs:

• Has unclear speech or unusual voice quality
• Struggles to make or keep friends
• Feels anxious about speaking in class
• Misunderstands jokes and sarcasm
• Does not understand verbal cues
• Has difficulty following directions
• Struggles to express ideas clearly
• Frequently says “what?” or “I don't get it” in conversations
• Avoids group projects
• Limits social situations
• Has trouble with spoken or written language

Speech Therapy for Teens

Speech therapy for teens, just as for any other age, will start with an individualised assessment. This will help determine the teen’s areas needing improvement as well as their goals. A customized treatment plan will then be created. At Great Speech, we offer our services online. Your teen can work through their program in the comfort of their own home. 

Speech therapy for teens is practical, collaborative, and often built around real-life situations. Goals may include:

• Working on incorrect speech sounds
• Slowing down the speed of speech
• Speaking with confidence
• Joining group conversations without interrupting
• Taking turns in conversations
• Reading aloud
• Explaining opinions in a debate

Therapy often includes role-playing exercises to practice everyday scenarios such as conversations with friends, asking questions in class, handling disagreements, and job interviews. 

Speech therapy is not only about “fixing speech”. It is about empowering teens to communicate with the confidence that they deserve. Whether they are giving a presentation, navigating conversations with peers, advocating for themselves in the classroom, or preparing for a job interview, speech therapy will teach them an array of tools to assist in these scenarios and future situations that life may throw at them. 

If you suspect that your teen is struggling with their speech and communication skills, we can help. Book an appointment. It's free!