Understanding Academic and Social Language
There are two key types of language your child uses: academic language and social language. Knowing the difference can guide how we support your child’s learning and interactions, especially for children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) or other neurodiverse needs.
This is the formal language used in school for tasks like writing, reading, and following instructions. It includes specific vocabulary (e.g., words related to a topic like “science”), clear sentence structures, and understanding complex directions. For Year 1 students, this means using simple sentences and topic-related words to share ideas (Western Australian Curriculum, AC9E1LY05). For children with ASD, academic language can feel effortful if tasks are complex or attention varies, but with clear supports like visual steps, they can thrive.
This is the everyday language used to chat with friends, take turns in conversations, or adjust tone to suit different situations (e.g., speaking politely to a teacher). It relies on understanding social cues and managing emotions during interactions. Children with ASD may find social language tricky due to challenges with interpreting cues or staying calm in social settings.
Speech Pathology Australia. (2024). Speech Pathology in Education: Guidelines for Practice. https://www.speechpathologyaustralia.org.au/
School Curriculum and Standards Authority (SCSA). (2024). Western Australian Curriculum: English – Year 1 (AC9E1LY05). https://k10outline.scsa.wa.edu.au/
Cummins, J. (2008). BICS and CALP: Empirical and theoretical status of the distinction. Encyclopedia of Language and Education, 2(2), 71–83. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-0-387-30424-3_36
Westby, C., & Washington, K. N. (2017). Using the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health in assessment and intervention of school-aged children with language impairments. Language, Speech, and Hearing Services in Schools, 48(3), 137–152. https://doi.org/10.1044/2017_LSHSS-16-0037
Sansosti, F. J., (2009). Teaching Social Behavior to Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders Using Social Stories™: Implications for School-Based Practice. The Journal of Speech and Language Pathology – Applied Behavior Analysis, 4(1), 170–179. https://doi.org/10.1037/h0100257
Why It Matters
Academic language helps your child succeed in classroom tasks, like writing stories or following lessons. Social language supports building friendships and managing emotions during play or group work. For children with ASD, challenges in social language can sometimes make school tasks harder (e.g., feeling overwhelmed in group activities), so we use different strategies for each. For example, visual schedules can make academic tasks clearer, while social stories help with conversations. Speech Pathology Australia (2024) recommends tailoring supports to each area to help your child shine in their unique way.
