From the Center for Speech and Language Disorders, Elmhurst, Illinois

Most hyperlexic children do not have friends. They simply don't know how to go about it. Yet the development of this skill is crucial to socializing and working in a group setting as hyperlexic children get older. The underlying principles in teaching hyperlexic children social skills are using strengths of reading and memorization to help them support their weaker areas, in this case, knowing what to say.

Coach for Success

Hyperlexic children often do not seem to know what to say and must be coached. Give the child the exact words he or she should say within a particular social context; ask the child to repeat the words. This is the same model that a baseball coach uses on the field teaching a beginning player how to hit the ball.A child can learn a script that is written down; he can memorize it and use the words in an appropriate setting. For instance, a child can rehearse what to say on the phone to a friend before making a call. These children are sensitive to failure. Make every attempt to make sure that the child will succeed. Be there to back up any lack in conversational skill and to help with the realistic arrangements. An example would be to encourage a child to make a friend. First, discuss who might be a friend. Then, the specific lesson might be on using the telephone to ask a child to come over and spend some time together. The script for the phone call could be written out. Practice telephone calls through role playing. In order to guarantee success, contact the other child's parents in advance to make arrangements.

Practice Conversations

Hyperlexic children also have difficulty with the pragmatics of carrying on a conversation. A useful technique for developing this is a ten-minute session each day where an adult and the child carry on a conversation but where the child must initiate the subject. The adult limits the number of questions he or she asks, allows silences and, if structuring is needed, asks very open-ended questions such as, "What do you think about that?" "What happened next?" In this way, the child is in charge of the conversation. The adult supplies enough structure so that the conversation continues but the child directs the conversation.

Rules for Conversation

The child will need to learn some pragmatic conversational skills.

1. Look at the eyes of the speaker.
2. Take turns talking; no monologues.
3. Think before you answer. don't just say, "I don't know." Say, "I don't understand."
4. Speak when spoken to.
5. Ask questions about the other person. Find out his interests.
6. Give feedback to the other person by looking at him, saying "Uh-huh."
7. Do not change the subject.

The ten-minute practice conversations will reveal which aspects are most difficult for a child. Write out the rules of conversation. Then work on incorporating them one at a time.