Social Pragmatics for the Outdoors: Unwritten Rules of the Trail

As the winter months come to an end and we all emerge to get those first rays of sunshine, we begin to reap the benefits of being outside. Living in a beautiful place like the Gallatin Valley, nature is all around us, but how do we teach our children about important concepts of leave no trace, wildfire prevention, and basic safety and etiquette in the outdoors? By using social pragmatics. Social pragmatics, also known as social communication or pragmatic language, refers to how people use language in social situations.

You Can’t Teach What You Don’t Know

No one can be expected to remember everything about the outdoors. Before you take your children on the trail, brush up on your own knowledge of the outdoors. The national parks service offers plenty of resources for nature-goers of all skill sets. You can also check your local ranger’s station regarding trail conditions and any recent animal activity.

Focus on One Lesson at a Time

No need to teach everything there is to know about the outdoors before ever setting foot outside. Start with basic safety instructions such as staying on the trail, staying with the group, and always checking surroundings. You can teach some lessons as opportunities arise. How often do we see horses and pack animals on the trail? Not very often. You can save the lesson about horses having the right of way on the trail until you and your child come across one.

Use Social Narratives

Social narratives can be a great tool for children of all ages and abilities to learn about expected and safe behaviors in a variety of situations. A social narrative consists of:

• brief “I” statements that use a shared language between the child and adult
• the “why behind” for a behavior or expectation
• an image or video to model the action

Here is an example of a social narrative for staying on the trail. “When I am hiking in nature, I remember to stay on the trail. Staying on the trail is very important. Staying on the trail keeps me safe and helps protect the plants and animals that live here.”