LITTLE SPEECH LIFE

Is your child now adding their own words to songs? Using the same phrase but changing a word or two?

These are indicators that your child may be in stage 2 of gestalt language processing. They are beginning to understand they can mix and match gestalts to create something new!

For example: “The wheels on the truck go round and round”; “Let’s get some pizza” + “It’s time to go”, now becomes, “it’s pizza time!”

When you begin to hear these new combinations, you can begin modeling the same! Start adding in new words to existing gestalts, new lyrics to songs, and combine gestalts as seen above.

This stage is exciting because it is a great, new realization for the child to understand language is fluid and allowed to change; parts of a gestalt can move!

The general rule I love to share with parents, that was told to me through the meaningful speech GLP course, was when you begin to hear 75% of a certain stage, begin modeling the next stage up.

How do you dictate this? Open those ears and listen up! Sit back and follow your child’s lead. Listen to the language they are using and build from there! It can be helpful to write their gestalts down when you can, so you can look at them later to decide what may be best to model.

Because a lot of gestalts can be repetitive, when you begin to hear variety, and changes, it will perk your ear.

Always remember, ACKNOWLEDGE (repeat back), CONNECT (be present with them through PLAY) and FOLLOW THEIR LEAD! 🙂

These three rules of thumb will get you far when supporting communication needs as a whole; in any context!