I found these training models forbuilding conversation; I wonder if these would be of help with yourchildren. They are our attempt to make social interaction a part ofdaily living. See what you think. Then maybe we could add just a few of these to the Before speech manual tomake it more useful. As you see fro each activity there is a n example fro both preverbal and verbal.
Jim
Conversation routines
Practical guides For learning social language within daily living routines
James D.MacDonald
Professor emeritus: The Ohio State University
Communicating Partners Center
PEOPLE CONTACTS: AFTER SCHOOL CHAT (PREVERBAL)
LESS LIKE THIS
Adult: Did you have fun at school today?
Child: Looks in the refrigerator for a snack.
Adult: Can Mommy help you get something to eat?
Child: Takes out a banana starts to eat it while walking into another room to turn on the television.
Adult: Sesame Street is on now.
Child: Continues to watch Sesame Street which is already on.
Adult: You like that show don’t you?
Child: Imitates some body movements the characters on the show have modeled.
Adult: Wow, you can do what they do, can’t you?
AVOID THESE PROBLEMS
LOW INTERACTIVE PARTICIPATION, MISMATCH
The adult and child in this example never make contact. The adult talks at the child; the child continues on his own activities. The mother should have noticed the child’s willingness to do what he can do with others, which he demonstrated by imitating the television characters. Instead, she continues rambling on in long sentences that he never responds to.
MORE LIKE THIS
Adult: Hi. Waves to the child as he gets off the bus.
Child: Waves to mom.
Adult: Hungry?
Child: Opens refrigerator, points to apple.
Adult: Yum, apple. (Gives it to the child.)
Child: Begins eating apple, takes mom by the hand and into the television room.
Adult: (Turns on the television.) Wow! Sesame Street.
Child: Nods head, yes.
Adult: Imitates some movements of the characters.
Child: Joins mom, looking at her and laughing.
TRY THESE STRATEGIES
RESPOND TO THE CHILD, MATCH CHILD COMMUNICATION PROGRESSIVELY
The adult models messages with gestures and single words or phrases to match the child’s communication progressively. She responds to the child by following his lead into the television room, yet keeps him interacting with her by doing what he can do, like imitating the television characters.
VARIATIONS
Getting together after any separation such as being with Grandma, having a babysitter or coming back from errands while dad watches the child.
PEOPLE CONTACTS: AFTER SCHOOL CHAT (EARLY VERBAL)
LESS LIKE THIS
Adult: Come talk to me. What did you do at school today?
Child: Draw and paint.
Adult: Say the whole thing. I drew and painted. Try again.
Child: I draw and paint.
Adult: That’s a little better. Is that all you did? I bet you had a snack, didn’t you?
Child: Yes.
Adult: Good. I like it when you make a good ’s’. I bet you’d like a snack now, wouldn’t you?
Child: Yes.
Adult: Say ‘yes please’ and I will get it for you.
Child: Yes please.
Adult: Good talking. Now I will bet you your snack.
AVOID THIS PROBLEM
LOW PARTICIPATION BY CHILD
The adult appears sincerely interested in having the child participate in the activity but doesn’t wait or signal long enough for the child to take a turn until the very end. As a result, the child become a passive observer instead of an active participant in the activity.
MORE LIKE THIS
Child: See, See. (Shows a drawing from school.)
Adult: Wow, you drew a picture.
Child: I paint too!
Adult: You drew and painted?
Child: Yes, I draw and paint.
Adult: I wrote a letter to Grandma today.
Child: Let me see.
Adult: Here is my letter. (Shows child the letter.)
Child: Wow, letter Grandma. Me too!
Adult: Okay, here is some paper. (Gives the child paper.)
Child: I draw a letter. (Takes a crayon to the paper.)
Adult: Good idea; draw a letter.
Child: Good idea; paper letter.
TRY THIS STRATEGY
COMMENT MORE THAN QUESTION OR COMMAND
The adult here creates a conversational partnership with the child by sharing comments. Commenting when the child initiates a topic gets the conversation off the ground then the adult comments on her own activities of the day, writing the letter to Grandma. Without a single question or command, she can maintain a conversation with the child. When her child wants to "draw" a letter, she accepts the idea, rather than insisting that he say things in a totally adult-oriented way.
VARIATIONS
Conversations about any life activities: visiting Grandma, shopping, going to church.
PEOPLE CONTACTS: TAKING TURNS WITH BODY MOVEMENTS AND FACIAL EXPRESSIONS (PREVERBAL)
LESS LIKE THIS
Child: Holds foot in the air.
Adult: Stamp your feet. (Uses stern face.) Stamp your feet like me. (Stamps feet.)
Child: Makes a nasty face.
Adult: Come on. Take your turn. (With a look of frustration.)
Child: Drops foot and touches the floor with a look of frustration.
Adult: You finally stamped your feet, didn’t you?
Child" Looks at his foot and waits.
Adult: (Shakes hands.) Now I want you to shake you hands. What are those? (Touches child hands.) Hands. Now shake yours. (Uses commanding expression and tone.)
Child: Holds one of his toes, with a look of defiance.
AVOID THESE PROBLEMS
CHILD’S PASSIVE STYLE, ADULT DISREGARDS CHILD’S MOTIVATIONS, ADULT ACTS MORE LIKE A TEACHER THAN A PARTNER
The adult appears to want more from the child than he can give. Each contact ends in disappointment, since the adult does not tune into the child’s motivations. Their facial expressions match, but hardly motivate each other to keep interacting. The adult asks the nonverbal child to name his hands, something he is not capable of doing. She appears unwilling to enter her child’s world, while the child appears unable or unwilling to enter hers.
MORE LIKE THIS
Child: Holds foot in the air, with a look of delight.
Adult: (Holds her foot in the air with a surprised expressions.) Wow!
Child: Looks at the adult and smiles.
Adult: (Smiles back and waves.) Hi!
Child: (Reaches both hands toward the adult.) Ooo, Ooo.
Adult: (Grabs both of the child’s extended hands.) Ooo, Ooo.
Child: Releases from adult, stands up, begins to walk away.
Adult: Holds child by the hand, then shakes it, making eye contact and smiling broadly.
Child: Shakes hand back, imitating the broad smile.
Adult: Points to the floor where the child had been sitting.
Child: Sits back down and waves to the adult, smiling.
TRY THESE STRATEGIES
IMITATE AND EXPAND CHILD BEHAVIOR, PERFORM ACTIVITIES THAT THE CHILD CAN DO, PHYSICALLY PROMPT WHEN NECESSARY, SIGNAL, THEN WAIT FOR DESIRED BEHAVIOR
The adult begins wisely by following the child’s lead. Their vocal and facial expressions add to the excitement of this simple exchange. Using a physical prompt but no verbal command, the adult regains the child’s waning interest. The pointing signal returns the child to his former state of attention.
VARIATIONS
Exchange any movements or expressions such as making funny faces, kicking feet, mussing each other’s hair, moving tongue from side to side or using funny vocal sounds.
PEOPLE CONTACTS: TAKING TURNS WITH BODY MOVEMENT AND FACIAL EXPRESSIONS (VERBAL)
LESS LIKE THIS
#Child: Mommy, Mommy, do this. (Puts his hand up in the air.
Adult: What, have you been learning to play ‘Simon Says’ at school or something?
Child: Up high, Mom. (Waves his hands wildly and makes an inviting face.
Adult: You do that so well. Why don’t you see if your Dad has time to play with you. I am busy cooking now, dear.
Child: Do this. (Pushes his cheeks inward.)
Adult: Now Mommy is getting mad. (Makes a mean face.)
Child: Lowers his head with a sad expression and walks away to find dad.
AVOID THESE PROBLEMS
MINIMAL SENSITIVITY OR SPONTANEITY, MAINLY USING SPEECH WHILE CHILD MAINLY USES ACTION
This mother sees her role as caretaker rather than playmate. A few simple movement exchanges between the two partners would only take a few moments and most likely boost the child’s spirits. Instead, her impatience and redirection sadden the child, decreasing the likelihood that he will contact her again for fun.
MORE LIKE THIS
Child: Hey Mom, look! (Stands on his tiptoes and reaches up high.
Adult: I can do that, too! (Imitates the child and winks)
Child: Closes both eyes in an attempt to wink.
Adult: Hey, you can wink. (Points at child’s face.)
Child: Bats his eyes wildly. Wink, wink, wink.
Adult: I see you. (Makes a circle of her thumb and forefinger as if to form a mask.)
Child: I see you too! (Imitates Mom’s hand movements.)
Adult: Puts down her hands and waits to see if the child will start something new.
Child: I wiggle nose too! (Wiggles it.)
Adult: Mine won’t work. (Pretends to try, then pushes it around with her finger.)
Child &
Adult: Laugh together.
TRY THESE STRATEGIES
IMITATE, ANIMATE, EXPAND SOME OF THE CHILD’S COMMUNICATIONS, SHOW SENSITIVITY TO CHILD’S INTENTIONS
The adult imitates the child at first, expanding with a facial expression. Later, she models some actions and expressions he can imitate. They take turns following each other’s lead. She provides new vocabulary in a context the child can relate to. He immediately imitates "wink" both in action and word.
VARIATIONS
Use any body movements - hand clapping, dancing, shaking head, covering eyes or ears - or facial expressions such as surprise, concern, happiness or sadness.
PLAY WITH OBJECTS: BEAN BAGS (PREVERBAL)
LESS LIKE THIS
Adult: Let’s play with the bean bags.
Child: Walks away from the adult.
Adult: You can toss one in, just like me. (Tosses it in a box.)
Adult: I will do another one. You watch. (Tosses in another.)
Child: Watches from a distance.
Adult: This is fun. Now you try. (Extends a bean bag to the child.)
Child: Begins to walk over slowly.
Adult: Watch me one more time. (Tosses another.)
Child: Watches with arms folded.
Adult: Here you go. (Puts bean bag in child’s hand.)
Child: Walks up to the box and sets the bean bag inside.
Adult: Wow! You did it!
AVOID THIS PROBLEM
LOW PARTICIPATION BY CHILD
The adult appears sincerely interested in having the child participate in the activity but doesn’t wait or signal long enough for the child to take a turn until the very end. As a result, the child become a passive observer instead of an active participant in the activity.
MORE LIKE THIS
Adult: In. (Tosses a bean bag in the box.)
Child: No. (Turns away.)
Adult: Wow. (Holds the child’s hand and helps him put a bean bag in.)
Child: Wow. (Messes up the bean bags.)
Adult: Bean bags - yuck. (Helps the child mess up the bean bags.)
Child: Laughs. (Tosses a bean bag in.)
Adult: Me. (Points to self and puts a bean bag in.)
Child: Points to self and puts a bean bag in.
TRY THESE STRATEGIES
IMITATE AND ANIMATE, MATCH CHILD BEHAVIOR AND COMMUNICATION
The adult uses animation (Wow) with physical prompting to keep the child with her for a brief routine with the bean bags. She starts out modeling actions and messages for the child but then switches over to imitating the child, deciding that keeping the routine going is more important than getting the child to do what she wants. She is rewarded when the child follows her lead at the end of the routine.
VARIATIONS
Tossing bean bags back and forth, throwing them at targets or in different kinds of containers such as cans and baskets.
PLAY WITH OBJECTS: BEAN BAGS (EARLY VERBAL)
LESS LIKE THIS
Child: Mine, Mine. (Grabbing bean bags from his mother.)
Adult: You play with me.
Child: No, I play.
Adult: Let’s take turns. (Holding a bean bag.)
Child: Grabs bean bags and turns himself around.
Adult: I’ll throw my bean bag if you throw yours.
Child: My turn, just me. (Holds bag close to his chest.)
Adult: Then let’s put them away if you can’t share.
Child: You big meanie.
AVOID THIS PROBLEM
LACK OF PLAYFULNESS
Lack of playfulness between the two keeps them from getting the interaction off the ground in the first place. Mom needs an attitude change: fun first, learn later. Why? Her child isn’t likely to learn much until he stays in regular back and forth interactions with others.
MORE LIKE THIS
Child: (Brings a bean bag to the adult.) Play bean bags.
Adult: Okay, I’ll play. (Smiles as she joins the child.)
Child: Build me. (Builds a wall with the bean bags.)
Adult: Build with you? (Adds some bean bags to the wall.)
Child: Uh-oh. (Knocks the bean bag wall over.)
Adult: Knock over. (Adult gestures imitates child’s move.)
Child: Over. (Child laughs, hands the bean bag to the adult.)
Adult: Up now. (Begins to build the way up.)
Child: Bag up. (Adds some more bean bags.)
Adult: Knocks bean bags over and laughs.
Child: Bag over. (Gestures after the adult.)
TRY THESE STRATEGIES
MAINTAIN BALANCED CONVERSATIONS, DEVELOP VERBAL TOPICS, WAIT
The adult makes a consistent practice of balancing her words and actions with the child. While her messages aren’t simple imitations and expansions of the child’s messages, they relate to what the child said, generally taking single word from the child’s message and sending a slightly more sophisticated message. In this way they build a verbal topic around the joint activity of building a bean bag tower. Notice that the adult does not communicate with words on the last turn. Instead, she waits shifting the balance of power in the conversation slightly toward the child.
VARIATIONS
Tossing bean bags back and forth, throwing them at targets or in different kinds of containers such as cans and baskets.
PLAY WITH OBJECTS: TRADING OBJECTS BACK AND FORTH (PREVERBAL)
LESS LIKE THIS
Adult: Baby. (Rocks the baby in her arms.)
Child: Picks up another baby.
Adult: Rock baby. (Keeps rocking baby.)
Child: Watches as mom rocks, holding the baby by the arm.
Adult: You rock. (Continues rocking.)
Child: Throws her baby in the cradle.
Adult: Aw. (Feeling sorry for the thrown baby.)
Child: Motions for a drink of water.
Adult: Want water?
Child: Nods head yes.
AVOID THIS PROBLEM
LACK OF ACTIVE TOGETHERNESS
While the mother does use sounds and single words to match the way the child communicates, these two never get an inter-action going. They both have dolls, but lack of active togetherness keeps the two of them apart. Perhaps one doll which they could exchange would improve the interactive flow.
MORE LIKE THIS
Adult: Hey. (Extends hand toward child.)
Child: Ah-ah. (Holds her baby doll tightly.)
Adult: (Rocks her arms pretending to be holding a baby.) Ni-Ni.
Child: (Rocks her baby.) Aw.
Adult: (Extends her hand again toward the child.) Aw, baby.
Child: Passes the adult the baby.
Adult: (Rocks baby and immediately extends it back to child, smiling.) Baby.
Child: (Smiles in return, takes the baby.) Ba.
TRY THESE STRATEGIES
IMITATE CHILD, MATCH CHILD BEHAVIOR AND COMMUNICATION
The adult has a few spare moments to engage the child in a turn taking routine. When the child appears to resist trading the baby, she wisely imitates the child so as not to set up a struggle. By keeping at the child’s level with action and sounds, she creates an easy give-and-take with messages. She avoids a command, instead extending toward the child two different times. The child easily gives her a turn, accepting the give-and-take offered.
VARIATIONS
Trading any object back-and-forth can be used to create a joint activity with the child. Use everyday objects, like towels, brushes and cans. Use toys such as cars, balls and rattles to trade with the child.
PLAY WITH OBJECTS: TRADING OBJECTS BACK AND FORTH (EARLY VERBAL)
LESS LIKE THIS
Child: Grabs towel from her mother’s hand.
Adult: I need that, give it back. (Reaches toward the child.)
Child: (Jumps out of mom’s reach and begins to wash her face.) Wash, wash, wash my face.
Adult: Not with my clean kitchen towel. Give it back. (Extends her hand to child.)
Child: All mine. All clean. (Laughs and keeps washing face.)
Adult: Throw it in the laundry. You are going to time-out.
AVOID THIS PROBLEM
LOW PARTICIPATION BY CHILD
The adult appears sincerely interested in having the child participate in the activity but doesn’t wait or signal long enough for the child to take a turn until the very end. As a result, the child become a passive observer instead of an active participant in the activity.
MORE LIKE THIS
Child: Grabs the towel from her mother’s hand.
Adult: My towel. (Holds her hand to the child.)
Child: Mine. (Attempts to run off with the towel.)
Adult: (Holds the child by the shoulder, yet maintains a smile.) Trade you?
Child: (Smiles back, yet tries to keep the towel.) No towel.
Adult: You-me. (Grabs the towel, gently pulling the child toward her.)
Child: (Lets her end go.) You towel.
Adult: Now you. (Pressing towel on the child’s tummy.)
Child: (Grabs it, laughs and presses it on the adult.) Now you.
TRY THESE STRATEGIES
LIMIT DIRECTIONS, MATCH CHILD BEHAVIOR AND COMMUNICATION
The adult avoids commands or questions and keeps her messages within the child’s ability to produce as well as understand. She engineers a trade by hold the child with her and accepts simple trades, like the return of a smile or holding once side of the towel. Through the use of simple steps, she eventually gets a trade going with the child.
VARIATIONS
Trading any object back and forth can be used to create a joint activity with the child. Use everyday objects, like towels, brushes and cans as well as toys like cars, balls and dolls to trade with the child.
PLAY WITH OBJECTS: IN AND OUT (PREVERBAL)
LESS LIKE THIS
Adult: (Takes a plastic flower out of a coffee can full of flowers.) Hey, I like these flowers.
Child: Looks at flowers, brushes them gently.
Adult: You should take one out like I did. (Shows child how to take out a flower by taking another one.)
Child: (Brushes them again.) Oooo.
Adult: Okay you can brush them, I am going to pick them. (Picks another one
Child: Picks one out.
Adult: Okay, now you’ve got one of your own.
AVOID THESE PROBLEMS
ADULT MISMATCHES CHILD COMMUNICATION; LOW COMMUNICATION PARTICIPATION BY CHILD
The adult plays in childlike ways but the length and complexity of her communication totally mismatches the preverbal child’s ability to perform. While the child participates in the action, his communication participation is low.
MORE LIKE THIS
Adult: Wow! (Takes a flower from the can.)
Child: Oooo, Oooo. Brushes the flowers.
Adult: Out. (Snaps out another one, quickly.)
Child: Ah ah. (Struggles to get one out.)
Adult: Reaches over and assists struggling child wordlessly.
Child: Aw, aw. (Grasping his flower.)
Adult: Here. (Puts hers in another can.)
Child: (Puts his in the can.) Hey, hey.
TRY THESE STRATEGIES
MATCH CHILD COMMUNICATION PROGRESSIVELY. LIMIT DIRECTIONS
The adult communicates with action, sounds and some single words as a way of progressively matching her child’s ways of communicating. She limits her directions by modeling simple actions and messages close to the child’s level, then waits for her child to respond in any way.
VARIATIONS
Take any object (checkers, fake fruit/vegetables, doll clothes, silverware) and put it in and out of a container.
PLAY WITH OBJECTS: IN AND OUT (EARLY VERBAL)
LESS LIKE THIS
Adult: Let’s get these animals out of here, okay? (Stands over a large toy box full of stuffed animals.)
Child: Okay.
Adult: I’ve got a great big giraffe. (Takes out a stuffed giraffe.)
Child: Takes out a little bear and hugs it.
Adult: Now I’ve got a little elephant. I think I will put it on this shelf instead. What do you think? Doesn’t it look just fine up here? (Placing it up on the shelf.)
Child: Yeah mom. (Nods his head.)
Adult: Now you get to take a turn. (Points at the child with a big smile.)
Child: (Takes out a little bunny.) Nice bunny.
AVOID THIS PROBLEM
ADULT MISMATCHES CHILD COMMUNICATION
The adult mismatches the child’s communication by communicating sentences and paragraphs while the verbal child limits his responses to actions, single words or brief phrases. The routine includes action turn taking and sounds fun and interesting yet she needs to capitalize on the language and conversation training possibilities of the interaction as well.
MORE LIKE THIS
Child: See, See. (Shows a drawing from school.)
Adult: Wow, you drew a picture.
Child: I paint too!
Adult: You drew and painted?
Child: Yes, I draw and paint.
Adult: I wrote a letter to Grandma today.
Child: Let me see.
Adult: Here is my letter. (Shows child the letter.)
Child: Wow, letter Grandma. Me too!
Adult: Okay, here is some paper. (Gives the child paper.)
Child: I draw a letter. (Takes a crayon to the paper.)
Adult: Good idea; draw a letter.
Child: Good idea; paper letter.
TRY THESE STRATEGIES
MATCH THE CHILD COMMUNICATION PROGRESSIVELY, IMITATE AND ANIMATE
The adult uses phrases that sound just a little more sophisticated than the child’s. While she matches in this way she also animates her voice and action or imitates her child’s actions or parts of his phrases to capture his attention.
VARIATIONS
Taking any objects in and out of a container. Cards, toys, marbles, balls out of boxes, silverware out of a drawer, doll furniture out of a dollhouse.
PLAY WITH OBJECTS: BLOCKS (PREVERBAL)
LESS LIKE THIS
Child: Dumps blocks out of can, pushes them under couch.
Adult: (Reaches for the blocks.) Come on, let’s play together.
Child: (Pushes hand away, grabs the blocks.) Ah-ah-ah-ah.
Adult: Oh, you don’t want to play with me? Can you give me the red one.
Child: (Gestures for the adult to go away, waving arms.) Ah-ah-ah.
Adult: (Stacking blocks.) Build a tower. See what I am doing?
Child: Goes off to another room.
AVOID THESE PROBLEMS
DIRECT, CONTROL, DOMINATE
The adult fails to capture the child’s attention before beginning to make demands. The questions and vocal tone may suggest to the child that the adult doesn’t expect him to cooperate. The adult mainly talks, the child mainly acts. The child wants to dump blocks and push them around while the adult wants to give a color quiz. These two need to have fun doing something together before much learning can be expected.
MORE LIKE THIS
Child: Dumps blocks out of can.
Adult: (Pushes blocks toward the child.) Wow!
Child: (Pushes blocks around on the floor.) Ah-ah-ah.
Adult: Ah-ah-ah. (Extends a block toward the child.)
Child: Takes the block, puts it above his head.
Adult: (Takes a block, puts it above her head.) Up!
Child: Puts block on the floor, begins to go away.
Adult: (Holds the child’s hand, stacks block.) Block.
Child: Touches the block and then the adult’s hand.
Adult: (Touches the child’s hand, shakes it.) Bye-bye.
TRY THESE STRATEGIES
FOLLOW THE CHILD’S LEAD, KEEP THE CHILD WITH YOU, IMITATE AND EXPAND CHILD MESSAGES
The adult follows two guidelines in structuring this interaction. Follow the child’s lead and keep the child with you. Notice that the adult moves toward the child–pushing the blocks to him and extending the blocs to him. Making no demands. When the child does something or vocalizes, the adult often imitates the child or imitates and adds something. When the child attempts to leave, the adult keeps him for one more turn than he wants to stay, then ends the activity. In the long run, this may work to extend the child’s attention span.
VARIATIONS
Take blocks in and out of a can or box. Trade blocks back and forth. "Steal" blocks from each others’ stack of blocks.
PLAY WITH OBJECTS: BLOCKS (EARLY VERBAL)
LESS LIKE THIS
Child: Takes blocks out of a box.
Adult: Hey, let’s build something together, okay?
Child: Okay.
Adult: How about a house?
Child: Okay.
Adult: I’ll start. I will put the floor down. (Rapidly shapes a floor out of about six blocks.) What do you want to do? How about the walls?
Child: Walls? (Takes a few blocks and holds them.)
Adult: Here, I will show you. (Takes blocks from the child and shapes the walls.)
AVOID THESE PROBLEMS
MISMATCHED CHILD BEHAVIOR AND COMMUNICATION; DIRECT, CONTROL, DOMINATE
The adult takes the lead in the talk and the action that surrounds the block-building activity. She communicates in long sentences, sometimes several in a row. Mismatching the child level of communication. The child responds only with single words. A similar pattern follows with action. The adult directs the child on what to build and how to do it. Mismatching the child’s abilities. In the end, she takes over the block building completely, leaving the child to observe.
MORE LIKE THIS
Child: Takes blocks out of box.
Adult: Hey, you got the blocks.
Child: Yeah, play. (Extends one to adult.)
Adult: Okay. (Takes the block and sets it on the floor.)
Child: Hey, let’s make a house. (Puts some more blocks around, trying to form a house.)
Adult: I will work on the house too!
Child: Looks good. (Add more blocks.)
Adult: It sure does. (Adds some blocks.)
TRY THESE STRATEGIES
MATCH CHILD BEHAVIOR AND COMMUNICATION; FOLLOW THE CHILD’S LEAD
The adult begins by commenting on an activity the child has picked out. The child enlists the adult as a partner in the house building. They exchange comments and actions, while building a partnership. The adult matches the child’s way of communicating, using phrases and sentences similar to the child’s. She communicates once and waits.
VARIATIONS
Use with any building activity. Legos, Lincoln Logs, Play Doh and other related activities. Do other activities with blocks like clapping them together or moving them from container to container.
PRETEND PLAY: DOLLHOUSE (PREVERBAL)
LESS LIKE THIS
Adult: I bought you this dollhouse so we can learn about all the words that go with the house.
Child: Busily gets out all of the pieces to the dollhouse and examines them.
Adult: Can you give me the bed? (Points to the object the child is holding.)
Child: Holds it back and shakes head "no".
Adult: Oh come on, let’s play together. (Makes a sad face.)
Child: Throws the pieces back into the house.
Adult: Can you tell Mom what this is? (Holds out a rocking chair to the child.)
Child: Keeps rummaging through the dollhouse and holding various pieces.
AVOID THESE PROBLEMS
DIRECTIVE STYLE, COMMUNICATING ABOVE CHILD’S LEVEL, TASK-ORIENTED ATTITUDE
The adult does not see how to combine learning and fun. The child is highly motivated to explore and play with the new toy. The mother is motivated to get her child to follow her directions during play. Lack of active togetherness along with a lack of playfulness present major problems in establishing a joint activity to meet both of their needs: play and learning.
MORE LIKE THIS
Adult: Sets dollhouse in the living room and waits for the child to come home from school and see it.
Child: (Comes in the room, notices the dollhouse.) Oh-oh.
Adult: Play. (Points back and forth between herself and the child, then sits beside her.)
Child: Throws all of the little pieces into the living room of the dollhouse.)
Adult: Away! (Motions with her hand to acknowledge her action.)
Child: Picks out the bed and presents it to mom.
Adult: Bed! (Takes it, looks at it, then puts it in the bedroom.)
Child: Be. (Takes another bed, and places it next to mom’s.)
Adult: (Puts a play person on the bed.) Nite-nite. (Holds her hands to her face.)
Child: Imitates mom’s action.
TRY THESE STRATEGIES
USING ACTIONS AS WELL AS WORDS TO COMMUNICATE, MATCHING CHILD BEHAVIOR, ALLOWING CHILD AN OPPORTUNITY TO INITIATE
The adult allows the child an opportunity to initiate interest in a new toy before joining the play She accepts her child’s action then models a behavior associated with dollhouse play. The child readily imitates the action then mom expands upon it by place a person in bed. The two establish a meaningful, joint activity routine from the basis of the child’s initial excitement.
VARIATIONS
Any similar play activity such as a play schoolhouse, picnic set, airport or garage.
PRETEND PLAY: DOLLHOUSE (VERBAL)
LESS LIKE THIS
Adult: (Stands over the child while he plays with a new dollhouse.) Well, you sure look like you are having fun.
Child: Ignores the adult’s remark and continues to play.
Adult: Can you tell Daddy what your man is doing?
Child: Driving into the garage. (He performs this action.)
Adult: That’s right, he is driving into the garage. Can you make a whole sentence now?
Child: Er, er, er. (makes funny noises to accompany his play with a play person on a bike.)
Adult: Use your words son. (He continues to stand over his child’s play on the floor.)
Child: Bike go. (Leaves the toy and goes to watch TV.)
AVOID THESE PROBLEMS
ACTION/TALK MISMATCH, FAILURE TO CREATE A SHARED, ENJOYABLE TOPIC, LITTLE TOPIC COHESION
The father tries to use this play time to find out what his son knows and get him to talk. He fails to join the activity and show his child that communicating together as you play together can be fun. The son finally leaves the new toy to go be by himself because of his father’s persistence at making the task academic.
MORE LIKE THIS
Adult: Sits next to the child as the child explores his new dollhouse.
Child: Drives a car into the garage.
Adult: (Puts a toy man onto a toy bike.) In we go. (He drives into the garage.)
Child: (Drives the car into the bike.) Out, out.
Adult: Bye-Bye. (Drives the bike away and laughs.)
Child: I get you. (Chases after the father’s bike.)
Adult: Help, you are too fast! (Runs the bike up the roof.)
Child: Oh no, too high! (Pretends he can’t reach.)
TRY THESE STRATEGIES
MODEL PLAY BEHAVIORS FOR THE CHILD, USE MESSAGES SIMILAR TO HIS, BE ANIMATED, USE WORDS THAT DESCRIBE THE ONGOING ACTION
This father creates a joint activity with his son by modeling messages the child can respond to in a conversational manner. He creates an atmosphere of fun, while the two of them bounce remarks back and forth during a pretend chase. The father sometimes follows the child’s lead and sometimes creates a lead of his own, modeling the give-and-take of a true conversation.
VARIATIONS
Any similar play activity such as a play school house, picnic set, airport, bus or garage.
PRETEND PLAY: TOY PHONE (PREVERBAL)
LESS LIKE THIS
Child: Bangs a toy phone around on the floor.
Adult: (Looks down at the child.) Hey, what do you have there? Who are you going to call?
Child: Continues to bang.
Adult: I think I’ll go call Grandma.
Child: Continues to bang.
Adult: Here is Grandma, want to talk to her? (Extends phone to child.)
Child: Takes phone from mom and bangs it.
AVOID THIS PROBLEM
LACK OF ACTIVE TOGETHERNESS
The adult and child in this example are not on the same wave-length. The child bans a phone around while the mother talks as though she things the child understand what phones are for. Then she goes off on her own topic, calling Grandma. The child then bangs that phone, lending further support to the notion that the child and adult are in different worlds.
MORE LIKE THIS
Child: Bangs a toy phone around on the floor.
Adult: (Kneels down by the child, extends hand for phone.) Me?
Child: Keeps banging.
Adult: (Takes phone from the child, puts it to his ear.) Hi! (Extends phone back to child.)
Child: Takes phone, holds it in front of himself.
Adult: Prompts the child to put it to his ear, then prompts the child to extend it to herself.
Child: Smiles at adult.
Adult: (Takes phone from child, puts it to her ear.) Hi!
Child: Reaches for phone.
Adult: (Gives phone to the child.) You. (Points to the child holding the phone.)
Child: (Puts phone to his ear.) Ah, ah.
TRY THESE STRATEGIES
MAINTAIN BALANCED TURN TAKING, PHYSICALLY PROMPT TURNS WHEN NECESSARY, MODEL MESSAGES AND BEHAVIOR FOR CHILD
The adult maintains and balances turn taking by attempting to model action for the child. When the child continues to bang, she prompts the child to do something more appropriate. On the next turn, she waits for the child to take any turn he can. The child holds the phone more appropriately on the next opportunity.
VARIATIONS
Use with any object the child does not know how to use appropriately.
PLAY WITH OBJECTS: TOY PHONE (EARLY VERBAL)
LESS LIKE THIS
Child: (Jabbers into the toy phone.) Aha ja ah ba.
Adult: (Extends hand to the child.) I want to talk.
Child: Talk, talk. (Gives the adult the phone.)
Adult: See how I talk into the phone? Hi Grandma, how are you doing today? Should we come over and see you? (Gives the child the phone.)
Child: You, you. (Talks into the phone.)
Adult: (Takes phone from the child.) See how I talk to Grandma, I say ‘how are you today’? Why don’t you try to say that? (Extends phone to the child.)
Child: That, that. (Talks into the phone.)
AVOID THESE PROBLEMS
DIRECT, CONTROL, DOMINATE
The adult and child maintain balanced turn taking with action yet the adult dominates the talking and tires to get the child to do things in a directive manner. The child attempts to communicate in sounds or imitations of the adult’s last words. Adult communication totally mismatches the child’s.
MORE LIKE THIS
Child: (Jabbers into the toy phone.) Ah ja ah ba.
Adult: (Extends hand to the child and points to self.) Me talk?
Child: (Gives the adult the phone.) Talk.
Adult: Talk to Grandma. (Talks into receiver.)
Child: (Gets the phone from the adult.) Grandma, Grandma.
Adult: (Takes phone from the child.) Grandma talk.
Child: (Holds fist to ear like a phone.) Talk Grandma, talk.
Adult: Grandma talk, Mommy talk. (Points to self.)
Child: (Takes phone.) Me talk.
TRY THESE STRATEGIES
MATCH CHILD COMMUNICATION, IMITATE AND EXPAND CHILD MESSAGES
The adult and child trade the phone and messages back and forth. The adult communicates in ways the child does and sometimes a step above, yet the child continues to imitate her last word. The adult continues by imitating and expanding the child’s messages. Finally, the child’s last remark is not a direct imitation.
VARIATIONS
Use with any object the child does not know how to use appropriately.
DAILY LIVING: EATING (PREVERBAL)
LESS LIKE THIS
Adult: Okay, let’s get you up in your highchair now. (Picks up the child from the floor, puts her in the chair.)
Child: Bangs her spoon on the highchair.
Adult: Give me that spoon. I need to feed you now. We don’t want germs all over it, do we honey? (Goes to the sink and washes the spoon.)
Child: (Watches and reaches for it.) Ah, ah, ah.
Adult: Open up wide, here comes some carrots. (Puts spoon near child’s mouth and attempts to prop it open with the tip of the spoon.)
Child: Looks at mom and smiles with a closed mouth.
Adult: Open honey. You are going to like this. (Smiles back at the child.)
Child: Takes the bite and spits part of it out.
Adult: Oh, what a big mess you made! (Takes a napkin and clean up the child’s face.
AVOID THESE PROBLEMS
DIRECTIVE, CONTROLLING, DOMINATING; LACK OF PLAYFULNESS
The adult talks and acts much more than the child and controls the course of the interaction. She concentrates on the utilitarian aspect of the situation. If the child was hungry, she might have gotten better results as well as providing a social and communication learning experience. Instead she attends to her own need to get a job done and keep things neat and clean.
MORE LIKE THIS
Adult: Places of bowl of carrots and a spoon on the highchair tray and one of each on the table near the child while the child watches. Then she waits.
Child: (Points to the highchair attempting to get mom’s attention.) Ah, ah.
Adult: (Outstretches her arms toward the child.) Up?
Child: Nods head, yes.
Adult: Mom places the child in the chair and holds out the spoon.
Child: Reaches for the spoon and takes it then puts it in the carrots and tries to feed herself.)
Adult: (Reaches for her own spoon and takes a bite of carrots.) Yum, yum.
Child: (Takes another bite.) Um.
TRY THESE STRATEGIES
MAINTAIN AND BALANCE TURN TAKING; WAIT, SIGNAL AND EXPECT, IMITATE AND ANIMATE
The adult sets up the situation so each can participate in the same activity. She then waits for the child to take the initiative. Both in requesting to get into the highchair as well as to hear. She imitates the child’s action, adding vocal animation. This seems to encourage the child to eat as well as communicate.
VARIATIONS
Having a snack, taking medicine, bottle feeding.
DAILY LIVING: EATING (VERBAL)
LESS LIKE THIS
Adult: Everyone is at the dinner table except you, Annie.
Child: Continues to play in the other room.
Adult: Don’t make me come and get you. (Walks into the other room to get Annie, picks her up, walks her to the kitchen and puts her in the chair in front of her prepared plate.)
Child: Yuck, I no like. (Pushes the plate away.)
Adult: Oh come on, eat a little something. Do it for Mommy, okay?
Child: No way. I no like.
Adult: You go to your room then. This is our dinner and I am not spoiling it.
Child: No, no. I want cookie.
Adult: Picks up Annie, takes her to her room.
AVOID THESE PROBLEMS
DIRECTIVE, CONTROLLING, DOMINATING, LACK OF ACTIVE TOGETHERNESS
The child has no control during the act of dinner. Her only way to assert herself and gain attention is to make a nuisance of herself by not coming to the kitchen and not eating dinner. Mom attends reactively to the negative aspects of the situation, rather than setting up a situation to guarantee success.
MORE LIKE THIS
Adult: Annie I need help! (Calling to another room.)
Child: I help! (Comes to the kitchen.)
Adult: Mom has everything on the table except spoons. She extends them to the child.
Child: I set table? (Takes the spoons and walks to the table and places one on each plate.)
Adult: Everyone, come to dinner!
Child: Dinner, dinner. (Calls too, with a note of importance.)
Adult: I love spaghetti. (Puts some on her plate.)
Child: Me too, me too! (reaches to get some herself.)
Adult: Assists her, covers Annie’s hand with her own.
Child: I got some! (Dives into her food.)
TRY THESE STRATEGIES
DIRECT CHILD EFFECTIVELY, MATCH CHILD BEHAVIOR
Here, mom still wants the child to eat dinner but she knows how to get what she wants through effective communication. First, she enlists the help of the child in setting the table and calling the family using comments rather than commands. Then she models enjoying the food which the child follows both behaviorally and conversationally.
VARIATIONS
Eating a snack, taking medicine
DAILY LIVING: BATH TIME (PREVERBAL)
LESS LIKE THIS
Adult: Honey, hold this toy while I wash you up, okay?
Child: Takes the toy and splashes it around.
Adult: (Tries to wash the child.) Don’t move around too much. Mommy can’t do a good job.
Child: Oo oo oo. (Pushes rubber duck through the water. )
Adult: You like your ducky, don’t you? (Keeps washing the child.)
Child: Keeps playing.
Adult: You can make him go, go, go can’t you? (Keeps washing.)
Child: Keeps playing.
AVOID THESE PROBLEMS
ADULT MISMATCHES CHILD, LACK OF ACTIVE TOGETHERNESS
The adult seems tuned to the child’s world but the child is not likely to perceive it. Mothers words are far above his level to use or perhaps even understand. Additionally, her actions do not relate to what she talks about; and action/talk mismatch.
MORE LIKE THIS
Adult: Ooo-washie-washie. (Washes the child’s back, then gives him the washcloth.)
Child: (Takes the washcloth and washes his little duck.) Wa-wa.
Adult: (Takes the cloth back.) Wash. (Washing her child’s face.)
Child: (Dunks the duck in the water.) Wa-wa.
Adult: (Imitates the child’s action on the duck.) Wash.
Child: Quack, quack. (Puts the duck up to his mother’s face.)
Adult: (Mom waves to the duck.) Hi, duck.
Child: (Waves to mom.) Aiya
Adult: (Waves to the child.) Hi you!
TRY THESE STRATEGIES
MATCH CHILD BEHAVIOR, IMITATE AND ANIMATE
Mom gets her child washed while providing him with some turn taking and communication training. They move from the topic of washing up to the social topic of saying "Hi" because the child takes the initiative. The mother follows his lead through imitation with expansion as well as animation. Despite the limited use of verbal communication, they conduct an animated social exchange without requiring the child’s use of words.
VARIATIONS
Washing up any time of the day or other related care taking routines.
DAILY LIVING: BATH TIME (VERBAL)
LESS LIKE THIS
Child: Play in bathtub, mom? (Gently touches her leg to get attention.)
Adult: I am watching television now. You don’t need a bath now. How about later?
Child: Me dirty. (Points to face.)
Adult: Okay, you sit here, I will run the tub.
Child: I run water. (Grabs at her skirt.)
Adult: You are too little.
Child: Beats mom upstairs, starts the water.
Adult: You wait for mom! (Runs after him.)
Child: (Sticks his head under faucet.) Hair wet! (Points to head.)
Adult: You make mom very angry!
AVOID THESE PROBLEMS
STRESSFUL OR TASK-ORIENTED ACTIVITIES; SPEECH USED MAINLY TO GET OR MANIPULATE
Each partner uses language to try to get his or her own needs met. Unfortunately, they are on different wave lengths. Mom attends more to the child’s negative behaviors than his eagerness to cooperate and takes away his motivation to be a part of things.
MORE LIKE THIS
Child: Play in tub now. (Touches mom to gain her attention from the television.)
Adult: Okay, bring me your town and pajamas first. (Hoping to stall until the end of her show.)
Child: (After being gone awhile.) Towel and pajamas. (Tosses each on mom’s lap.)
Adult: Up we go. (Takes the child by the hand as they mount the stairs together.)
Child: Water on now? (Points to the faucet.)
Adult: Okay, you start it. (Adjusts faucets a bit after the child starts them.)
Child: Shirt off, shoes off, socks off, pants off, underwear off. (Jumps in the tub.)
Adult: You do like your bath!
Child: I do, I do, I do.
TRY THESE STRATEGIES
SHIFT BALANCE OF POWER TO CHILD, USE ANIMATION
Mom gets both her own wishes and the child’s wishes met by giving him some responsibility in making bath time happen. She shows him her appreciation of his responsibility, using positive acknowledgment, "you do like your bath" instead of the tired old praise, "good job". This keeps the conversation going one more turn and boosts the child’s enthusiasm.
VARIATIONS
Washing hands or other care taking routines that involve cleaning.
DAILY LIVING: WATCHING TELEVISION (PREVERBAL)
LESS LIKE THIS
Adult: Here, Sesame Street is on, I want you to sit here and watch it. It’s fun!
Child: Sits down in front of the TV which has already been tuned to Sesame Street.
Adult: Have fun, I am going off to cook dinner now.
Child: Continues to watch the show.
Adult: I don’t hear you saying your numbers and letters. You know how to say them. Come on. Say them loud so I can hear you.
Child: Uh, uh, uh.
Adult: That’s a good girl.
AVOID THESE PROBLEMS
LOW PARTICIPATION BY CHILD, LACK OF ACTIVE TOGETHERNESS
The child passively responds to the mother’s wishes. She sits and watches TV and tires to imitate the numbers, but only at mom’s suggestion. Mom only communicates to get what she wants or to tell the child where she’s going. The two do not develop even a one-minute-lone routine together about the show. Instead, their contacts are dead-end and directive.
MORE LIKE THIS
Adult: TV time! (Mom calls to her child.)
Child: Comes to the room and up to mom who stands by the TV which is turned off.
Adult: Waits, points to the on/off knob with a questioning look.
Child: (Looks up to mom and points.) Uh, uh.
Adult: On? (Looks at the child questioningly.)
Child: (Nods head yes.) Ah.
Adult: Big Bird. (Points to him.)
Child: Nods head yes, points to another character and looks up at mom with a questioning facial expression.
Adult: Ernie! (Points to that character along with the child.)
Child: Ee ee. (Points repeatedly at Ernie.)
TRY THESE STRATEGIES
WAIT, SIGNAL, EXPECT; MATCH CHILD COMMUNICATION PROGRESSIVELY
Mom models communications at the child’s level, such as pointing (body movement) and facial expression (questioning look) that the child can imitate, along with other communications just slightly above the child’s ability to produce. Through matching and progressively matching she provides models of messages the child can either use of begin to understand. Waiting and signaling give the child time to actively participate in the interaction. Mom can still go cook dinner after she takes a few minutes to communicate with her child.
VARIATIONS
Use with any media such as video shows, movies, view-masters, photos.
DAILY LIVING: WATCHING TV (VERBAL)
LESS LIKE THIS
Adult: Hey, I want you to watch this show about animals. It can help you learn a lot of animal names.
Child: Amils, amils.
Adult" You know how to say that word better than that. Try again.
Child: Oh, teba run, look, look. (Points at mom excitedly.)
Adult: Try ZEEEEEBRA.
Child: Twy teba. I see wion, too. (Points back and forth between both.)
Adult: I think we better get out your animal flashcards instead. I am not sure you are learning anything from this. (Leaves to get the flashcards.)
AVOID THESE PROBLEMS
DIRECTIVE, CONTROLLING, DOMINATING; POOR CONVERSATIONS
The adult focuses too much on right and wrong pronunciation before the child has a real habit of talking about what he sees and sharing it with others. She does not build a conversation from his excited viewing of the show but shows a strong belief in the didactic, educational material approach over natural learning through conversation.
MORE LIKE THIS
Adult: Hey, look. (Calls to her child to come.)
Child: What? (Comes running to see what’s up.)
Adult: An animal show! (Points to the TV.)
Child: (Points to the TV.) I see teba.
Adult: Zebra goes fast! (Follows the running zebra with her finger.)
Child: Zeba and wion fast.
Adult" Run zebra, run.
Child: Wion no catch. (Looks at mom hopefully.)
Adult: Watch out zebra.
Child: Wion get you.
Adult: (Wipes her brow in relief.) Zebra’s safe.
Child: (Imitates sign of relief.) Zeba okay now.
TRY THESE STRATEGIES
MODEL BOTH VERBAL AND NONVERBAL MESSAGES FOR THE CHILD; RESPOND TO THE CHILD
Mom models nonverbal communication, correct articulation and new phrase structures for the child as they watch TV together and trade remarks about what they see. Their conversational exchange includes animation and excitement. The child shows an increased ability to use correct articulation and more complex phrases during the exchange. Mom responds with a model of an appropriate remark yet accepts anything back with the idea of keeping the conversation going so the child can make more attempts to communicate; thus having more chances to improve his social and communication skill.
VARIATIONS
Use with any media such as video shows, movies or view-masters.
HOUSE AND TRAVEL: PUTTING AWAY SILVERWARE (PREVERBAL)
LESS LIKE THIS
Adult: Come and help me with these dishes. (To the child who sits at the kitchen table watching.)
Child: Comes over to the adult at the sink.
Adult: Good boy, you came when I called you. (Pats the child on the head.)
Child: Keeps standing there rubbing his head.
Adult: Here, I will give you all of the spoons and you can put them in this slot with all of the other spoons, okay? (Gives five spoons to the child.)
Child: Stands there holding spoons.
Adult: Oh, I’d better open up the drawer for you, you are not too good at that yet, are you?
Child: Stand there watching adult open the drawer.
Adult: Put them right there, okay? (Points inside drawer.)
Child: Puts them all in at the same time and walks away.
AVOID THESE PROBLEMS
LOW PARTICIPATION BY CHILD, MISMATCH, DIRECTIVENESS, LIMITED GIVE-AND-TAKE STYLE
The adult treats the child as though he were helpless. In spite of her talk about "helping" she does almost all the work by selecting the task, giving the objects to the child and opening the drawer. The child actually does only one thing, putting the spoons in the drawer. The adult speaks in long sentences that for this preverbal child, do not provide models of messages he may be able to communicate one day.
MORE LIKE THIS
Adult: (Walks over to the child sitting at the kitchen table, extends hand and smiles.) Help me.
Child: Takes the adult’s hand smiles back and goes with her.
Adult: (Points to the silverware drawer.) Open.
Child: Oo, oo. (Opening the drawer.)
Adult: Tosses a fork in the proper slot.) Oo, fork.
Child: (Extends hand for a piece of silverware.) Oo, oo.
Adult: (Points to the silverware in the dishwasher, indicating the child can take one.) Spoon. (Pointing at one in particular.)
Child: (Takes it, puts it in the proper slot.)
Adult: (Points to self, indicating her turn.) Spoon. (Tossing it in.)
Child: (Takes out a fork and drops it in the slot.) Ah, ah.
Adult: (Takes a knife and drops it in the slot.) Knife.
TRY THESE STRATEGIES
WAIT, SIGNAL, EXPECT; ACT AS MUCH OR MORE THAN TALK
Here the adult attempts to create a playful partnership around a daily task, putting away the silverware. She progressively matches the child’s level of communication by using sounds and single words which the child either used himself or might soon be able to imitate. She uses actions the child can both follow as signals or imitate. Gradually the child become more independent at taking his turn without the adult signaling.
VARIATIONS
Putting away anything such as books, toys clothes. Similar strategies can be used in setting the table.
HOUSE AND TRAVEL: PUTTING AWAY SILVERWARE (VERBAL)
LESS LIKE THIS
Adult: Do you remember what your new chore is? (To child watching TV.)
Child: No chores - TV.
Adult: (Turns TV off.) Get to work young man.
Child: Folds arms across chest in an act of defiance.)
Adult" Come with me. (Physically pulls the child to the kitchen.)
Child: No knives, no knives.
Adult: Okay then, I will put the knives away and you watch. (Puts them away.)
Child: No spoons.
Adult: You will do the spoons. (Takes the child’s hand and puts the spoons in it, forces his hand to the drawer.)
Child: No way. (Pretends he didn’t take part at all.)
AVOID THESE PROBLEMS
STRESSFUL OR TASK ORIENTED ACTIVITY, RIGID ROLES RATHER THAN FLEXIBLE PARTNERSHIPS, RESTRICTED RANGE OF PRAGMATICS
The adult fails to gain the child’s cooperation by introducing the joint activity as work and interrupting the child’s activity without gaining his active attention. Her overuse of questions and commands set the child up to take a defiant rather than cooperative stand. The child demonstrates his use of the basic vocabulary involved but limits his range of pragmatics to protests.
MORE LIKE THIS
Child: (watching TV notices mom standing there.) Hi!
Adult: Hi, yourself kiddo. (Slightly waving.)
Child: You watch?
Adult: Later, can you help me now?
Child: I don’t want to.
Adult: One minute, then TV. (Holds up a finger to signify one.)
Child: Okay. (Reluctantly.)
Adult: Knife away. (Places knife in the slot.)
Child: Spoon away. (Places spoon in the slot.)
Adult: Fork in. (Places fork in the slot.)
Child: My fork in. (Places spoon in.)
Adult: Your spoon’s in. (Points and slightly teases.)
Child: Oh, yeah, spoon.
TRY THESE STRATEGIES
TALK ABOUT IMMEDIATE EXPERIENCES, USE ANIMATION, BUILD TOPIC WITH NEW IDEAS AND VOCABULARY RELATED TO CHILD’S LEVEL
This mother deals with objection to a task by indicating to the child that the task is short and he will soon get to do what he wants. Then she quickly makes the task fun to ensure his cooperation and continued interest. She uses vocabulary related to the task (knife, spoon, fork) and varies the action with words like "away" and "in" to show the child different types of messages he could be sending. She deals with correction simply by providing the correct label for spoon with expression to draw his attention. He reacts by self -correcting.
HOUSE AND TRAVEL: GROCERY SHOPPING (PREVERBAL)
LESS LIKE THIS
Child: Reaches for banana.
Adult: Play with your toy, not the banana. (Gives the child a stern look.)
Child: Tosses toy toward the bananas.
Adult: (Grabs toy out of bananas.) No, no. Don’t throw, play.
Child: Reaches for the oranges.
Adult: Oranges are not to play with.
Child: Ah, ah. (Continues to reach.)
Adult: These will go home to eat. (Puts oranges in the cart.)
AVOID THIS PROBLEM
ADULT DIRECTS, CONTROLS, DOMINATES
The adult attempts to gain the child’s cooperation through methods such as correction and instruction. The child may not understand her messages since they are far above the level he produces. On the other hand, he may be so focused on the activity of grocery shopping that the toy his mother brought for distraction does not do the trick. Mom may be better off following his lead as the mother does in the example to the right.
MORE LIKE THIS
Child: Reaches for a banana.
Adult: Yum, yum.
Child: Um, um. (Points to oranges.)
Adult: Oranges. (Hands one to the child.)
Child: Ooo, ooo. (Looking at the orange he is holding.)
Adult: In. (Points to shopping cart)
Child: Puts the orange in the cart.
Adult: More. (Gives the child two more, then points to cart again.)
Child: I. (Puts them in.)
TRY THESE STRATEGIES
WAIT, SIGNAL, EXPECT; MATCH CHILD
The adult builds a joint activity with the child working with his interest in the fruit, especially oranges. While she may not have time to build routines from all of the child’s interests during shopping when she does she takes time to wait and signal so the child can participate fully in the brief routine. The adult uses sounds, gestures and single words to communicate with this preverbal child. Matching in this way gives the child models of actions and messages he may be able to send himself someday.
VARIATIONS
Any other shopping events, fast food stands, drug stores, department stores and others.
HOUSE AND TRAVEL: GROCERY SHOPPING (EARLY VERBAL)
LESS LIKE THIS
Child: (Grabs a pack of gum from the rack near checkout lane.) Me gum.
Adult: No, we can’t buy that, gum isn’t good for you.
Child: Want gum. (Begins to cry.)
Adult: No, you can’t have it. (Grabs it away.)
Child" Cries, reaches toward the gum.
Adult: Ignores the child.
Child: Starts to kick along with the crying.
Adult: (Grabs the child’s feet.) No kicking.
AVOID THESE PROBLEMS
LOW PARTICIPATION BY CHILD, LACK OF ACTIVE TOGETHERNESS
The child passively responds to the mother’s wishes. She sits and watches TV and tires to imitate the numbers, but only at mom’s suggestion. Mom only communicates to get what she wants or to tell the child where she’s going. The two do not develop even a one-minute-lone routine together about the show. Instead, their contacts are dead-end and directive.
MORE LIKE THIS
Child: (Grabs a pack of gum from rack near checkout lane.) Me gum.
Adult: Okay. (Points to checkout table.)
Child: Puts gum there and begins to grab for more.
Adult: (Hands child a loaf of bread.) Help mommy.
Child: Eat bread. (Holds the loaf up.)
Adult: Buy bread first. (Points to the checkout table.)
Child: Okay. (Puts the loaf on the table.)
Adult: More groceries. (Hands the child a can.)
Child: More groceries. (Sets the can on the table.)
TRY THESE STRATEGIES
WAIT, SIGNAL, EXPECT; MATCH CHILD COMMUNICATION
This adult takes about 30 seconds to get the child involved in a helping routine that started out as a problem behavior involving the gum. Instead of correcting the child she gives him some responsibility without disrupting her goal of getting the groceries on the table. During the routine, she also provides messages related to the child’s and within the child’s ability to produce as well as understand.
VARIATIONS
Any other shopping events, fast food stands, drug stores department stores and others.
HOUSE AND TRAVEL: DOING THE WASH (PREVERBAL)
LESS LIKE THIS
Child: Sits on the floor while mom removes clothes from the dryer.
Adult: How you doing down there? I will be done with these clothes in a minute. (Removes clothes from the dryer.)
Child: Continues to sit and observe mom’s actions.
Adult: These are all your dirty clothes, and Daddy’s and mine, aren’t they?
Child: Nods head yes.
Adult: We are going to have clean clothes now. Isn’t that going to be nice?
Child: Nods head yes.
Adult: Now you can come upstairs and watch mommy fold the clothes and put them away. Won’t that be nice?
AVOID THIS PROBLEM
ADULT MISMATCHES CHILD’S BEHAVIOR AND COMMUNICATION
The adult talks to the child but does not establish a turn taking partnership with actions or words. The mismatch is evident in both behavior and communication. The child sits and observes. The adult asks the child questions that require only a head shake while she continues to work.
MORE LIKE THIS
Child: Sits on the floor while mom removes clothes from the dryer.
Adult: Help. (extends hand to the child, waits.)
Child: Reaches for mom’s hand and get up to help.
Adult: Out. (Takes towel out of dryer and puts it in the laundry basket, points to the child.)
Child: Reaches in the dryer, gets a towel.
Adult: Points to basket.
Child: Puts in towel.
Adult: Me! (Points to self and takes a turn removing a towel and putting it in the basket.)
Child: Points to self and takes a similar turn.
TRY THESE STRATEGIES
WAIT, SIGNAL, EXPECT; MATCH CHILD
The adult enlists the child as a partner in the laundry task. She waits for the child to take a turn each time she does something. Effective signals include extending her hand, pointing to the child, the laundry basket or herself. The child eventually models the signal for "me" when he points to himself. Mother’s actions and messages match behaviors the child can do.
VARIATIONS
Take turns with actions and messages while putting clothes in the washer, taken them out folding clothes or any was related activity.
HOUSE AND TRAVEL: DOING THE WASH (VERBAL)
LESS LIKE THIS
Adult: Let’s go downstairs and get the wash started.
Child: Wash hands? (Pretending to wash them.)
Adult: No, clothes washing. We need to do the wash.
Child: Starts to take off shirt.
Adult: No, you leave that shirt on, it is clean.
Child: Clean?
Adult: (Walks downstairs and gets the clothes near the washer.) Now, you put the clothes in the washer.
Child: Stands, looking back and forth between the clothes and the washer.
AVOID THIS PROBLEM
TALKS ABOVE CHILD’S LEVEL TO UNDERSTAND OR EXPRESS
The child appears cooperative enough but the adult communicates in such long sentences that the child become confused about what is going on. The child needs a here and now type of communication but the adult talks about things out of sight and never uses gestures to assist the child’s understanding. Their interaction looks more like a guessing game than a conversation.
MORE LIKE THIS
Adult: Dirty clothes downstairs. (Points to the basement.)
Child: Dirty clothes. (Points down.)
Adult: Let’s wash clothes. (Extends hand to the child on the way down.)
Child: Wash. (Joins mom.)
Adult: Clothes in the washer. (Puts in some clothes.)
Child: Clothes in. (Follows mother’s lead.)
Adult: More clothes to wash. (Puts in some more.)
Child: Yeah, more. (Does the same.)
TRY THESE STRATEGIES
PROGRESSIVELY MATCH CHILD’S COMMUNICATION, USE ACTION AS WELL AS WORDS TO COMMUNICATE
Here the adult communicates in phrases the child appears to understand and respond to . Her use of gestures and actions helps the child see her meaning. Their exchange of messages begins to have the flavor of a real conversation. They create a joint activity routine with both action and messages.
VARIATIONS
Taking turns with action and messages during any wash related activity like putting clothes away, folding them, taking them in or out of the washer or dryer.
MANAGING BEHAVIOR: FOLLOWING DIRECTIONS (PREVERBAL)
LESS LIKE THIS
Adult: Okay, I want you to start learning to do some jobs around here.
Child: Sits watching television.
Adult: Go take the garbage out for your mother.
Child: Keeps watching television.
Adult: (Goes and stand in front of the child.) Move it!
Child: Looks up at father with amazement.
Adult: Picks child up and carries him out to mother.
Child: Starts to cry.
Adult: This child needs to learn to follow directions.
Adult2: Not today, I have a headache.
Adult1: You are probably right. It is easier to do it myself.
AVOID THESE PROBLEMS
FAILING TO GAIN ATTENTION, COMMUNICATING FAR ABOVE THE CHILD’S LEVEL, DIRECTIVENESS, FAILING TO FOLLOW THROUGH
Dad fails to wait to get the child’s attention before he starts sending "directions". On many turns, he talks far above the child’s level. The first time he get the child’s attention he says, "move it" giving the child no clue as to what he wants. Both adults appear frustrated about gaining cooperation from this child, so they never follow through with their request. With a little planning, tears as well as father’s anger might have been avoided.
MORE LIKE THIS
Child: Sits watching television.
Adult: Hey, baseball. (Dad points to the game.)
Child: Child demonstrates a slow pitch and laughs.
Adult: Help me. (Dad stands, gestures for the child to join him, then waits.)
Child: Grabs father’s open hand and hops up.
Adult: Smiles at the child as they walk to the kitchen.
Child: Smiles back.
Adult: Garbage. (Gestures to the full can of garbage.)
Child: Looks at it.
Adult: Outside. (Gestures between the child, the garbage and the door.)
Child: Picks up the garbage and takes it outside.
TRY THESE STRATEGIES
COMMUNICATE CLOSE TO THE CHILD’S LEVEL, COMMUNICATE ONCE AND WAIT, WAIT SILENTLY WITH A SIGNAL, PHYSICALLY PROMPT IF NECESSARY
This father had practiced taking the garbage out with his son on many occasions. He knew his son knew the job. He had used vocabulary related to the job on these practice occasions. His child appeared to know "help" "garbage" and "outside" with the help of his father’s related signals and gestures. To gain his cooperation, the father joined the son’s television viewing first, then used signals like smiling and gesturing to get the boy to come with him and do the job. As time goes on, the father will want to do less gesturing and signaling to determine whether the child can follow directions on verbal cues alone.
VARIATIONS
Other household jobs such as getting the mail, putting away groceries, picking up a messy room, putting away toys, setting the table, clearing the dishes, watering houseplants, folding laundry, dusting, sweeping.
MANAGING BEHAVIOR: FOLLOWING DIRECTIONS (VERBAL)
LESS LIKE THIS
Child: Bursts in the door after school tosses coat on the floor, kicks off boots in the middle of the kitchen, open refrigerator door and gets some milk, open cupboard and gets some cookies, failing to close any doors.
Adult: (Comes in on this scene.) How many times have I told you to hang up your coat and keep your boots in the utility room? Any why are all of these cupboard doors open?
Child: Come on, I am hungry.
Adult: It takes no more time to do what I said to do than to make this mess. I want you to stop eating and do those little jobs first.
Child: What jobs? (Finishing his milk and cookies.)
Adult: The ones I just told you about. Go to your room.
Child: I was anyway. (Goes to room and plays with toys.)
Adult: Angrily completes jobs assigned to child.
AVOID THESE PROBLEMS
COMMUNICATING WITHOUT WAITING FOR A RESPONSE, COMMUNICATING WITH STRESS RATHER THAN PURPOSE
Mom talks a lot in this example but accomplishes none of her goals. She asks questions without waiting for a response and allows the child to keep eating in spite of her directions to stop and clean up. Finally she ends up doing the jobs herself, while the child uses his punishment time to play.
MORE LIKE THIS
Child: Bursts in the door after school tosses coat on the floor, kicks off boots in the middle of the kitchen, open refrigerator door and gets some milk, open cupboard and gets some cookies, failing to close any doors.
Adult: Comes in on this scene, removes cookies and mile from the table without a word and looks at the coat, boots, and open cupboard doors while waiting.
Child: (Looks quizzically at the adult.) What’s up?
Adult: (Looks over the three problem items again.) Jobs first, treats later.
Child: I am hungry.
Adult: (Looks over the problems again.) Better hurry then.
Child: Picks up coat and boots and closes the doors.
Adult: (Puts snack on table.) There you go.
Child: Thanks, mom.
Adult: I think I will have a snack too
TRY THESE STRATEGIES
COMMUNICATE ONCE CLOSE TO THE CHILD’S LEVEL AND WAIT, USE COMMENTS MORE THAN QUESTIONS OR COMMANDS
This adult relies on the rules she previously set out as well as primarily nonverbal behavior to get the child to comply. She responds with a related comment meant to show the child that he can have his snack when he complies with the rules. Once he does his part, she joins him for a social routine of sharing a snack.
VARIATIONS
Any household job such as putting away toys, doing dishes, fetching needed items for adults, setting the table, feeding pets.
ACADEMICS: TEACHING BODY PARTS (PREVERBAL)
LESS LIKE THIS
Adult: Let’s sit down together and see how well you are doing on your body parts, okay? (Leads the child to a chair across from hers.)
Child: Sits down and awaits instruction.
Adult: Show me your ears.
Child: Points to ears.
Adult: Very good. You know where your ears are, don’t you?
Child: Nods head yes and smiles.
Adult: Here is a baby doll. Can you touch the nose? (Holds out the doll toward the child.)
Child: Touches the doll’s nose.
Adult: Good job. Can you find her eyebrow?
Child: Touches her eye.
Adult: No, not her eye, her eyebrow. Try again.
Child: Looks quizzically at the adult.
Adult: That a rough one isn’t it? Here, I will show you here eyebrow. It’s right here. And here is mine. And here is your eyebrow. Now you touch the baby’s eyebrow.
Child: Touches it.
Adult: Much better. You got it right, didn’t you?
AVOID THESE PROBLEMS
LIMITED USE OF CHILDLIKE MOVEMENTS, DOMINATION OF ACTIVITY BY ONE PERSON, PASSIVE CHILD, DIRECTIVE AND CONTROLLING ADULT
The adult dominates the interaction, expects only nonverbal responses from the child and uses language far beyond the child’s ability to produce. The child is so compliant that it is difficult to tell if he has any ideas of his own. The adult focuses on right and wrong and is unable to create a joint learning and sharing experience.
VARIATIONS
Teaching any category of names such as animals, foods, clothing.
MORE LIKE THIS
Adult: Baby" (Holds a doll near the child, inviting him to come and explore it with her, then waits.)
Child: Comes over, picks the doll up by the arms.
Adult: Arms. (Hold her two arms out toward the child.)
Child: Gives the adult the doll.
Adult: (Looks back and forth between the child and the doll quizzically.) Nose?
Child: Touches the nose on the doll.
Adult: (Touches her own nose.) Nose.
Child: (Touches his own nose.) Oo.
Adult: Eyebrows. (Touching her own.)
Child: Imitates her.
Adult: (Gives the doll back to the child.) Ears.
Child: Holds the baby by her two ears and laughs.
Adult: Ears-eyes. (Touches each on the doll.)
Child: Imitates her.
Adult: Eyebrows? (Waits for child with doll extended.)
Child: Hey. (Touches the eyebrows on the doll and himself.)
Adult: Hey. (Touches her own eyebrows and laughs.)
Child: Laughs in response.
TRY THESE STRATEGIES
WAIT, SIGNAL, EXPECT; MATCH CHILD’S LEVEL OF COMMUNICATION, COMMENT AS OFTEN AS QUESTION OR COMMAND
The adult uses a question intonation to find out what the child knows yet keeps her communication at a level the child might soon be able to imitate. She intersperses comments among her questions so the child can freely reply at times with a gesture or sound of his own. When she knows he doesn’t know a body part such as "eyebrows" she give him the name of it then sees if he remembers it a few turns later. In this way, she decreases the likelihood that he will experience failure in the interaction.
ACADEMICS: TEACHING BODY PARTS (VERBAL)
LESS LIKE THIS
Adult: You sit here and I will sit here so we can see each other while we talk about our body parts.
Child: Sits down.
Adult: Show me all the parts of your face and tell me their names.
Child: This my ears. (Points to his ears.)
Adult: Yes, you are right. But they are not really on your face are they?
Child: Looks at adult quizzically.
Adult: They are on your head. What’s on your face?
Child: My nose? (Points to it.)
Adult: Yes that’s right.
Child: My eyes?
Adult: Yes, what’s over your eyes?
Child: I think….hair.
Adult: Right here. (Points to her eyebrows.) Try again.
Child: I think….eye hair.
Adult: No, we don’t call them eye hairs, we call them eyebrows.
AVOID THESE PROBLEMS
FOCUS ON RIGHT AND WRONG, ACTS MORE LIKE A TEACHER THAN A PARTNER, STRESSFUL OR TASK-ORIENTED ACTIVITY
This adult creates a fear of failure in the child by focusing on the "wrongness" versus the "rightness" of his response on the first turn. From then on he hesitates or asks a question for each of his responses. There is no playful spirit between the two. Instead, the adult gives each correct response a judgment such as "Yes that’s right" then moves right along to another question.
MORE LIKE THIS
Adult: I see your nose. (Playfully touches the child’s nose as he passes.)
Child: Me got your nose–beep beep. (Pretends to honk the adult’s nose.)
Adult: I don’t see your ears! (Holds hands up with an air of surprise.)
Child: They hiding under my hair. (Shows them by lifting up hair.)
Adult: Sure enough. (Covers the child’s head with a cloth.) What else is hiding?
Child: My whole face! (Pretends to struggle from under the cloth.)
Adult: What’s on your whole face? I don’t see anything. (Laughs to tantalize the child.)
Child: My mouth, my chin, my eyes and my eye hairs. (Lifts the cloth to point at each one.)
Adult: These we call eyebrows. (Points to her own.)
Child: They hairs. I feel them.
Adult: Eyebrows are made of hair. We call them eyebrows.
Child: (Laughs and points to them proudly.) Me got two eyebrows.
TRY THESE STRATEGIES
AVOID DISCOURAGING FEEDBACK, ACT AND COMMUNICATE CLOSE TO THE CHILD’S LEVEL, HAVE SOCIAL, FRIENDLY CONVERSATIONS WITH THE CHILD
The adult discovers what they child knows about the parts of his face through friendly banter. She uses comments more than questions or commands, then waits for the child to show what he knows in response. The adult provides corrective feedback by supplying the appropriate information without using the word "no" or other similar forms of discouraging feedback. The effect of such a combination of strategies helps the child learn rules of conversation along with the academic content that is a part of his lesson.
ACADEMICS: MATCHING (PREVERBAL)
LESS LIKE THIS
Adult: Go get your matching cards so we can work together.
Child: Brings cards to the adult.
Adult: Okay, I am going to spread them all around. Now I want you to find the thing that goes with the hammer I am holding here.
Child: Searches around for a card to match.
Adult: I know you know it but you are taking too long.
Child: Puts his arms over his chest to indicate frustration.
Adult: Oh, I will help you, it’s a nail. (Holds up picture of a nail, gives it to the child.)
Child: Puts the two together.
Adult: Now find what goes with the record I am holding here. (Holds up a picture of a record.)
Child: Finds the record player.
Adult: Good no put those together and se them down.
AVOID THESE PROBLEMS
LOW COMMUNICATIVE PARTICIPATION FROM THE CHILD
The adult in this example sets up the activity giving the child a passive role. The child’s low communicative participation results from the adult’s frustration with the child’s pace as well as the long sentences and constant chatter from the adult with no waiting.
MORE LIKE THIS
Adult: Let’s play match. (Points to the matching game.)
Child: Gets up brings it to the table and smiles.
Adult: (Opens the box, takes out a few cards and spreads them around.) Hey.
Child: Takes out a few cards and spreads them around.
Adult: Hammer…..(Searches for a match)……nail. (Points to the child to take a turn.)
Child: Claps, picks up the record cars, searches, finds record player.) Hey. (Points to the adult to take a turn.)
Adult: Pillow. (Searches around, shrugs shoulders, looks quizzically at the child, waits.)
Child: Looks at the cards too, picks up a picture of a bed, looks quizzically at the adult.)
Adult: All right! (Takes bed picture from the child.)
Child: Claps.
TRY THESE STRATEGIES
WAIT, MATCH CHILD BEHAVIOR AND COMMUNICATION, MAINTAIN AND BALANCE TURN TAKING
This adult forms a partnership with the child, taking equal turns matching the cards. The adult sends messages primarily with gestures, sounds and single words, matching the way the child communicates. The child communicates with gestures and sound in addition to taking turns on the activity with the adult. The adult sets up the situation so that the child can provide help on the last turn, shifting the balance of power to the child.
VARIATIONS
Use with any matching activity like Lotto, dominoes, color/shape sorting and matching tasks.
ACADEMICS: MATCHING (VERBAL)
LESS LIKE THIS
Child: Dominoes? (Approaches the adult holding a domino game.)
Adult: Spread out the dominoes and I will join you.
Child: Spreads them all around, chooses the double six to start out with.
Adult: Okay, I need a six, don’t I?
Child: Nods head yes.
Adult: Oh, I’ve got one here, I guess. (Puts the six next to the double six.)
Child: Looks around for a match..
Adult: What do you need?
Child: Four-six
Adult: That’s right, you need a four or a six.
AVOID THIS PROBLEM
CHILD’S LOW VERBAL OR PRAGMATIC SKILLS
The adult suppresses the child’s opportunities to communicate providing models of communication far above the child’s level to produce, so the child’s verbal and pragmatic skills appear limited. The child initiates the activity but once the adult joins, the child only answers adult question or responds to adult commands. In addition to these low pragmatic skills, the child does not appear to communicate much beyond the single word level.
MORE LIKE THIS
Child: Dominoes? (Holds out a domino game to the adult.)
Adult: I will play. (Points to self, smiles, joins the child and helps him set up the game.)
Child: Play dominoes. (Rubs hand together to indicate fun.)
Adult: I will match a six. (Does so.)
Child: I match four. (Does so.)
Adult: Waits, acts distracted.
Child: You play. (Points to the adult to take a turn.)
Adult: Okay, I will match four. (When there is no four to match.)
Child: Four? You need three. (Gives the adult a questioning look.)
TRY THESE STRATEGIES
WAIT, SIGNAL, EXPECT; MAINTAIN BALANCED CONVERSATION
The adult communicates and waits consistently so the child always has a turn to talk. She sends messages close to the child’s level that he can use as a model for subsequent messages of his own. She feigns distraction and confusion on two turns which prompt the child to use a variety of assertive pragmatics such as comments, questions and commands.
VARIATIONS
Use with Lotto games, color and shape matching and other games or activities based upon the principle of matching.
LITERACY BUILDING: WRITING OR DRAWING ON CHALKBOARDS (PREVERBAL)
LESS LIKE THIS
Adult: Let’s work on our shapes. (Extends chalk to the child.)
Child: (Throws himself on the floor.) Ah, ah.
Adult: You can work. Stop that. (Gives chalk to the child.)
Child: Throws chalk the adult gives him.
Adult: Here, I can work. I can draw a circle. (Draws one, extends the chalk to the child.)
Child: Puts a small mark on the board, wipes away tears.
Adult: That’s not a circle. You need to work harder.
Child: Throws himself back down again.
Adult: You can’t play all day. This is work time. Go to your corner until you straighten out.
AVOID THESE PROBLEMS
LACK OF PLAYFULNESS, MISMATCHED COMMUNICATION
The adult uses the word "work" and a negative attitude toward the child as her major way of making contact. Her lack of playfulness gets a negative reaction from the child. She sends messages far above the child’s ability to perform, mismatching him on every turn. Their interaction never really gets off the ground.
MORE LIKE THIS
Adult: Hey look. (Draws randomly on the chalkboard, extends the chalk to the child.)
Child: Ay, ay. (Picks up the adult’s excitement takes the chalk and makes a bunch of dots.)
Adult: Dot, dot, dot. (Dots the chalkboard.)
Child: Draws a long line and laughs, gives chalk back to the adult.)
Adult: Ooo–line, (Imitates the child’s line.)
Child: Ooo. (Draws a curvy line.)
Adult: Hey, circle. (Makes a circle.)
Child: Ay, ay. (Attempts a circle.)
Adult: Circles, circles. (Makes a series of circles.)
TRY THESE STRATEGIES
IMITATE AND ANIMATE; MATCH CHILD COMMUNICATION
The adult uses animation in her voice and action to show the child their "work" together can be fun. She imitates the child’s actions at the board, showing she values what he does. She models simple sounds, gestures and single words to match the child’s ways of communicating. They trade a single piece of chalk back and forth to create the partnership that results between them.
VARIATIONS
Try the technique with pencil and paper, crayons and coloring books, magic markers on any surface, magic slates and any other drawing activity.
LITERACY BUILDING: WRITING OR DRAWING ON CHALKBOARDS (EARLY VERBAL)
LESS LIKE THIS
Adult: Go get us some chalk so we can work on your letters. (Stand at the chalkboard, points her finger at the child, who is watching television.)
Child: No, I want TV.
Adult: You can’t watch TV all day long. Let’s do your school work, so we can have fun later.
Child: (Gets the chalk, walks with slouching shoulders to the adult.) Here. (Slams it in the adult’s fist.)
Adult: You better act nice, too. This is no fun for me either!
Child: Folds arms on chest, pouts.
Adult: Draw an "O", that’s one of your tougher letters.
Child: Draws sloppy "O".
Adult: Do it again. You can do better.
Child: No, leave me alone.
AVOID THESE PROBLEMS
MISMATCH CHILD COMMUNICATION; LACK OF PLAYFULNESS, DIRECTIVE CONTROLLING, DOMINATING
The adult shows the child that drawing on the chalkboard is painful rather than playful. She communicates in long, negative sounding sentences, mismatching the child’s communication. She does not take part in the action interaction. Instead she chooses to command the child about what to do then she evaluates his only attempt negatively. The child responds by withdrawing.
MORE LIKE THIS
Child: Watches Sesame Street as they work on letter activities.
Adult: (Waits for the show to end, extends her hand to the child.) That’s fun. Let’s make letters too!
Child: (Gets the chalk, comes over to the chalkboard.) Me first.
Adult: Hey, nice line. (Comments on the child’s line, draws one of her own.)
Child: Letter "I". (Draws his own letter "I".)
Adult: Now, letter "O". (Draws an "O".)
Child: That’s too hard. (Makes a bunch of random dots.)
Adult: (Makes a bunch of random dots then an "O".) Try that!
Child: (Imitates her.) Hey, I did it!
TRY THESE STRATEGIES
BE ANIMATED; DEVELOP VERBAL TOPICS
The adult wisely waits for the show to end then matches the child’s interest and communication to get him involved in a letter-making activity with her. The animation in her voice and actions win the child’s attention and cooperation. They build a topic around the letter making, commenting on each other’s as well as their own activity.
VARIATIONS
Use with pencil/paper, crayon/coloring book and other drawing activities.
ENVIRONMENTS: WATER PLAY (PREVERBAL)
LESS LIKE THIS
Adult: (Dips cup in water, then pours it out.) Oh, we are having fun playing with the water.
Child: Dips cup in water, imitates adult action.
Adult: Here’s a little boat, going chug, chug, chug. (Takes boat for a little ride, then passes it to the child.)
Child: Chugs boat along in the water.
Adult: This one is a wind-up toy. (Winds it up and lets it go toward the child.)
Child: Laughs and grabs the toy.
Adult: You got it and now it stopped.
AVOID THIS PROBLEM
MISMATCH CHILD COMMUNICATION
Here, the adult does m any things aimed at good communication with the child. Being animated, maintaining and balancing turn taking. However, her communication mismatches the child’s This may be one of the reasons the child communications to infrequently and in immature ways such as laughing or reaching. The adult communication includes no models of messages the child could begin to use himself.
MORE LIKE THIS
Adult: (Dips cup into water, pours it out.) Water.
Child: Imitates adult action.
Adult: Laughs.
Child: Laughs.
Adult: Laughs again, chugs boat along in the water.) Toot-toot.
Child: (Grabs boat.) Oo too.
Adult: (Takes a wind up toy , winds it up.) Go, go, go.
Child: Oo oo oo.
TRY THESE STRATEGIES
MATCH CHILD COMMUNICATION
The adult starts out using a single word to communicate. When the child doesn’t vocalize in any way, she tires laughing, which the child does imitate. Then she gradually moves up to sounds then single words. The child responds with similar sounds. As she matches the child’s communication, he begins to use his voice more.
VARIATIONS
Use at the pool, in the tub, at the sink, at a water table with water toys like boats and ducks and any kind of containers.
ENVIRONMENTS: WATER PLAY (VERBAL)
LESS LIKE THIS
Child: (Chugs a boat around in the water.) Toot, toot.
Adult: Toot, toot. Can you make your boat crash into mine?
Child: Yes, toot toot. (Crashes them together.)
Adult: Oh, your boat got my boat didn’t it?
Child: Yeah!
Adult: Now I am going to sink you boat. (Pours water on it so it will sink.)
Child: Pours water on the adult’s hand.
Adult: You got me didn’t you?
Child: Yeah.
AVOID THESE PROBLEMS
LOW PARTICIPATION BY CHILD, LACK OF ACTIVE TOGETHERNESS
The child passively responds to the mother’s wishes. She sits and watches TV and tires to imitate the numbers, but only at mom’s suggestion. Mom only communicates to get what she wants or to tell the child where she’s going. The two do not develop even a one-minute-lone routine together about the show. Instead, their contacts are dead-end and directive.
MORE LIKE THIS
Child: (Chugs a boat around in the water.) Toot, toot.
Adult: Toot, too, I am coming. (Puts here boat up near the child’s.)
Child: I gotcha. (Crashes boat into the adult’s boat.)
Adult: Gotcha in the back. (Crashes her boat into the child’s.)
Child: Front. (Crashes boat into front of the adult’s boat.)
Adult: Front and back, front and back. (Crashes boat in the front and the back.)
Child: I gotcha front. (Crashes boat into the adult’s front.)
TRY THESE STRATEGIES
IMITATE AND EXPAND CHILD MESSAGES
The adult maintains balanced turn taking with action and messages to establish a joint activity routine with the child. The adult imitates and expands upon the child’s messages in a way that keeps their messages linked into a conversation. They develop a topic together as well through the related exchange of messages.
VARIATIONS
Use at the pool, in the tub, at the sink, at a water table with water toys like boats and duck and any kind of container.
ENVIRONMENTS: AT THE PARK/TAKING A WALK (PREVERBAL)
LESS LIKE THIS
Adult: Let’s take a walk down this little trail.
Child: Rambles around in a circle.
Adult: Here, hold Daddy’s hand. (Extends his hand to the child.)
Child: Runs in the other direction.
Adult: Come back here. (Chases the child down the trail.)
Child: Turns and laughs at father.
Adult: (Catches up, picks up the child.) Don’t you run from me. Do you understand what I am saying?
Child: Wriggles around to get down.
AVOID THIS PROBLEM
LACK OF ACTIVE TOGETHERNESS
The father never really gets the child’s attention. Consequently, the two seem to be off in different directions. The child’s goal appears to be freedom to do whatever he wants. The father wants togetherness with his child but doesn’t seem to know how to achieve it.
MORE LIKE THIS
Adult: (Notices the child rambling around in a circle, stops him by putting his hands on the child’s shoulders and looks him in the eye.) Walk. (Points back and forth between himself and the child.)
Child: (Extends hand to father.) Oo, oo.
Adult: (Takes the child’s hand and leads him to a trail, points at a flower.) Ooo, ooo pretty.
Child: (Points at it too then points to a tree.) Ah ah.
Adult: Ah ah, tree. (Points at it too.)
Child: Sits down in the middle of the trail.
Adult: (Does the same.) Sit.
Child: (Laughs then gets up.) Hey. (Extends hand for dad.)
Adult: Hey, up. (Comes up with the child’s help.)
TRY THESE STRATEGIES
LIMIT DIRECTION, MATCH CHILD’S BEHAVIOR, IMITATE AND EXPAND CHILD’S MESSAGES
The father initiates the walk wisely making sure he gets the child’s attention before talking. As they walk along, he lets the child take the lead frequently matching his behavior more than directing the child’s behavior. He aims to get together with his child rather than getting his child to do things. He often imitates his child’s message and adds a word to it (imitate and expand) showing the child a more sophisticated way to send the message, yet maintaining an easy give and take.
VARIATIONS
Taking a walk anywhere, taking turns during other park activities like playing in sand or leaves, picking wildflowers together.
ENVIRONMENTS: AT THE PARK/TAKING A WALK (EARLY VERBAL)
LESS LIKE THIS
Adult: Can you tell me what this is? (Holds a leaf up to the child.)
Child: A leaf.
Adult: Very good, that’s right. Can you tell me what color these two leaves are?
Child: Yellow and green.
Adult: You are really getting good at your colors. Let me see if I can trick you on your numbers. How many veins do you see in this leaf?
Child: (Points at the veins as he counts.) One, two, three, four, five.
Adult: My goodness, you know a lot.
AVOID THESE PROBLEMS
LOW PARTICIPATION BY CHILD, LACK OF ACTIVE TOGETHERNESS
The child passively responds to the mother’s wishes. She sits and watches TV and tires to imitate the numbers, but only at mom’s suggestion. Mom only communicates to get what she wants or to tell the child where she’s going. The two do not develop even a one-minute-lone routine together about the show. Instead, their contacts are dead-end and directive.
MORE LIKE THIS
Adult: (Pushes the child into the leaves.) Leaves, leaves everywhere.
Child: (Falls into leaves.) Leaves on you.
Adult: I love leaves. (Brushes off leaves.)
Child: (Pulls the adult into the leaves.) I cover you up.
Adult: I am hiding in the leaves.
Child: You look like a leaf.
Adult: You look like a big leaf. (Puts a big leaf up to the child’s face.)
Child: You look like a red leaf. (Holds a red leaf up to the adult’s face.)
Adult: Leaves make good masks. (Holds up a leaf mask.)
Child: Peek-a-boo, I see you. (Pulls down his leaf mask.)
TRY THESE STRATEGIES
RESPOND TO THE CHILD; TAKE TURNS WITH ACTIONS AND MESSAGES
The child can learn how to have a conversation as well as another important idea, "parks can be fun". The adult allows the child to use some of his own ideas in the activity by responding to ideas the child introduces. At the same time, the adult also introduces ideas which the child responds to. The adult-child partnership includes taking turns with actions and messages.
VARIATIONS
Collect leaves together, rake leaves together or kick leaves back and forth while have a conversation about leaves.
