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Social Language

What does your child need to do to be a social talker?

FORM - HOW CHILD TALKS

1. Single words
2. Two to four word combinations
3. Sentences
4. Appropriate grammar
5. Strings sentences together
6. Dialog-back and forth
7. Monologue - one way.

CONTENT - WHAT CHILD TALKS ABOUT

1. Objects
2. Activities and events
3. People
4. Emotions
5. Concrete facts
6. Ideas (abstract)
7. Now
8. Past
9. Future

USE (PRAGMATICS) WHY CHILD TALKS

1. To initiate talk with people
2. To respond to others' talk
3. To get needs met. or help.
4. To get attention.
5. To self to accompany activity
6. To socially connect with others
7. To give information
8. To get information
9. To enjoy being with others
10. To show he is listening.

SPEECH CLARITY

1. Makes approximations to words
2. Individual words are clear
3. Strings of words are clear
4. Repeats when misunderstood
5. Imitates your speech with clearer speech
6. Makes up own words-jargon

APPROPRIATENESS OF TALKING

1. Relevant to situation
2. Responsive to what others say
3. Knows when to talk and when not to talk.
4. Waits his turn when others talk.
5. Talk fits emotionally to the situation.

POSSIBLE PROBLEMS

1. Bazaar or inappropriate talk.
2. Talk is off the topic
3. Interrupts others' talking
4. Rote or memorized talking.
5. Talks at more than with people.
6. Repeats words unnecessarily.
7. Unclear or mumbled talking
8. Self-centered talking
9. Short unelaborated talking.

WHAT YOU CAN DO TO HELP YOUR CHILD TALK SOCIALLY FIVE STRATEGIES

The following are ways to help your child become a habitual social talker.

1. The goal is not more language itself but more communicating with language.
2. Start with the strategies below that come most easily for you.
3. Try one or two as you play with your child, then watch how he responds.
4. Keep doing the ones that work with your child.
5. If certain ones seem uncomfortable, do not push yourself. There are many different ways to be effective.
6. Try new strategies when little is happening with your child.
7. Determine success by what results in more communicating.
8. The goal is for your child to talk more frequently and in new ways.
9. Be patient and feel energized by every new word. However small it seems, it is important for your child.

BE MATCHED

1. Communicate in ways your child can try to do.
2. Talk about what you child is immediately doing.
3. Act like a "living dictionary"; put a word on what your child sees and does.
4. Talk about your child's interests.
5. Avoid using more words than your child can say.
6. Talk not only to be understood but also to show your child what to say.
7. "Match up" by giving your child one or two more words to say.
8. Show child new words to say about current things he talks about.
9. Show child how to extend a topic
10. Show child how his words can become sentences.

BE RESPONSIVE

1. Understand that each of your child's actions can become a word.
2. Give your child a word for his actions and experience.
3. Treat your child's experiences as his most important first words.
4. Focus on teaching words for what your child already communicate nonverbally.
5. Translate your child's actions into words.
6. Translate your child's sounds into a word.
7. Respond more too positive than negative talking.
8. Avoid criticizing your child's language; show him what to say instead.
9. Respond to a word with a short sentence.
10. Return child to the topic when he strays.
11. Do not respond to inappropriate or undesired talk.

BE BALANCED AND RECIPROCAL

1. Say one thing then wait for child to respond.
2. Talk in a give and take turn taking style.
3. Wait with anticipation for child to respond.
4. Allow child to initiate talking; silent waiting helps.
5. Avoid dominating turns with child.
6. Prevent child from talking in monologues.
7. Make sure you and your child talk about the same topic.
8. Communicate more like a game of ping-pong than darts.

SHARE CONTROL

1. Follow your child's topic lead about half the time
2. Encourage your child to stay on your topic about half the time.
3. Keep your questions to less than 50% of your talking.
4. Keep directions and command to less than 50% of your talking.
5. Make more comments than questions and commands.
6. Silently prevent child from interrupting.
7. Discourage your child from dominating the talking.

BE EMOTIONALLY PLAYFUL

1. Play with words in enjoyable ways.
2. Make talking a part of your child's play.
3. Accept any words your child says without criticism.
4. Show child a new way to talk playfully.
5. Practice turn taking games with words.
6. Pretend play with words.
7. Make talking more like fun than a job.
8. Avoid pressuring child for a certain word.
9. Avoid making talking a test for your child.
10. Be animated in your talk.
11. Act out the words you use.

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