Supporting Language Comprehension at Home

Speech-Language Pathologists (SLPs) make a distinction between receptive language (i.e., your understanding) and expressive language (i.e., how you communicate your wants/needs). Children who have a communication delay/disorder often have difficulties in both areas. While an SLP can work with your child to improve their comprehension and expression, time spent in sessions is limited. Children spend much more time at home, interacting with caregivers. This is why caregivers are in the best position to support their children’s communication development in daily interactions. In fact, research has shown that when parents implement language intervention strategies with their children, it can significantly help their children’s receptive and expressive language skills (Roberts & Kaiser, 2011; Rakap & Rakap, 2014).

Some signs that your child may have receptive language difficulties include not following instructions, not answering questions, repeating what was just said to them (immediate echolalia), seeming to daydream or ignore you when you talk to them, and getting anxious/frustrated with changes in routine or transitions (Timms, 2023). No matter how your child communicates, there are several strategies families can use to support their child’s language comprehension.

Attention and Engagement

Joint attention and engagement are fundamental skills for communication. Joint attention is when you and your child focus on the same thing and share information about it together (such as pointing to something interesting). Joint engagement involves you and your child staying connected for longer periods of time while sharing attention on the same thing (Shih et al., 2021). These skills can be thought of as “building blocks” of language development because if your child is not able to attend to what you’re trying to show them, it will be hard to get your message across. Before trying to teach your child new words or concepts, you may need to help them strengthen their joint attention/engagement skills. Here are some ways you can help your child develop joint attention (Lowry, 2022; Timms, 2023):

  • Follow your child’s lead. Watch, listen and wait, noticing what they are already interested in. Once you know what has captured their attention, you can join in and start communicating.
  • Get on your child’s level – placing yourself at the same height as your child, face-to-face. This makes it easier for your child to attend to you and focus on what you’re doing when you are right in front of them.
  • Comment on what your child is doing. Whenever something interesting happens in your day, point it out to your child, giving them the opportunity to share engagement with you.
  • Create opportunities for surprise throughout the day. When interacting with your child, do something unexpected and silly and wait for their reaction (e.g., place a toy on your head, give your child a fork when they need a spoon, etc.).

Simplifying Language 

When speaking to your child with receptive language difficulties, it is important to simplify your own language. Try to use short but complete sentences, staying one step above your child’s current level of expressive communication (Surrey Place, 2022). For example, instead of saying, “Do you want to eat a snack?” you might say, “Want a snack?” or “Let’s eat”. This can help your child focus on the most important information without having to pull it out of a long string of words. You can also speak more slowly/purposefully, emphasizing important words with your voice. Once you’ve given your child a single instruction or piece of information, wait for them to respond before you say more. Children with receptive language difficulties may need more time to process speech.

Using Visual Supports

Children with receptive language difficulties may learn/understand better when verbal language is paired with visual support. This can include using gestures, sign language, objects and/or pictures to supplement your speech. Common gestures you can use include pointing, nodding/shaking your head, shrugging, clapping, waving and more. Try pairing functional, frequently used words with sign language (e.g., ‘eat’, ‘go’, ‘stop’, ‘more’, ‘help’ etc.). Showing your child an object related to what you want them to do can also help them understand what you are saying. For example, if you’re getting ready to go outside, you might show your child their shoes or their jacket. If it’s time for dinner, you might show them their plate or bib. Alternatively, you might show your child photos of these items while giving them the instructions verbally.

There are several different types of visual supports you can use to supplement verbal language. These include a core board, visual schedule, task strip, choice board and more. If you are working with an SLP, they can help you implement these supports at home in a way that works for your family. There are also many free resources and examples of these tools online. All of these visual supports are also helpful when trying to teach your child a new word/concept.

Repetition

Children need to hear new words several times before they fully understand the meaning. When teaching your child a new word, try to create multiple opportunities in different contexts to show your child how the word is used and what it means. It is often helpful to repeat instructions to your child, even if you also use simple language and visual supports.

Gestalt Language Processors 

Some children learn language in “chunks” rather than starting with individual words. These language chunks are also known as scripts or gestalts, and children who learn language this way are referred to as gestalt language processors (GLP). This type of language learning is common in autistic children, but any child can be a GLP. Children who are GLPs typically repeat language they’ve heard elsewhere, from other people or from media. This is called delayed echolalia. If your child is a GLP, you may hear them using long, strings of speech that mimic the intonation of adult speech but are difficult to understand/don’t use words we can understand. You may also hear them repeat a word or a line from their favourite movie or TV show, even if it does not seem to make sense in context. Although some GLPs appear to have very strong expressive language skills, they may still have gaps in their receptive understanding. Gestalt language processors’ language skills may change when they are dysregulated. That is, when they have too much or too little sensory input (i.e., light, sound, smells, movement, etc.) that makes it difficult to manage their feelings (Petix, 2022). Like most people, if your child is a GLP, they must be regulated in order to learn language. GLPs are also driven by intrinsic (internal) motivation (Meaningful Speech, 2023). Sometimes, they may not follow instructions because they aren’t motivated by what they are being asked to do, rather than because they don’t understand what you are asking. SLPs typically focus more on receptive language goals in later stages of gestalt language development (such as answering questions). However, since receptive and expressive language are so closely tied, both skills are targeted in language interventions.

No matter your child’s communication style, there are many factors to consider when supporting their understanding. Remember, language is most meaningful when we are comfortable and engaged, and when what is being said is matched by our environment. Your ACT SLPs will be happy to help you, and your child, to find the supports that will best help them to understand (and to express!) new concepts.

References

Roberts, M., & Kaiser, A. (2011). The Effectiveness of Parent-Implemented Language Intervention: A Meta-Analysis. American Journal of Speech-Language Pathology, 20, 180–199.

Rakap, S. & Rakap, S. (2014). Parent-implemented naturalistic language interventions for young children with disabilities: A systematic review of single-subject experimental designs. Educational Research Review, 13, 35-51.

Timms, N. (2023, March 14). Receptive language difficulties – Resource Library – Sheffield Children’s NHS Foundation Trust. Resource Library – Sheffield Children’s NHS Foundation Trust. https://library.sheffieldchildrens.nhs.uk/receptive-language-difficulties/#cmtoc_anchor_id_5

‌ Shih, W., Shire, S., Chang, Y.-C., & Kasari, C. (2021, October). Joint engagement is a potential mechanism leading to increased initiations of joint attention and downstream effects on language: Jasper early intervention for children with ASD. Journal of child psychology and psychiatry, and allied disciplines.

Lowry, L. (2022, February 10). Paying attention to children’s joint attention. The Hanen Centre – Paying Attention to Children’s Joint Attention. https://www.hanen.org/information-tips/paying-attention-to-childrens-joint-attention

Ways to support your child’s communication development. Surrey Place. (2022, March 31). https://www.surreyplace.ca/resources/ways-to-support-your-childs-communication-development/#use-simple-language

Meaningful Speech. (2023, April 12). Receptive language and Gestalt Language Development. Meaningful Speech – Echolalia Education – Gestalt Language Processing. https://www.meaningfulspeech.com/blog/receptive-language-and-GLP

Petix, L. (2022, October 6). Sensory dysregulation: What it is and how to help –. The OT Butterfly | Official Website. https://theotbutterfly.com/dysregulation/sensory-processing/