The Paths to Language: Knowing When To Teach What

Description

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Sima Gerber, PhD, CCC-SLP

The question of what to teach when to children with challenges in the development of speech, language, and/or communication can be complicated. However, with an understanding of how development typically proceeds, parents and professionals can determine what aspect of language acquisition should take center stage at a particular point in the child’s development and when to move on to other capacities. The best way to facilitate the child’s development of language, which is a symbolic system for communicating ideas and feelings, is knowing where the child is relative to engagement, intention, meaning, comprehension and production. Participates were given a list of questions to guide their thinking about each child and help them determine intervention priorities.