Re: How do I inspire language?????

Posted By A Son-Rise Message Board Participant on October 16, 1999 at 13:04:50:

In Reply to: How do I inspire language????? posted byKim Goodall on October 15, 1999 at 13:22:23:

What a great question for all of us to help with! I think we have all had to work with this issue.

We have always remebered to work within Nick's motivations. He is particularly motivated about things that he wants when I am with him, and since I am his parent I can make those decisions. I find I can really stretch the conversation by not giving an immediate answer to his wants, but to really stretch out the dialogue. When he uses screams or gestures, I ask him to use his words. When he tells me that he wants something, I ask him why. We have found that Nick has been able to greatly increase his vocabulary and sentence construction skills by answering questions that begin with why, what, where when or how. The natural tendency can be to ask questions that can be answered with one word, or yes or no.

One of the other things we remember is to give him lots of time to answer our questions. Even if he does not seem to be paying attention, he frequently is. If I give him ten seconds to answer, sometimes he does.

Another thing we did with Nick that greatly increased his expressive and receptive language skills as measured by speech therapists was to do the computer based speech therapy called FastForword. You can read about the program at http://www.scilearn.com/. Nick's language improved by two to three years with this program in 14 weeks of playing the games.

I agree with everything Kelly says, too.

I'd love to hear what others have done and found successful.

Doug
: Hi Guy's, here's a question for you all - I'd love some input on.
: Charlotte is classically autistic & was non-verbal when we first started our S-R programme 2 1/2 years ago. Now she has a vocabulary of 400+ words and two & three word sentences. I'm sooooo grateful for this & celebrate it daily, but I want more!!!!!!!
: Has anyone else been in my shoes? Does the sentences/questions just all of sudden come? Charlotte has the amazing ability to know exactly what I'm talking about lots of the time, she smiles/smirks etc, but rarely responds verbally - any suggestions?
: Thanks a bunch. Love Kimx

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• Re: Re: How do I inspire language????? Gaylen 01:30:00 10/20/99 (0)

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Subject: Re: Re: How do I inspire language?????

Comments:: What a great question for all of us to help with! I think we have all had to work with this issue. : We have always remebered to work within Nick's motivations. He is particularly motivated about things that he wants when I am with him, and since I am his parent I can make those decisions. I find I can really stretch the conversation by not giving an immediate answer to his wants, but to really stretch out the dialogue. When he uses screams or gestures, I ask him to use his words. When he tells me that he wants something, I ask him why. We have found that Nick has been able to greatly increase his vocabulary and sentence construction skills by answering questions that begin with why, what, where when or how. The natural tendency can be to ask questions that can be answered with one word, or yes or no. : One of the other things we remember is to give him lots of time to answer our questions. Even if he does not seem to be paying attention, he frequently is. If I give him ten seconds to answer, sometimes he does. : Another thing we did with Nick that greatly increased his expressive and receptive language skills as measured by speech therapists was to do the computer based speech therapy called FastForword. You can read about the program at http://www.scilearn.com/. Nick's language improved by two to three years with this program in 14 weeks of playing the games. : I agree with everything Kelly says, too. : I'd love to hear what others have done and found successful. : Doug : : Hi Guy's, here's a question for you all - I'd love some input on. : : Charlotte is classically autistic & was non-verbal when we first started our S-R programme 2 1/2 years ago. Now she has a vocabulary of 400+ words and two & three word sentences. I'm sooooo grateful for this & celebrate it daily, but I want more!!!!!!! : : Has anyone else been in my shoes? Does the sentences/questions just all of sudden come? Charlotte has the amazing ability to know exactly what I'm talking about lots of the time, she smiles/smirks etc, but rarely responds verbally - any suggestions? : : Thanks a bunch. Love Kimx