Language Development
FEATS TechniquesResponding To “Wh” Questions
“Who, What, Where, When, & Why” “Wh” questions include: What,...
Understanding “Long” and “Short”
“The Long And The Short Of It” Select 2 of the same items that are...
Understanding Quantity Concepts
“Less Is Less” & “More Is More” This technique can be used when...
Going To Specific Rooms On Request
“Navigating Home-Sweet-Home” Take your child on a “tour” of the house. ...
Understanding Groups
“Like Two Peas In A Pod” Your child’s ability to group is very important...
Understanding Differences
“The Same, But Only Different” Talk about how objects are the same and...
Understanding “Big” And “Little”
“Jumbo Shrimp?” Help your child locate items around the house and...
Distinguishing Part/Whole relationships
“The Whole Is More Than The Sum Of Its Parts” Verbalize to your child as...
Understanding And Labeling Actions/Verbs
“Actions Speak Louder Than Words” (But Words Describe Actions) Verbs are...
Understanding And Labeling Colors
“Color My World” Start with primary colors (e.g., Red, Orange, Yellow,...
Understanding (And Describing) The Function Of Objects
“Finding Purpose” One of the first object associations children make is...
Locations
“Where Is It?” The words that define relationships in space are called...
Responding to Yes/No Questions (using words or gestures)
“Don’t Make Me Guess, Is It No Or Yes?” During your child’s play...
Identifying Body Parts
“Know Thyself” Play fun, interactive games with your child while pointing...
Sharing Attention with Adults
“Sharing Is Caring” “Plug In” and go along with what your child is...
Increasing Vocabulary
“Talkin’ Up A Storm” Children learn to understand word labels when they...
Attending to Music
“Music Soothes Savage Beasts (Including Kids)” “Let go” while playing...
Localizing Sounds
“Where Is That Noise Coming From?” Children often search for a sound...
Responding to Sound
“Did You Hear Something?” When a child focuses their attention on a sound...
Responding To “No”
“I Said No!” Firmly say “No” when your child is touching or doing...
Using Objects Appropriately
“Hey, What’s This For?” Normal daily routines allow many opportunities to...
Imitating Then Initiating Waving
Imitating Then Initiating Waving “Ride The Wave (Then Make Waves)” Hellos...
Responding to Gestures
“Born To Hand Jive Baby” Your child learns new skills by observing others...
Following 3-Step Directions
“1, 2 Buckle Your Shoe, (Then Put On Your Coat, and Finally, Go Fly A...
Following 2-Step Related Directions
“One, Two, Buckle Your Shoe (Then Put On Your Coat)” Once your child has...
Following 1 Step Directions
“Take (and follow) One Step At a Time” Include your child in daily...
Giving an Explanation Using “Because”
“Because I Said So!” Engage your child in conversations frequently...
Using Comparatives
“I Know I Shouldn’t Compare, BUT…” Collect objects, pictures, toys, etc....
Answering “Why Questions”
“But Why??????” Explain to your child why we do things (e.g., why we eat,...
Descriptive Words
“When The Moon Hits The Sky Like A Big Pizza Pie…” Use descriptive words...
Using Plurals
“Have Any? How Many?” Approach your child with multiple objects that are...
Using Quantity Words
“Quantum Leap” Present your child with multiple objects at one time....
Possession & Possessives
“Yours, Mine & Ours” Ask your child questions throughout the day...
Adding the “ING” Word-Ending
“Now You’re Talk-ING” Talk to your child about daily experiences and...
Engaging in Brief Conversation
“The Art of Conversation: Con (meaning with) Verse (as in poetry)” Give...
Recalling Past Events
“I Remember When . . . ” Provide your child with meaningful,...
Telling Experiences
“And Then What Happened?” Talk to your child about day to day...
Verbalizing Along with Story Telling
“Tell Me A Story” Read your child books over and over again. Leave out...
Using Irregular Past Tense
“It’s in the Past” Elicit the use of past tense by asking your child...
Emotion Words
“Speak Your Heart” Label emotions as they relate to various situations....
Prepositions
“Which Way Is Up?” During play activities, place your child’s blocks on...
Saying First and Last Name
“Name, Rank, and Cereal Number” Talk on the play telephone with...
Naming Categories
“Name Calling” Organize your child’s toys into categories by placing them...
Narrating Play
“This is Howard Cossell, Welcome to the Wide World of Play” Encourage...
Pronouns
“And You Are?” Use proper nouns and pronouns when looking at photographs...
Asking Simple Questions/Using A Rising Intonation
“There Is No Such Thing As A Stupid Question” Ask your child questions...
Greetings
“That’s A Fine How-Do-Ya-Do!” During the course of your child’s day, wave...
“NO” means “NO” and “YES” means “GO”
Learning Yes and No: Use simple and consistent words. Follow your own...
“Karaoke”
Interjecting Words with Intonations to Sing Familiar Songs: Recite your...
Use Finger Play “Choreography”
(No stretching necessary) Children naturally love music. It is a very...
“Mirror, Mirror on the wall, Help me talk as I grow tall!”
Use MIRRORS: Children enjoy looking at their reflection in the...
“Lights, camera, TALK!”
Use a video camera during play activities, then watch your child “light...
Use PICTURES: “Picture This”
When looking at books with your child, talk bout what’s on the page and...
Use “OPEN” QUESTIONS
Don’t let the cat get your child’s tongue If you don’t ask, he won’t...
“THIS” IS A “MISS”: Fully Label Choices
By giving your child the chance to make choices you are creating an...
Set Challenging Expectations
“What do you expect?” Set unrealistic expectations and your child may...
Echo-Expansion Modeling
“You could say that again (and then some)” A technique known...
Use of Praise and Positive Reinforcement
Praising your child for something he has said or done will build...
Articulation: Miss-Pronounced & Mr. E
It is often a Mystery (Mr. “E”) why children Mispronounce (“Miss...
Use “STALKING TALKING”
Your child is touching, seeing and walking; Describe it and you are...
“Don’t Balk at Self-Talk”
Announce what you see, do, feel and hear, use “Parent-ese” when your...
“PARENTESE” & the K.I.S.S. Principle
Keep It Simple Simon Talking to your child will help increase his...
Look to the “BOOK HOOK”
Reading is an interactive based activity where one creates meaning and/or...
Play “Dumb”
Delay your response to your child’s gestures A child’s first words are...
“LEARNING by EARNING” (Not anticipating what your child wants)
If money grew on trees would you be motivated to work as hard as you do...
Jargon Interjected With True Words
“And If That Mocking Bird Don’t Sing, Mama’s Gonna Get a Baby-Talk...
Animal Sounds
“Animal House” Animal sounds are often easiest for children to make...
Recurrence
“Can I Have Some? Can I Have Some? Can I Have Some?” The word more is a...
Pointing
“Use Your Pointer, Sister” Pointing is the most basic and simplest means...
Referring To Self By Name
“Speak Up And Be Heard” Children use the name you choose for them for...
Word Approximations
“Mama Baba” Early on, children become aware that their voices and sounds...
Shaking The Head “No” & Saying “No”
The “No” Way The word no indicates refusal, rejection or disapproval ...
Reaching To Be Picked Up
“Reach For The Sky” Gestures are an important means of nonverbal...
Vocalizing When Spoken To
“Are You Talking To Me?” Establish and maintain eye contact when talking...
Vocalizing For Attention
“Hey, Over Here!” During infancy, children coo and then begin to vocalize...
Recognizing Different Cries
“Waa Or Waaaa?” From a very early age, children have a distinguishable...
Laughing Out Loud
“Baby You’re A Laugh Riot” Language occurs gradually through interaction...
Repetitive Sound Strings
“Baby, that was so nice, please, please say that twice!” Once vocal play...
Vocal Play
Givin’ & Takin’; Takin’ & Givin’ From birth, your child is...
Recognizing the Names of Others
“And you are…?” Use your child’s name frequently while making eye contact...
Increasing Responsiveness to Name
“Hey, Look at me when I call you!” Call your child’s name frequently as...