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Repetition helps children learn language. In fact, did you know that the average child needs 12-15 exposures before learning a new word, and that children with the learning differences need between 40-100 exposures before learning and remembering a new word? Everyday routines create the perfect opportunity to expose your child to a variety of vocabulary words and language concepts. A routine itself is built on the foundation of predictability; in that you complete the task th

When teaching children new skills, it is not unusual that they will initially require some support in the form of prompts and cues. Prompts can prove to be very effective to help reduce frustration, can ensure progress towards targeted goals, and provide support with difficult tasks to make the learning process easier. To learn more about the different types of prompts that are commonly used when teaching children, be sure to check out my previous blog, “ A Guide for Using Pr

Seeing your child reach their developmental milestones is a rewarding and exciting time for parents. But when they are slow to develop language, it can leave one feeling worried and wondering what to do. This often can lead to pressure, not just pressure we as parents put on ourselves, but also pressure that we place on our child by asking too many questions or telling them to say specific words. Unfortunately, these techniques do very little to kindle the language learning f

Is your child or client a late talker? Do you need to increase their vocabulary? There are a lot of effective and evidence-based strategies that you can use to help build vocabulary. Once a child learns verbal imitation, you can start offering verbal choices throughout an activity or even throughout the day to expand your child’s vocabulary. For example, during bubble play if you want to expand your child’s language to include attributes, you could ask, “Do you want big bub

Young children who have deficits in communication and language skills are not only at risk for academic failure but are also at risk for experiencing “failure” socially, for developing dysfunctional relationships with peers and family members, and for developing behavioral problems. There is evidence that naturalistic teaching, such as milieu teaching, supports both the acquisition and generalization of communication and language skills in young children (Kaiser & Hester, 199