Communication swaps to support understanding at home.
Did you know kiddos with communication disorders have a slower processing time when compared to their same age peers? When a person already has difficulty with communication, it can be easy to forget that comprehension is part of communication. If a person isn’t comprehending what’s being told or asked, they will have a much more difficult time participating in that interaction. There are so many ways we can adapt our own language to support understanding. Here are the 4 I recommend the most-
Turning demands into questions when “no” is not an acceptable answer.
This is the one I see the most. It’s one I’m guilty of myself! If you want a child to do something (for example, clean up their toys) you should always frame it like a demand…because it is one! If we ask the question
“can you go clean up your toys?”
rather than make the statement
“go clean up your toys”
this direction can be perceived as a genuine question, and they might say no! I see often see this with my clients on the spectrum (literal thinking is so common). Try to remember to say what you mean so there’s no confusion.
Asking open-ended questions.
Another one that’s super common. We’ve all had the same conversation before…
“how was your day?”
“…fine”
Now what? Not only do open ended questions not guide the conversation anywhere, recall (bringing a past event to your mind) can be tricky for many kids with communication disorders! Instead, try guiding them with specific questions such as
“did you read any books today?”
“did you play inside or outside today?”
Being specific about what you are asking or providing answer choices can really assist when they are recalling information. It helps them know exactly what they are “looking for” instead of trying to sort through all of their memories from the day.
Giving vague directions with no steps
This is one I think a lot of people don’t think about. For someone who struggles with communication, some directions contain way more steps than you’d think. For example
“go get ready”
feels really straight forward, right? But what steps really go into “getting ready?” For your average kiddo, this usually includes grabbing your backpack, putting on shoes and socks, getting any items they may need, etc. instead of telling them to get ready, tell them what steps to complete
“go put on your coat and shoes, and grab your backpack”
This is a much clearer direction, and can be broken up even further if your kiddo does better with one step at a time (as many do!)
Asking too many questions at once
Another very common one. When you’re trying to get as much out of a communicative interaction as possible, it can be easy to slip into “quiz mode.” While asking about your child’s day, it can sometimes look like
“How was your day? Was it fun? Did you have a good lunch?”
This can feel totally overwhelming and very difficult to answer. It doesn’t leave them with much room to process and find the words they want to use. It can make them feel rushed, which in turn makes it so much harder to access the language they know. Instead, try asking one question at a time, giving sufficient wait time (5-10 seconds).
If you find yourself reading this and going “oh no, I do all of these!” don’t worry! It’s so so so common, and even SLP’s forget and do these things. Treat this like a guide of things to enhance your conversations, but don’t panic if you forget sometimes. We’re all human!