4 Small Shifts To Better Support Gestalt Language Development

If you're supporting a child who is a gestalt language processor (GLP), you may find yourself wondering what to say, how to respond or how to best support their language development.

The good news is that you don't need special scripts or perfectly planned activities to best support them. Some of the most meaningful opportunities for language development happen during everyday interactions, whether you're playing with Play-Doh, building with blocks, taking a walk, or sharing a snack together.

Here are four simple shifts that can help support gestalt language development while fostering connection, communication, and trust.

1. Acknowledge all communication.

All communication deserves to be acknowledged, even when you don't immediately understand the meaning behind it. This includes echolalia, AAC, gestures, body language, facial expressions and spoken language. By acknowledging communication, you're showing the child that their message matters and that you're listening. You might smile, nod, say "yeah" or "okay," repeat what they said, or simply respond warmly and attentively.

For example, a child says:

"Peas and carrots!"

You may not know exactly what they mean yet, but you can still acknowledge their communication by repeating it back:

"Peas and carrots!"

The goal isn't to immediately understand every message. The goal is to let the child know they've been heard.

2. Become a communication detective.

Many gestalts have personal meaning that is connected to experiences, emotions, people, places, or activities.

Because of this, a child's language may not always seem obvious or literal to communication partners. What sounds out of context to us often makes perfect sense to the child.

Instead of assuming a script is random or meaningless, get curious.

Ask yourself:

• What is happening right now?

• When have I heard this gestalt before?

• What emotion might the child be expressing?

• What experience could this language be connected to?

For example, a child says:

"I'm swimming."

While it may sound unrelated to the current situation, you may discover that the child uses this gestalt when they feel uncomfortable, overwhelmed, or ready to leave an activity because of a previous experience associated with swimming when they heard this phrase.

When we approach communication with curiosity, we often uncover meaningful messages that might otherwise be missed.

3. Create opportunities for communication without pressure.

Many of us are used to asking questions as a form of connection and interaction. However, gestalt language processors in the early stages aren’t ready for questions. Try using declarative language instead. Comment, narrate, and pause. Using declarative language will provide more natural language models for the child. Once a gestalt language processor is in Stages 4+, self-generating phrases and sentences, their responses to questions are more reliable.

For example, during a Play-Doh activity, instead of asking:

"What color is that?"

You might comment:

"That's so pretty!"

or

"We're making a big one!"

These types of models can create opportunities for connection and language opportunities without placing demands.

4. Model language from the child's perspective.

Gestalt language processors acquire language in chunks and use language exactly as they originally heard it. Because of this, we want to model language from the child's perspective or from a shared perspective.

For example, instead of saying:

"You did it!"

you might model:

"I did it!"

or

"We did it!"

Want to Learn More About Gestalt Language Development?

1. There are many free podcasts, webinars and articles to get you started. A comprehensive list of resources can also be found on our website.
2. We have a 54-minute FREE masterclass on echolalia and child-led therapy that is perfect for anyone starting their learning journey or on the fence about purchasing our courses! 
3. Consider taking the Meaningful Speech course to learn more about how your child or client processes language, how you can help support them from echolalia to self-generated (original flexible) language, child-led therapy, and neurodiversity-affirming practices. Looking for something shorter? We have a 1-hour introductory course perfect for extended family, daycare or school staff.
4. Consider taking our AAC + Gestalt Language Processing course. It will teach you how to identify, evaluate and support gestalt language processors who use AAC or who you think might benefit from AAC.
5. Look for a speech-language pathologist (SLP) who "gets it" and can help you in supporting your child's language development. Check out our registry for SLPs who understand gestalt language processing and child-led therapy.