Is There a “Pre-Stage 1” of Gestalt Language Development?

We’re often asked what comes before Stage 1 of gestalt language development and how to best support gestalt language processors who are very young, minimally speaking, or non-speaking. The short answer is: there is no pre-Stage 1. If a child is a gestalt language processor, their language development begins at Stage 1, whether they are speaking, minimally speaking, or non-speaking. A child does not need to have clear, recognizable spoken gestalts to be considered in Stage 1. For some children, Stage 1 is simply harder for us as communication partners to identify.

There are also no prerequisite skills a child needs to demonstrate before we begin supporting them in Stage 1. We don’t need to wait for a child to develop joint attention, imitation, gestures, spoken words, or any other traditionally targeted skill before supporting their communication and language development.

A note about the term “preverbal”

The term “preverbal” has traditionally been used to describe the period before a child begins using spoken words. Imitation, joint attention, gestures, and vocalizations have also historically been described as “preverbal skills” or prerequisites to speech.

We know that joint attention, imitation, gestures, vocalizations, and other forms of communication may look different for neurodivergent children. Different does not mean less, and these skills should not need to look neurotypical before we recognize or respond to a child’s communication. A child does not need to master eye contact, joint attention, imitation, pointing, or other traditionally targeted “preverbal skills” before we begin supporting their language.

This is one reason we encourage moving away from the term “preverbal” and instead using more descriptive language such as speaking, minimally speaking, or non-speaking when appropriate. For gestalt language processors specifically, there isn’t a set of skills we need to build before Stage 1. We support Stage 1 from the beginning.

If there’s no pre-Stage 1, what is it?

It’s Stage 1! If a child is a gestalt language processor, they are in Stage 1 at the beginning of their language development, even if they are minimally speaking or non-speaking.

This is an important distinction because sometimes Stage 1 can be harder for us to identify when a child is not yet using clear, intelligible spoken language. We often think of Stage 1 delayed echolalia as recognizable scripts from a favorite show, phrases picked up from family members, or lines from songs and books. While Stage 1 can absolutely look like this, it doesn’t always.

For minimally speaking and non-speaking GLPs, their Stage 1 gestalts may be difficult for us to understand. We might hear intonationally defined strings of language, approximations of longer gestalts, melodies or parts of songs, or other language that is not yet intelligible to us. A child may also communicate using AAC.

This does not mean the child is somewhere before Stage 1. They are still in Stage 1. We may just have to do more detective work to identify what their Stage 1 communication looks and sounds like. Most importantly, we don’t wait until those gestalts become recognizable or intelligible before we begin supporting them.

Let’s review the stages of Gestalt Language Development

Stage 1: Whole Gestalts

At Stage 1, a gestalt language processor uses whole units of language that have been stored from meaningful experiences. These may come from people, media, songs, books, or everyday routines. Gestalts may sound like complete phrases or sentences, single-word gestalts, and/or intonationally defined strings of language.

Example: “There’s a monster at the end of the book!”

Stage 2: Mitigated Gestalts

At Stage 2, children begin breaking down, trimming, and recombining parts of their Stage 1 gestalts. They may mix and match pieces of previously stored language to create new combinations or shorten a larger gestalt.

Example #1: “There’s a monster” + “under there” = “There’s a monster under there.”

Example #2: “There’s a monster.”

Stage 3: Single Words and Two-Word Combinations

At Stage 3, children isolate words from their mitigated gestalts and begin combining individual words into new combinations.

Examples: “monster,” “scary monster,” “red monster”

Stages 4–6: Self-Generated Language and Grammar

Beginning in Stage 4, children begin combining individual words into original phrases and sentences using grammar. Stage 4 includes beginning grammar, while Stages 5 and 6 include increasingly advanced and complex grammar.

Examples: “The monster goed under” (Stage 4), “The monster can’t get out” (Stage 5), “Shouldn’t he have come out from under the bed by now?” (Stage 6).

What can Stage 1 look like when a child is minimally speaking or non-speaking?

Stage 1 can look different from child to child, and when a child has little or no intelligible spoken language, we may need to listen and observe more closely to recognize it. Here are some things you might notice:

• They can sing songs or melodies even though they use minimal spoken words. GLPs often tune into intonation, and a child may reproduce the melody or intonation of a song or phrase before the individual words are intelligible.

• They use single-word gestalts alongside longer unintelligible strings of language. A child may have some recognizable single words while also producing longer strings that we don’t yet understand. Their single words may also seem “stuck,” meaning they aren’t yet breaking them down and recombining them with other words.

• Their unintelligible language has rich or recognizable intonation. Listen to the whole string rather than focusing only on whether you can identify individual words. You may notice a consistent rhythm, melody, or intonation pattern that gives us clues that the child is communicating a longer unit of language.

• They may be communicating gestalts that we simply haven’t identified yet. This is where detective work becomes so important. A string that initially sounds unintelligible may begin to make sense once we recognize its source, context, or meaning.

• They may use AAC as part of their communication. Minimally speaking and non-speaking GLPs may also communicate through AAC. We can support Stage 1 both verbally and through AAC while continuing to provide access to a robust communication system.

• They may be especially drawn to certain parts of songs, videos, shows, books, or everyday routines. For example, a child might repeatedly listen to a song or replay a particular part of a video. Paying attention to these preferences may give us clues about the language and intonation that are meaningful to them.

The important thing to remember is that minimal spoken language does not place a GLP “before” Stage 1. It may simply make their Stage 1 communication harder for us to recognize.

How do we support very young, minimally speaking, and non-speaking Stage 1 GLPs?

1. Acknowledge their communication

Respond to what the child communicates, even when you aren’t sure exactly what they said. You might smile, nod, respond naturally, or repeat back what you hear when appropriate. We don’t need to understand every word before we acknowledge that the child is communicating.

Example:

Child: produces an unintelligible, intonationally rich string of language

Adult: nods and responds, “Yeah!”

2. Do the detective work

When you hear repeated strings of language that aren’t intelligible, get curious. What has the child been watching or listening to? What phrases do family members, teachers, or caregivers frequently use? Does the intonation remind you of a song, video, book, phrase, or familiar routine?

Sometimes what initially sounds unintelligible becomes much easier to understand once we figure out where it came from. Understanding the source can also give us valuable information about what that gestalt may mean to the child.

3. Provide access to robust AAC

There are no prerequisite skills for AAC. A child does not need to demonstrate a certain amount of spoken language, joint attention, imitation, or other skills before AAC can be considered. AAC can provide another meaningful way for a child to communicate while we continue supporting their language development, and introducing AAC does not prevent the development of spoken language.

4. Model new gestalts verbally and with AAC

Stage 1 GLPs need access to meaningful, useful gestalts that connect to what they are experiencing. Model language naturally during play, routines, and activities the child is already interested in rather than drilling isolated vocabulary or requiring imitation.

For AAC users, support should be individualized to the child and their AAC system. We can consider how meaningful gestalts can be supported within their system while maintaining access to robust language and considering the organization and motor planning of the individual AAC system.

5. Support them as the Stage 1 GLP they are

The foundational approach is the same for any Stage 1 gestalt language processor, whether their gestalts are completely intelligible, partially intelligible, or not yet intelligible to us. Follow their interests, join them in what they’re already doing, listen closely to their intonation, acknowledge their communication, and naturally model meaningful gestalts without expectation.

We don’t need to wait for more spoken words, clearer scripts, or a list of prerequisite skills before we begin. It all starts at Stage 1.

Want to learn more about supporting gestalt language processors?

There are many free podcasts, webinars, articles, and other resources available to help you continue learning. You can explore the comprehensive Research & Resources page on the Meaningful Speech website as well as resources from the Communication Development Center.

For a deeper dive, the Meaningful Speech Course covers gestalt language development, supporting GLPs through the stages, child-led therapy, and neurodiversity-affirming practices. Our AAC + Gestalt Language Processing Course focuses specifically on identifying, evaluating, and supporting gestalt language processors who use AAC or may benefit from AAC.

Families can also use the Meaningful Speech Registry to find speech-language pathologists who have completed Meaningful Speech training and support gestalt language processors using child-led approaches.