Empowering non-speaking children: the power of AAC Core Boards

ByLondon Speech and Feeding
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Communication is the essence of human interaction, allowing us to express thoughts, feelings, wants and needs. For non-speaking children and their families finding an avenue to communicate effectively can be a really challenging journey.

Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) offers a solution: with AAC Core Boards as a powerful ally and tool to empower and express more than requests: ideas, comments, surprise and delight, as well as saying no to something! Very important!

“AAC is a set of tools and strategies that an individual uses to solve every day communicative challenges. Communication can take many forms such as: speech, a shared glance, text, gestures, facial expressions, touch, sign language, symbols, pictures, and speech-generating devices” (RCSLT, 2023) to name just some.

AAC Core Boards are a powerful tool to empower non-speakers to express ideas. In this blog, we’ll explore the significance of AAC Core Boards and how they can unlock the world of communication for non-speaking children.

Let’s discover and understand AAC Core Boards

Firstly, let’s look at what a Core Board looks like…

AAC Coreboards
Credit: Saltillo Word Power

Why not have a go and download your own copy (and other boards) for free on the Saltillo Word Power website.

AAC Core Boards are a specific type of AAC system that employs a grid-style board. This grid contains a set of core vocabulary words or symbols, which serve as a foundation for all communicative functions (e.g., initiating, greeting, requesting, negating, commenting, asking a question, and expressing surprise).

These boards incorporate high-frequency (most used) and versatile words. They enable us to construct sentences, express emotions, and take part in conversations, fostering a sense of independence and autonomy. By enabling communication, we also remove some of the frustration (from not being able to communicate) which contributes/or often leads to behavioural difficulties.

Building literacy skills

AAC Core Boards are not only tools for immediate communication. They also play a pivotal role in language and literacy development. By using these boards, non-verbal children engage with words and symbols. It reinforces their understanding of language structure and grammar.

As they consistently play with and then use their boards, they naturally absorb language patterns, laying the foundation for improved literacy skills. This immersive learning experience paves the way for future language acquisition and communication growth.

Customisation for individual needs

Every child is unique, and their communication needs can vary significantly. AAC Core Boards are designed with this diversity in mind, allowing for customisation to suit individual preferences and abilities. The boards can be adapted to include specific vocabulary relevant to a child’s daily life, interests, and activities. This personalisation ensures that the AAC Core Board is a true reflection of your child’s personality and needs, making communication more motivating, engaging and effective.

Collaboration between AAC Core Boards and Speech Therapy

AAC Core Boards are an excellent tool but we need to know one important aspect: they only work well when used regularly by the child’s family and key people in the first place.

The board needs to be used and modelled by adults consistently and regularly across environments. This is so our children know what to expect, take an interest and begin to use the boards themselves. Modelling the use of AAC Core boards is vital. Think how long it typically takes for a child to learn their first word. Around a year! During that time the adults talk constantly to their child without hesitation or expectation! The same goes for introducing this new way of communicating.

Collaborating with your child’s Speech and Language Therapist (SLT) ensures that your child receives the right guidance in using the AAC system. SLTs can assess your child’s communication abilities, recommend appropriate boards and provide guidance on how to best put them in place, so that your child can reach their communicative potential.

For non-speaking children, AAC Core Boards are more than just tools. They are bridges to a world of communication, connection, and empowerment. These boards harness the power of visual communication, foster language development, social interaction, and personal expression. They can be tailored to individual needs with the support of skilled professionals. AAC Core Boards offer a beacon of hope, helping to break through communication barriers and thrive in a world that is waiting to hear your child’s voice.

For answers to your questions and to explore the most effective support for your child, feel free to contact us.

Find a speech and language therapist for your child in London. Are you concerned about your child’s speech, feeding or communication skills and don’t know where to turn? Please contact me and we can discuss how I can help you or visit my services page.

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    How can I incorporate AAC into my speech therapy sessions?

    ByLondon Speech and Feeding

    Many parents are surprised when I bring AAC into a session, especially if they’ve come to see me primarily for speech sound work.

    They might wonder: ‘If we’re working on pronunciation, why are we using a communication device?’

    The simple answer is this: speech therapy is about communication first, and speech sounds second. Supporting a child’s ability to express themselves clearly and confidently is always the priority, and AAC can be a powerful tool alongside spoken speech.

    What do we mean by AAC?

    AAC stands for Augmentative and Alternative Communication.

    This can include:

    • A speech-generating device (such as LAMP Words for Life or GRID as I used in the photo below)
    • A communication app on a tablet
    • A symbol board or communication book
    • Gestures, signs, or visual supports

    AAC does not replace speech. Instead, it supports language development, reduces frustration, and builds communication success while speech skills are developing.

    Pretend Play using Speech and AAC in my clinic room

    But I mainly work on speech sounds… So how does AAC fit?

    Most of the children I see are working on:

    • Articulation difficulties
    • Phonological delay
    • Motor planning challenges (including apraxia/dyspraxia)
    • Unclear speech affecting confidence

    For these children, AAC isn’t a separate therapy. It’s simply woven naturally into what we are already doing.

    If a child brings their device to sessions, I actively include it. If they don’t yet use AAC but could benefit from visual or symbolic support, I may introduce simple options within activities.

    Using AAC to support speech practice

    Let’s say we are working on early speech targets like: ‘GO’.

    We might practise:

    • Saying the word verbally
    • Listening for the target sound
    • Using play (TOY TRAIN GOING ROUND A TRACK)

    Now we can extend this using AAC.

    On the device or communication board, we might model: ‘LET’S GO’ or ‘IT’s GOING up the hill’.

    This allows the child to:

    • Practise their speech sound target
    • Build a simple sentence
    • Experience successful communication even if speech is not fully clear yet

    All responses are valid and supported.

    AAC helps children communicate more than they can say

    Many children can understand and think in longer phrases than they can physically say.

    For example:

    • A child who verbally says single words may build longer phrases on AAC.
    • A child who struggles to plan speech movements may use AAC to communicate smoothly while still practising verbal attempts.
    • A child who becomes frustrated when misunderstood gains a reliable backup system.

    Rather than slowing speech progress, AAC often:

    • Reduces communication pressure
    • Increases participation in therapy
    • Encourages more attempts at speech
    • Supports language growth

    When children feel understood, they usually become more motivated to try speaking.

    There are no ‘prerequisites’ for AAC

    One of the biggest myths I hear is: ‘My child isn’t ready for AAC yet.’

    In reality, children do not need to:

    • Reach a certain speech level
    • Use pictures first
    • Prove they understand everything
    • Show immediate interest

    Instead, we presume competence and introduce AAC in meaningful, playful ways.

    That means:

    • Modelling words while blowing bubbles
    • Commenting during playdough activities
    • Choosing words during games
    • Building simple phrases in shared reading

    AAC should never feel like extra ‘work’. It’s simply another way to join in communication.

    My goal is always the same: to help each child communicate as clearly, confidently, and successfully as possible, using every helpful tool available.

    If your child uses AAC (or might benefit from it)

     Please feel free to:

    • Bring the device to sessions
    • Show me how your child currently uses it
    • Share advice from school or other therapists

    I am very happy to incorporate AAC into our work together so that speech practice, language development, and real communication all move forward hand-in-hand. Because ultimately, therapy isn’t just about producing perfect sounds. It’s about helping your child be heard and understood.

    If you’d like support or advice, please contact me and I can help guide the next steps.

    Sonja McGeachie

    Highly Specialist Speech and Language Therapist

    Owner of The London Speech and Feeding Practice.

      Health Professions Council registered
      Royal College of Speech & Language Therapists Member
      Member of ASLTIP

      Find a speech and language therapist for your child in London. Are you concerned about your child’s speech, feeding or communication skills and don’t know where to turn? Please contact me and we can discuss how I can help you or visit my services page.

      3
    • · ·

      Why ‘Prosody’ Matters in Childhood Apraxia of Speech (CAS)

      ByLondon Speech and Feeding

      Prosody refers to the ‘music’ of speech — the rhythm, pitch, stress, and volume that convey meaning and emotion beyond the literal words themselves. Think about a monotone statement like ‘Really?’ compared to one with a rising inflection, expressing genuine curiosity.

      When I work with children on producing speech sound sequences, we focus on mastering individual sounds and then putting them together into target words. A crucial element that can significantly impact a child’s speech production is ‘prosody’.

      In CAS, where the difficulty lies in planning and executing the motor movements for speech, prosody can be a powerful tool for producing clearer words and phrases.

      Here’s why working on prosody is an essential tool in CAS speech therapy:

      1.  It aids Motor Learning:

      Apraxia of Speech means that the planning and execution of speech movements are impaired. When we use exaggerated intonation or stress patterns while modelling words, we are providing additional prosodic variation and, therefore, additional auditory cues. These cues often help my student to carry out the correct motor movements for a word or syllable sequence.

      For instance, I might say ‘ball’ with a high-pitched emphasis on the ‘b’ sound. This auditory cue might be more effective in guiding the child’s tongue placement than simply repeating the word without variation.

      In this little video clip I get my student to say the word ‘snuggle’ (since we were working on that particular sound sequence: snuggle, snout, snore and sneeze) with a high voice and then a lower voice ‘like a bear’ — again it provides that extra auditory cue, but, in addition, the fun aspect also helps to take away the intense focus on a tricky movement pattern.

      By now the new pathways have been laid through repeated practice and now automaticity takes over and without too much effort my student can suddenly produce a motor pattern. It’s magical when it happens and gives me such a thrill.

      2. It makes speech more engaging and natural sounding:

      Children with CAS often sound robotic or flat due to challenges with prosodic elements. By incorporating variations in pitch, volume, and rhythm during therapy, we can help achieve a more natural flow of speech

      3. It makes it easier to express our emotions:

      Children with CAS often struggle to express themselves emotionally; partly through the difficulty of producing clear words — period, but also in addition due to the difficulties or absence of musicality and rhythm in their speech.

      Therefore, it is so important to incorporate activities focused on practising different emotions with varied intonation patterns. This can really empower our students to put emotions into their words.

      Good words to practise are fun words like ‘Wow!’ or ‘Yeiih’ or power words and phrases like ‘No!’ or ‘Gimme that’ etc.

      Making Therapy Fun and Engaging:

      Speech therapy for CAS doesn’t have to be all drills and exercises (though to be fair sometimes we can’t quite get round to making each and every word huge fun though we try…).

      I aim to make all my sessions fun and have intrinsic rewards built into the speech practice where possible.

      Home practice tips:

      Therapy shouldn’t exist in a bubble. Working on prosody during sessions is crucial, but it’s equally important to integrate these skills into everyday interactions. Parents and caregivers can model appropriate prosody during playtime, story time, or even simple conversations. This consistent reinforcement helps our children to generalise their newfound skills and use them naturally in their daily lives.

      • Sing songs and rhymes: Songs naturally incorporate variations in pitch and rhythm. Singing familiar songs and creating silly rhymes can be a delightful way to practise prosody.
      • Use puppets and toys: Assign different voices and personalities to puppets or toys. This encourages children to experiment with pitch and volume to differentiate characters.
      • Read aloud with enthusiasm: Model expressive reading, varying your voice for different characters and emphasising key words. This makes reading time engaging and helps children understand the power of prosody.

      Please feel free to contact me if your child has speech sound difficulties. It is my passion. I love supporting children with apraxia.

      Sonja McGeachie

      Early Intervention Speech and Language Therapist

      Feeding and Dysphagia (Swallowing) Specialist The London Speech and Feeding Practice

      The London Speech and Feeding Practice

      Find a speech and language therapist for your child in London. Are you concerned about your child’s speech, feeding or communication skills and don’t know where to turn? Please contact me and we can discuss how I can help you or visit my services page.

      1
    • · · · ·

      Let’s ditch the ‘Fix-It’ approach to autistic play and stimming

      ByLondon Speech and Feeding
      Let’s ditch the 'Fix-It' approach to autistic play and stimming

      December is often presented as a time of perfect, reciprocal play. Children are supposed to be unwrapping toys, sharing, and engaging in imaginative scenarios with family. But for parents of young autistic children, this high-pressure, socially demanding period can often feel like a battleground.

      If you’ve been told to interrupt your child’s stimming, push for eye contact, or force them to play ‘functionally’ with toys, it’s time to take a deep breath. Those traditional approaches are not only stressful—they often miss the point of your child’s communication.

      As a neurodiversity-affirming Speech and Language Therapist, I want to encourage you this December: You are allowed to follow your child’s lead, validate his or her unique interests, and trust that his or her play and movement are profoundly meaningful.

      1. Stimming: not a distraction, but a regulator 💡

      Stimming is short for self-stimulatory behaviour and includes repetitive movements or sounds like hand flapping, humming, rocking, finger flicking, or repeating phrases (called echolalia).

      For years, parents were incorrectly advised to block or eliminate these behaviours. The neurodiversity-affirming view tells us the exact opposite: Stimming is a vital and essential tool for your child’s self-regulation.

      Think of stimming as an internal volume dial:

      • Too loud/overwhelmed: Your child may stim to reduce incoming sensory input (e.g., rocking to ground himself or herself in a busy room).
      • Too quiet/under-stimulated: Your child may stim to increase sensory input and focus (e.g., running back and forth to maintain alertness).

      The shift: validate, don’t block

      Instead of saying, ‘Stop flapping your hands’, try to understand the message behind the movement.

      • Observe: When does the stimming happen? Is it before a meltdown? When your child excited? When your child is bored?
      • Validate: Name the need, not just the behaviour. You might say, ‘I see your body needs to move fast right now. That helps you calm down!’
      • Co-regulate: If the stim is unsafe (e.g., head-banging), help your child find a safer, alternative stim that meets the same sensory need (e.g., pushing hard against a wall, squeezing a stress ball).

      By validating your child’s need to regulate, you are building trust, reducing anxiety, and teaching him or her critical self-awareness.

      2. Autistic play: Meaningful, even if it’s monologue

      The traditional idea of ‘good play’ often involves turn-taking, pretending, and specific toy functions (e.g., pushing a train around a track). When an autistic child spends 30 minutes lining up cars, spinning their wheels, or scripting whole scenes from a favourite movie, it can often be dismissed as non-functional or repetitive.

      In neurodiversity-affirming practice, we recognise that autistic play is authentic play. These activities are crucial for learning, deep focus, and imaginative development.

      • Lining up toys may be an exploration of patterns, visual organisation, and order.
      • Spinning wheels may be a deep interest in cause-and-effect and visual sensory input.
      • Scripting is often a way to process language, regulate emotions, and practise complex social situations in a safe, controlled way.

      Make a change: Join your child’s world, don’t drag them to yours.

      Stop trying to force the ‘right’ way to play. Instead, try these neuro-affirming strategies:

      1. Be a co-regulator, not a director: If your child is lining up cars, sit down next to him or her. Instead of moving a car, try handing him or her another car to line up. Focus on the shared interest rather than forcing interaction.
      2. Narrate (don’t question): Avoid constantly asking, ‘What are you doing?’ or ‘What does this car say?’ This puts pressure on your child to perform. Instead, narrate your observations using his or her interest: ‘I see you made a long, straight line of red cars. Look at all the wheels spinning!’
      3. Validate the interest: Show genuine appreciation for your child’s focus. ‘Wow, you know so much about how magnets stick together! That’s incredible.’

      3. The communication revolution: Honouring gestalt language processing 

      Many young autistic children communicate in ways that don’t fit the traditional model of building language word-by-word. Many use Gestalt Language Processing (GLP).

      A gestalt language processor learns language in chunks or scripts (e.g., ‘what’s-in-there?’ or ‘ready-go!’). These chunks (or gestalts) are not random; they are often tied to an emotional memory or meaning. Over time, the child breaks down these big chunks into individual words then learns to recombine those words creatively.

      If your child repeats movie phrases or whole sentences that seem unrelated, he or she is likely a gestalt language processor!

      Affirm the script, then model something useful.

      1. Affirm the script: When your child says a script, respond to the meaning or emotion behind it, not the literal words. If he or she says, ‘We’re going to need a bigger boat’, and he or she is looking at a messy toy pile, he or she may be trying to express overwhelm or a need for help. You can affirm: ‘That pile is too big! I can help you move it.’
      2. Model new ‘mix and match’ scripts: To help your child move from whole scripts to single words, you can model shorter, slightly changed versions of the script, also called ‘mitigated gestalts’. If they say, ‘I want to go home now’, you might model, ‘Let’s go home, now’ or ‘I wanna go home’.

      By honouring your child’s communication style, you validate his or her experience and naturally support his or her path to language development—a core part of neurodiversity-affirming SLT.

      Your December gift to your little one:

      This December, stop trying to make your child fit into a neurotypical box. Instead, make your home a safe space where he or she can be his or her authentic selves.

      Prioritise regulation and connection over compliance.

      Trust that when your child is regulated, his or her communication, learning, and engagement will flourish naturally. This is the true gift of neurodiversity-affirming practice.

      Download and print my neuro-affirming quick reference guide and keep this guide handy on your fridge and/or in your child’s play area for a quick reminder to prioritise connection over conformity.

      Sonja McGeachie

      Highly Specialist Speech and Language Therapist

      Owner of The London Speech and Feeding Practice.

      Health Professions Council registered
      Royal College of Speech & Language Therapists Member
      Member of ASLTIP

      Find a speech and language therapist for your child in London. Are you concerned about your child’s speech, feeding or communication skills and don’t know where to turn? Please contact me and we can discuss how I can help you or visit my services page.

      2
    • · ·

      Strategies to support children with eating difficulties

      ByLondon Speech and Feeding

      where the cause is NOT a swallowing problem, but we are having a “fussy eater” in the family, seeming for no obvious reason

      When parents have a child who find mealtimes or eating difficult, it can put pressure on the whole family dynamics. Once we have observed a child’s eating and drinking skills and found that they are not swallowing impaired, but are for want of a better word “fussy” or “picky”, we can then start to look at what might be underpinning the food aversions/picky eating/food avoidance. Two of the main questions parents have (of course) are:

      • ‘is my child getting the right nutrition?’
      • ‘how can I have less anxiety-provoking and stressful mealtimes?’

      We all tend to have an image in our minds about the ‘perfect mealtime’, and how mealtimes ‘should’ be. Speech and Language Therapists with a Feeding Specialism are the perfect professionals to help you unpick feeding issues. We are trained to look at swallowing and oral skills and we also know a lot about feeding behaviours and sensory difficulties which could be causing your child’s eating avoidance.

      Here are some strategies that can support children with their eating:

      1. Create and maintain a mealtime culture that suits your home and lifestyle. Then stick to that. We all need some routine in our lives to thrive. Mealtimes are no different. It might be that you eat in the same place for every meal, with the same knives and forks, concentrating on maintaining good posture. Children learn by repetition so the more familiar it is, the easier they will find it. In the physical sense, our bodies also need preparing for food, regardless of whether we are eating with our mouths or we are tube-fed. We want every child to connect all the dots of the process. It starts with their eyes, noses, expectations, memories of past experiences, feelings and then finally their mouths….
      2. Be an excellent role model. Children learn through watching others, so your child will be observing you without you knowing. Ensure that you are positive about the food you are all eating, and talk about how delicious, tasty, juicy, and yummy the foods are. Make the atmosphere around the dinner table light hearted. Even though you are secretly stressed about your child not eating, try and not show this. Instead pick a topic or put on some nice music, or talk about something your child might be interested in, and try and avoid coercing your child to eat. Leave small finger foods on their plates and have a range of foods available on the table so that your child can see that everyone is eating a range of foods and enjoying them.
      3. Use positive reinforcement. Try and think of mealtimes as fun and motivating. Children who are happy will likely be more inclined to try foods and take part in family mealtimes. Reward all interactions around food, so if your child merely touches a new food then praise this behaviour. Or if your child licks a food just once, again make a nice comment and praise your child for touching and licking the food. The takeaway here is to try and keep all messages positive around food.
      4. Keep offering all types of food. What often happens is that parents stop serving foods they know will not be eaten. This makes sense in a way; we don’t want wastage! However, try and keep the doors open and re-offer all types of foods, even the ones that your child has not wanted in the past. Try and give your child one food they will like and one food they have tasted before and liked before, even a little, and then one new food to try. So, your child always has something to fall back on and they can join in with eating. But they can also try (or at least look at and think about trying) other foods that you and perhaps the siblings are eating.

      Take a look at this website, I find it very helpful in showing parents what types of foods and how big a portion to offer

      Have a go and try and implement some of the ideas above, and should you get stuck please get in touch!

      Find a speech and language therapist for your child in London. Are you concerned about your child’s speech, feeding or communication skills and don’t know where to turn? Please contact me and we can discuss how I can help you or visit my services page.

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    • · ·

      A helpful addition in my toolbox for lisp correction

      ByLondon Speech and Feeding

      Meet the MUPPY – a vestibular orthodontic plate

      I have become very well versed in Lisp Correction because so many children come to me with this problem! And I absolutely love lisp correction and Articulation Therapy! Please take a look at my blog on tips and tricks for correcting a lisp.

      The MUPPY

      Over the years I have created my unique style of remediating an Interdental Lisp and as part of my treatment I sometimes use an Orthodontic Tool, called the ‘MUPPY’, which I purchase directly from Germany. I first discovered it some years ago when working with a child with Down Syndrome. Back then I was searching for additional support with my student’s jaw grading and mouth closure difficulties and that’s when I first came across this little tool as recommended by one of my colleagues, a specialist orthodontist in Germany.

      I was a bit sceptical at first but I have used it now many times for three years on a variety of clients with varying degrees of lisps. I find it really helps together and in addition to all my other techniques which are language and motor based.

      How do I use it?

      The MUPPY is a custom-made mouth plate that gently repositions the tongue, encouraging correct tongue placement for clearer speech. It sits comfortably between the lips and teeth; a thin wire sits right behind the teeth, inside the oral cavity.

      The plate I like to use for lisp correction has a pearl in the middle. As soon as it is in situ the tongue starts fishing for the pearl and thereby keeps on moving up towards the correct place on the hard palate, just behind the front teeth. This is the place where the tongue tip needs to be for all the alveolar sounds our students find so hard to make.

      How does this help reduce a lisp?

      A lisp results mainly from incorrect tongue placement during sound production – though at times atypical dentition also contributes to the problem. Specifically, an interdental lisp occurs when the tongue protrudes between the teeth during the production of sounds like /S/ and /Z/. The tongue is often described by parents as ‘thrusting forward’ but I find that is rarely the case. Most often the tongue simply protrudes forward, which is different to tongue thrusting, a more forceful and involuntary movement. Most often I see a habitual tongue protrusion not only for /S/ and /Z/ but also for /T/, /D/, /L/ and /N/. Often /SH/ and ZH/ are also affected.

      To visualise this:

      1. A correct /S/ sound looks like this: The tongue tip is raised and touches the alveolar ridge (the bony, slightly uneven ridge behind the upper teeth). The sides of the tongue touch the upper molars.
      2. Interdental lisp: The tongue tip protrudes between the front teeth, creating a /TH/ sound.
      3. Lateral lisp: Here the mechanics of the tongue are different. But using the MUPPY can help here too. To visualise a lateral lisp, the sides of the tongue are not raised high enough, allowing air to escape over the sides. This results in a ‘slushy’ or ‘wet’ sound.

      Understanding the specific type of lisp is crucial for targeted therapy and successful correction.

      The Vestibular Plate (Muppy) HELPS to guide the tongue towards the right place from where we shape the NEW SOUND.

      Methods

      Most important to my articulation work re lisping are the motor- and language-based techniques I use, as broadly described below:

      • A thorough oral examination, tongue movements, lip closure, dentition, jaw grading, breath coordination, cheek tonicity, palatal form
      • Discussion on awareness and motivation of child to work on their speech
      • Contrasting sounds at the beginning and end of words: sing vs thing / sink vs think / mess vs mesh etc to raise awareness that it matters what sounds we use in speech and that just one sound can change the meaning of a word completely
      • Mirror work, pulling faces, moving our tongue voluntarily
      • Exploring the oral cavity and thinking about all the parts of the tongue and the palate
      • Finding the alveolar ridge and placing the tongue there at rest
      • Then working towards a good baseline of the other alveolar sounds: /T/ /D/ /L/ /N/ and from there we work towards our NEW /S/ SOUND.

      I use a variety of picture clues depending on what is most meaningful for my student:

      The child likes a train set, I use the TIRED TRAIN SOUND.

      The child knows about bike or car tyres, I use the FLAT TYRE SOUND.

      With a student who loves a balloon I might use the FLAT BALLOON SOUND.

      And we work our way from correct tongue placement to these long /SSSSSSSSS/ sounds with the help of these visual cues, but also gestural and hand cues such as Jane Passy’s Cued Articulation sound for /S/.

      I really love helping children correct their speech sound, be it an articulatory difficulty like the lisp or a phonological difficulty such as ‘fronting’ or ‘gliding’ and I also love working with motor-based speech difficulties we see in Childhood Apraxia of Speech. Feel invited to get in touch if your child needs help in these areas.

      Sonja McGeachie

      Early Intervention Speech and Language Therapist

      Feeding and Dysphagia (Swallowing) Specialist The London Speech and Feeding Practice

      The London Speech and Feeding Practice

      Find a speech and language therapist for your child in London. Are you concerned about your child’s speech, feeding or communication skills and don’t know where to turn? Please contact me and we can discuss how I can help you or visit my services page.

      1
    • · ·

      Support your autistic child’s communication by learning the stages of Gestalt Language Processing

      ByLondon Speech and Feeding

      If your child is using echolalia and/or has a diagnosis of autism, then your child’s way of processing language is most likely different to the classic way children typically learn language. We call this process Natural Language Acquisition or Gestalt Language Processing.

      Speech Therpaist in London
      Step by Step guide to Gestalt Learning

      Let’s explore the following stages of Gestalt Processing:

      Stage 1: communicative use of whole language gestalts

      (e.g., “let’s get out of here”)

      Children and young people in this stage use echolalia. They need to hear more gestalts or scripts. So, your job is to model, model, model and to use functional language that your child can repeat back.

      Stage 2: mitigated into chunks and re-combining these chunks

      (e.g., “let’s get” + “some more”) and (e.g., “let’s get” + “out of here”)

      This is when you take parts of gestalts or phrases and then combine it with other parts.

      Stage 3: further mitigation (single words recombining words, formulating two-word phrases)

      (e.g., “get…more”)

      They are going beyond their gestalts. Furthermore, they may begin to label different objects.

      Stage 4: formulating first sentences

      (e.g., “let’s get more toys”)

      You may see more grammatical errors during this phase as they are creating unique sentences. Please don’t worry about this, it means they are playing and experimenting with language. As communication partners, you could model the correct form of the sentence.

      Stages 5 & 6: formulating more complex sentences

      (e.g., “how long do you want to play inside for?”)

      You can see that language learning is a process, that is trialled and tested, used in different contexts for children to be able to learn and use language appropriately.

      My next blog will give you activities ideas and how you might use them specifically with a Gestalt Language Processor.

      Remember early intervention is vital. So, if you have any concerns, please seek the advice of a Speech and Language Therapist.

      Contact me, Specialist Speech and Language Therapist Sonja here.

      Find a speech and language therapist for your child in London. Are you concerned about your child’s speech, feeding or communication skills and don’t know where to turn? Please contact me and we can discuss how I can help you or visit my services page.