In this video, Emily Harvey, a speech language pathologist, talks about how to model stage 1 gestalts for your child who is a gestalt language processor (GLP) in a way that might help them pick up phrases and consistently use them!
[00:00:00]
Hi, my name is Emily Harvey and I’m a speech language pathologist. I’m here to talk about how to model language for your child if they’re a gestalt language processor.
Specifically, we’ll be focusing on how to model scripts in a way that will stick for a child who is in stage one of natural language acquisition. Before we dive in, I’d like to share some of the incredible researchers and educators who have shaped my understanding of gestalt language processing.
Barry Prizant and Marge Blanc were among the first to explore this form of language development and connect it to the NLA framework. I’ve also learned a lot from Alexandria Zachos of Meaningful Speech and Corrine Zmoos of Crescendo Communication, who have both created excellent continuing education resources on the topic.[00:01:00]
Additionally, Katja Piscitelli of Boho Speechie shares valuable insights online. All three of them provide great information on social media. So I highly recommend checking them out to learn more about supporting your gestalt language processor. So what is gestalt language processing and what are gestalts?
So some children learn language in chunks instead of word by word. These chunks called gestalts are phrases or sentences that carry an overall meaning for the child. They might come from songs, TV shows, or things they’ve heard others say, often because of the way that the phrases sound or how they felt when they first heard it.
When you model language for your GLP, they will process it as a chunk, [00:02:00] and if they pick it up, it will be a gestalt for them. The meaning of the gestalt will be individual for that child. Although the words may mean one thing to you, they will pick it up based on the context and feeling that it gave them. So what should we model for a child in stage one?
To support a stage one gestalt language processor, you’ll want to model short, meaningful phrases that match their interests and daily experiences. So the best gestalts: one, relate to what your child already enjoys, two, fit naturally into play and everyday routines, and three, are easy to repeat and eventually break down into smaller parts, and the word for this is ‘mitigatable.’
For example, if [00:03:00] your child loves trains while you are playing with them, you might model phrases like, “let’s build a track” or “it’s going fast”. If they love swinging, you might say, “here we go,” “that’s so high.” These gestalts are engaging, tied to real experiences and easy to mix and match later as language develops.
So now let’s get on to how to get gestalts to stick. Learning language for gestalt language processors, GLPs, is all about the power of real life experiences and building on what your child already loves. When we encourage them to latch onto language that has meaning, we’re helping them build a foundation for more communication down the road.
Here’s some quick tips on how to make those gestalts stick. Number one, present gestalts during meaningful [00:04:00] moments. Language is more powerful when it’s connected to something that your child truly enjoys or finds important, whether you’re swinging on the playground or watching a favorite animal, repeating phrases like “up and down” or “look at that” in these moments can help those words settle in your child’s mind.
The key is repetition during exciting everyday events that they love. Number two is to use their favorite shows, songs, and characters. So what better way to introduce gestalts than by borrowing from the things that your child is already excited about, whether it’s a line from their favorite TV character or a catchy song lyric.
These familiar phrases have built in emotional connections. You can repeat them during related activities like [00:05:00] singing in the song, during car rides, or mimicking the show during playtime, making it easier for them to hold onto the phrases and use them naturally. Tip number three is to turn gestalts into play.
Play is a child’s language, so incorporating these gestalts into their favorite games or activities, make them unforgettable. Think of how you can add phrases like “Ready, set, go” into racing games or “I did it” when they finish a puzzle. The more fun they have while hearing the language, the more likely it will stick as a for them.
So number four is to let gestalts emerge organically while guiding your child is important, allowing them to repeat and reuse their favorite gestalt on their own terms is key. When they initiate or echo [00:06:00] phrases you’ve heard before, still celebrate it. Encourage them by repeating the phrase to let them know you’re listening to them, this instills confidence and helps them understand that what they have to say is worth saying. Number five is to make your voice exciting. So, your voice is a powerful tool in helping gestalts stick when modeling phrases make them come alive by using a sing songy tone or changing the pitch volume.
Maybe it’s a quiet ‘ready, set’, followed by a loud ‘go!’ during a race, or playful high pitched. “Here we go!” as you push them on a swing. These variations make the language more engaging, help grab your child’s attention and make the gestalts more fun to use. All right, last [00:07:00] tip number six is to create a language rich environment.
Surround your child with opportunities to hear your language models, whether it’s during a favorite routine or while reading a beloved storybook. The more they hear a particular phrase or expression in varied context, the more it becomes part of their language toolkit. Use consistent
models during daily routines like bathtime meals or bedtime to make them familiar and memorable and more likely that your child will pick them up as gestalts. So, to wrap it up, supporting a gestalt language processor at stage one means modeling engaging, meaningful language that they can hold onto by using their interests, repeating phrases and fun moments, and making language come alive through play.
We help them build a strong foundation for future communication.
So now you’ll see an [00:08:00] example where I model all of these strategies to show you how you can use this with your child at home. Hi everyone. For the sake of protecting client privacy, Megan, another SLP will be role-playing a stage one gestalt language processor. Her responses will be a blend of things we’ve heard from real client during therapy, common phrases and patterns that show up at this stage of language development.
Our goal is to show you how our six strategies for helping stage one gestalts stick can come to life during natural fun play. Let’s get started. Let’s play. It’s Lightning. Faster than fast. Quicker than quick. Ready? Set, go. Oh, [00:09:00] no. Mine got stuck. Uh oh. Stuck. Stuck. Mine. Stuck. Let’s do it again. Ready? Set. Go!
He’s not faster than fast. Quicker than quick. I want a new car. Do you want a new car? Oh, not that one. Not that one. Do you want Lightning? Lightning. Lightning. Faster than fast. Quicker than quick. Quicker than quick. Ready? Set. Go. I won. You won.
“Let’s [00:10:00] drive. I’m going up the ramp. Let’s go up, up, up. Not that way. Not that way. Ready? Set. Go! Uh oh.
I won. I won the race. Hmm. I’ll be the pink car. Do you want the green car? It’s a green car. It’s a green car.
Ready, set, go. Oh, no. Oh.
Uh oh. Crash. You crashed. You crashed. Let’s try again. Not that [00:11:00] car. Not that one. Hmm. I’ll do this car. I want this one. I want this one. Ready? Set. Set. Go.
Your car was faster. Faster than fast. Quicker than quick. Faster than fast. Quicker than quick. What’s next? Let’s do it again. Let’s do it again. Ready, set. Go
so fast.
Right. We’re all out of time. Clean up. Clean up everybody everywhere. Clean up. Clean up, everybody do your share. Bye bye Lightning. [00:12:00] Byebye cars. Byebye cars, bye bye Lightning. We’re all done. All done. Time for shoes? I hope this video has been helpful, and if you have any questions, feel free to reach out. Thanks for watching.