Page 25 - Demo

17 %u00a9 Elklan Training Limited 2025Elklan Supporting Gestalt Language Processing %u2013 a Total Communication Approachand adding these connected comments with pauses in between: %u2018Be careful don%u2019t spill the drink%u2019%u2026.. %u2018Hold onto the cup%u2019%u2026.. %u2022 Adult then says, %u2018It%u2019s stopped raining let%u2019s go%u2019%u2022 Child says, %u2018It%u2019s stopped raining let%u2019s go%u2019%u2022 Adult responds to child with connected comments, %u2018Yes, it is sunny now%u2019%u2026. .%u2018Let%u2019s go to the playground.%u20193.2 DELAYED ECHOLALIADelayed echolalia is the later repetition of vocalisations, words, phrases or sentences and/or physical movements. The gap between when they heard/saw the words/movements and when they are repeated back can be minutes, hours, days, weeks and months.Echolalia of this type can be observed in autistic individuals. Within autism, echolalia may form part of a Gestalt Language Development. Cohn et al (2023) found that almost all the parents of autistic children identified that echolalia is functional. Children who are autistic or not autistic and follow Gestalt Language Processing are likely to begin their process of language development by repeating chunks of language so recognising that echolalic responses usually convey meaning is extremely important.It is important we encourage echolalia. In doing so we are:%u2022 engaging the child or young person in a positive, shared communication exchange%u2022 supporting the child or young person in achieving communication%u2022 confirming communication and helping extend the time of the communication exchange%u2022 providing opportunities for repeating back, modelling and extending the child%u2019s language.Situation: Child S and their teacher are in the soft play room at school. The soft play room has a new ball pool play area.The teacher makes the comment, %u2018We have a new ball pool%u2019. The child responds with %u2018Do you want a drink?%u2019 because the first time the child experienced a ball pool was in the caf%u00e9 when asked %u2018Do you want a drink?%u2019 In this scenario, %u2018Do you want a drink?%u2019 is a chunk of language conveying the meaning of the child%u2019s experience of the ball pool rather than the conventional meaning of the question.Do you want a drink?Do you want a drink?