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33 %u00a9 Elklan Training Limited 2025Elklan Supporting Gestalt Language Processing %u2013 a Total Communication Approach5.0 SUPPORTING CHILDREN AND YOUNG PEOPLE WITH STAGES 1 AND 2 OF GESTALT LANGUAGE PROCESSING5.1 STAGE 1All children and young people need to be supported with their speech, language and communication according to their individual needs. It%u2019s recommended to support the Gestalt Language Processor by:%u2022 Using a Total Communication Approach %u2022 Providing a communication friendly environment %u2022 Encouraging situational understanding %u2022 Supporting sensory and emotional regulation needs. For information on sensory processing see Chapter 6. Reducing the number of questions and using simple language that maps onto the situation is a good way to begin.There are further specific support strategies that can be employed when considering the child or young person as a Stage 1 Gestalt Language Processor. It is important that language is modelled naturally. Gestalts can be picked up spontaneously by the child from the language they hear around them. Gestalt Language Processors listen to the language in their environment, process what they hear and pick up gestalts that are meaningful to them. Directly teaching language by prompting or cueing them to speak (as might be used with ALPs) is not likely to be effective with GLPs in the early stages of their development.Instead:%u2022 Use flexible original language and respond to gestalts in a natural way as the child or young person leads the activity.%u2022 Respond to the meaning of single word gestalts. For example, child J says %u2018Lego%u2019and the adult says %u2018Let%u2019s build a tower%u2019 because it is understood that J says %u2018Lego%u2019 when they want to build a tower but this might be out of Lego, bricks, stacking cups, boxes etc.%u2022 Focus on meaning rather than the speech sounds. For example, child DB says %u2018Yubby%u2019 from yummy and the gestalt is used as anything to do with food. In this context the adult repeats and affirms %u2018Yubby%u2026.it%u2019s yummy food!.%u2019%u2022 Reduce the number of questions asked.1Using whole gestalts to communicateCan be one word but conveying more meaning than the single word conventionally does