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37 %u00a9 Elklan Training Limited 2025Elklan Supporting Gestalt Language Processing %u2013 a Total Communication ApproachInteraction during the activityThe adult follows P%u2019s lead. P runs to the balloons and chooses a new balloon and tries to blow it up. The adult runs alongside and picks up a new balloon and blows it up. The adult holds the opening of the balloon and then says %u2018That%u2019s a funny noise%u2019 on allowing the air to escape. P tries again and the adult will follow P%u2019s lead and repeats this activity. Then P picks up an inflated balloon and moves the balloon to and fro on the string and uses a repeated vocalisation, %u2018Bap, bap, bap%u2019 and jumps up and down as he moves the balloon. The adult then joins in and does the same %u2018Bap, bap, bap%u2019 and jumps up and down too.The objective of direct support for Stage 1 Gestalt Language Processors is to increase the number of gestalts they use so they may move to Stage 2, at which point they start to split their gestalts as the next phase in moving towards self-generated language. Therefore, the adult can use phrases and strings of speech during a favoured activity from which the young person may pick up gestalts. In this scenario the adult may say %u2018This is such fun%u2026.bap, bap, bap%u2026wow what a great noise%u2019.P enjoyed this activity at home too and careful collaboration with his family ensured that everyone involved reinforced P%u2019s gestalts in the same way. 5.6 AAC AT STAGE 1 GESTALT LANGUAGE PROCESSINGA child communicating at Gestalt Language Processing Stage 1 may be introduced to AAC as part of a Total Communication Approach. Caution needs to be taken in selecting the AAC because the AAC must be useful. AAC which uses single word vocabulary mapped onto photos, pictures, symbols or signs may not be suitable because at Stage 1 the child or young person is likely to be using words or phrases that have a different meaning. For example for child M who used the gestalt %u2018Kick%u2019 for swimming, this should be linked to a picture/symbol/object for swimming.A detailed outline of the careful considerations needed for AAC at Stage 1 can be found in Sections 5.10 to 5.13.That%u2019s a funny noise!