ESPECIAL TRAINING IN OUR TERAPHY CENTER.

Here is a child's interaction with a teacher or other adult who is being as helpful as possible without appropriate training:

Teacher: Hi, Nicole are you excited about Christmas?
A: [no response]
Teacher: What are you going to do on Christmas?
A: I don't know.
Teacher: Are you going to get presents?
A: Yes.
Teacher: What else are you going to do?
A: [no response]
Teacher: Do you have a tree?
A: Yes.
Teacher: Who's going to bring presents on Christmas?
A: I don't know.
Teacher: Is it Santa Claus?
A: Yes.
Teacher: [smile] Thanks, Nicole!

This is the child's half of the conversation:

"I don't know, Yes, Yes, I don't know, Yes."

Any learning going on? (By the way, I've watched people have conversations like this, then comment "He's talking so much more!")

Here's how a trained person might make this an opportunity for practicing conversation skills:

Teacher: Hi, Nicole, are you excited about Christmas?
A: [no response]
Teacher: Are you excited about Christmas? Say, Yeah, I want to open my...
A: Yeah, I want to open my presents!
Teacher: [Smile] Me too! What presents did you ask for?
A: I asked for presents.
Teacher: What presents did you ask for? Say, For Christmas, I asked for...
A: I asked for a bike. For Christmas.
Teacher: Cool! [Small tickle] Are you excited about Christmas?
A: Yeah, I want a bike.
Teacher: [Bigger tickle] A bike! That's great! I've got my tree all decorated with ornaments. I put lots of ornaments on MY tree. [Point to A's tree.]
A: I put heart ornaments on my tree.
Teacher: Nicole, that's so great! [Great big tickle]
A: Ahhhhh! Cut it out!

by fundacion Mario Leurinda.


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