Enhanced Milieu Teaching (EMT)

EMT is a set of strategies that can be utilized to support the development of

your childrens communication.
EMT strategies may be small adjustments to the interactions you already have
with your children.
Designed to fit into the events that naturally occur throughout your day.
o Makes using strategies easy and convenient
o Creates opportunities for effective learning: Children learn best with
familiar people, during familiar activities.

1. Following the childs lead: Using child interests as language learning

opportunities.
Example: your child is looking at a particular book, join in with him or her
and describe the pictures.
If your child is playing with a certain toy or talking about a certain topic, join
in and use it as a teachable moment.

2. Balanced Turns: Taking the same amount of turns as your child.

Example: if you and your child are naming colors, give your child an equal
number of verbalizations to create a good back and forth.
No one person is leading more than the other.

3. Talk at the childs target level: Communicate with your child using 1-2 words
more than your childs current level.
Example: during mealtime, you describe some of the foods you are eating
using your childs target words/phrases, such as, this is fruit it is cold.
Modeling more complex language.
4. Expansions: Include what the child just said into a more complete form without
changing the meaning.
Example: if your child says drink, to let you know that they need more
water, respond by saying more drink and getting them more water.
A way to model more complete forms while connecting the model to the
childs interest.

5. Prompting: A signal for the child to use a language target.

Time delay- Example: if you know your child wants the ketchup bottle
from the table, hold it up with an expectant look and wait 5-7 seconds
for him or her to verbally request it.

Asking open-ended questions- Example: when your child looks at you

expectantly, ask what do you want?

Providing choices- Example: present strawberries and cereal at

mealtime and ask your child, do you want strawberries or cereal?

The say prompt- Example: your child holds his or her empty cup in
the air, you respond by saying say more drink.

Reinforce positive behaviors that occur in order to increase the likelihood

that it will happen again. Reinforcements can include a smile, verbal
praises, or access to a desired item.