Speech Therapy Program – Early Intervention

Building
Communication Skills
Package

PACKAGE INCLUDES:

Strategies when using visuals to help your child communicate

Learning New Words
Making Sentences
Communicative Temptations
Strategies when using Makaton signs to help your child communicate
Why is signing used with children with communication difficulties
Points to remember when introducing signing
Stages in teaching your child signs

This program is to assist you in using pictures and Makaton signs to facilitate
communication with your child.
 Strategies when using visuals to help your child communicate
Visuals can help your child to communicate. You can assist your child to use visuals by encouraging them
to exchange a picture for an item that they want e.g. food, toys etc.

Things to remember:
 Keep favourite toys and food items in view but out of reach. This reminds your child that gives
them the opportunity to try to ask for it rather than just helping themselves.
 Keep communication books available at all times. After all, communication occurs throughout the
day.
 Create opportunities throughout the day for children to use their communication book by offering
them choices of activity or food etc e.g. asking for favourite video or drink.
 Sabotage daily routines to encourage the child to ask for things more often e.g. if they want a
bag of chips only give them one chip at a time. Repeating the exchange many times will mean that
your child learns quicker.
 As soon as your child gives you a picture you must say what the picture is and give the child the
item e.g. ‘chips’. Do not repeat the word as your child may copy this and do not force child to
copy you.
 Avoid saying things like ‘ta’, ‘good boy’, ‘well done’ because your child may try to copy you,
thinking that chips are called ‘good boy’.
 Keep language simple and always use the same phrases e.g. ‘What do you want?’
 When your child gives you a picture help them to point at the picture while you say the word.
 Get the whole family involved. Encourage your child to ask for things from lots of different people
e.g. at Grandma’s house, at McDonalds, or whilst shopping in Coles.
 Be consistent. If your child has to ask for something one day and then can help themselves to it
the next day they will get confused and will probably give up using their pictures to ask for
things.

Ideas for using pictures throughout the day

 Mealtimes e.g. choosing different breakfast cereal or choosing a pudding
 Outdoor play e.g. ball, swings, bike etc
 Videos
 Books
 Toys
 Action songs and nursery rhymes
 Places to go e.g. park, swimming pool
 Learning new words
Now your child is using pictures to communicate and can make short sentences, we want to help your
child learn new words and make their sentences longer.

Category What to target… Activity Ideas

Colours Get your child to ask for different coloured Asking for different colours
items  Paints
e.g. I want yellow brick.  Crayons
 Lollies eg. Smarties, Starburst
 Bricks
 Clothes e.g. socks, t-shirts
 Food e.g. red/green apples, brown/white chocolate
 Juice
 Toys e.g. Playdough, cars
Big/Little Get your child to ask for different sized items Asking for different sizes
e.g. I want big Smartie.  Sweets e.g. Buttons, Smarties
 Biscuits e.g. Chocolate chip cookies
 Toys e.g. big/little cars for Clik Clak track
 Big/little ball for marble run game

Numbers Get your child to ask for different numbers Asking for different quantities
of items e.g. I want two chips, I want three  Of food
cars.  Of toys

Shape Get your child to ask for different shaped Asking for different shapes (round, square, triangle etc)
items  Biscuits
e.g. I want round biscuit, I want square  Lollies
brick.
 Bricks
 Treading shapes
 Jigsaws
Long/short Get your child to ask for different lengths of Asking for different long/short items
items  Sweets e.g. liquorice, killer pythons
e.g. I want long sweet.  Biscuits e.g. chocolate fingers
 Clothes e.g. socks
 Toys e.g. threading laces, bubbles, pencils

Body parts Get your child to ask for different parts of Asking for different body parts
the body  Toys e.g. Mr Potato Head
e.g. I want leg.  Actions e.g. ‘I want tickle leg’, ‘I want massage arm’
Other words to learn:
 Help your child describe how things move:

Example, ‘the fast dog’

‘the slow turtle

 Help your child describe how things feel:

Example, ‘the soft blanket’

‘the hard biscuit’

‘the rough rocks’

‘the smooth ball’

‘the hot tea’

‘the cold ice cream’

 Help your child describe how things sound:

Example, ‘the loud lawnmower’

‘the quiet mouse’

 Help your child describe the position of things:

Example, ‘I see book under table’

‘I want ball in cupboard’

Moving on …
 Once your child can request items using a concept word e.g. colour, shape etc, help them to make
their sentences longer by using two concept words:
Example, ‘I want big red Smartie’ ‘I want two long biscuits’
 Making Sentences
Now your child is using pictures to communicate we want to help them to use short sentences.

Requesting
Help your child to put the ‘I want’ picture on the sentence strip in front of the item that they want to ask for.
Gradually fade out the prompts so that your child can use the ‘I want’ symbol independently.

Commenting
Ideas
Help you child to comment on everyday sounds  Books with sounds e.g. ‘I hear cow’, ‘I hear train’
 Listening tapes e.g. ‘I hear crying’, ‘I hear clock’
 Musical instruments e.g. ‘I hear bells’, ‘I hear
drum’
Help your child to comment on things  Walk to the shops e.g. ‘I see shop’, ‘I see tree’
that they see  Looking at pictures and photographs e.g. photo
albums, books, ‘I see Grandma’.

Help them to make comments using a concept word For example: I see red car, I hear loud bells

Help your child to learn action words For example: Commenting on pictures in books – ‘I see
cow jumping’

Moving On
Once your child is confident in using the different sentence starters (I want/I hear/I see) put two sentence starters on
the front of the communication book and ask them a question and see if they can decide which sentence starter to use.

E.g. Looking at a book

Adult: ‘What can you see?’
Child: chooses between ‘I hear’ and ‘I see’

Asking for a biscuit

Adult: ‘What do you want?’
Child: chooses between ‘I want’ and ‘I hear’
 Other Sentence Starters

I have I don’t like

I like

It is I don’t want I feel

Remember…
 Be consistent

 Be patient

 Create opportunities to practice

 Wait for a response

 Use words

 Use signs and gesture

 Make learning fun

 Communicative Temptations
To encourage use of the visual communication folder, it is important to provide your child with as many
opportunities as possible to request and exchange visuals for items or activities.

Sometimes your child may not start an interaction with you, even when you have given him time do so.
Sometimes waiting and watching is not enough.

So to ensure he gets lots of practice using visuals, we can create opportunities for communication by
tempting him to tell you want he wants or needs.

Here are some ideas, with examples, to encourage your child to communicate. Remember, there are many
more strategies you can use so be CREATIVE!

Place a favourite object out of reach… then wait:

 Put a favourite toy or object where your child can see it but cannot reach it.

Offer a little bit… then wait:

 Tell your child that you are going to draw/paint/colour. Give him the paper/book but put the
pencils/paint brush out of reach. Wait for a response.
 Give your child one chip/biscuit from a packet or a very small piece of fruit then wait for him to
ask for more.

Choose an activity that your child can’t do without your help… then wait:
 Open a bubbles container, blow bubbles, then close the container tightly and hand it to your child.
 Blow up a balloon and slowly deflate it. Then hand your child the deflated balloon and wait.
 Give your child a familiar ‘wind-up’ or button activated toy and wait for their response. Only wind
it up a little bit to provide more opportunities for your child to ask for more.

Offer a choice… then wait:

 Present your child with a choice between two objects and wait for a response. To make it easier,
make one an undesirable item so you know which one he meant to choose.

Pause a familiar activity… then wait:

 Play your child’s favourite music/DVD and then press pause. Wait for a response.
 Initiate a favourite game/activity with your child, then stop the game and wait for a response.
 Strategies when using Makaton signs to help your child
communicate
Signing is frequently used with children with communication difficulties to facilitate speech and
language development and to support existing communication skills. Signing is always used in
conjunction with speech and possibly other communication systems.

There are three distinct signing systems currently in use in Australia. Each of these systems
has it’s own theoretical framework and was designed for use by different groups of people.
Signs and components of these systems have been used interchangeably, often creating confusion
for families and those working with children with developmental delays.

Following is an explanation of these systems that may assist in clarifying how they may be
used to best suit the needs of the individual:

Auslan
Auslan is the official language of the Deaf Community. It is not based on English and has
its own grammar, just like any other language.

Signed English
Signed English utilises Australasian Signs, and is a means of giving people with a hearing
impairment a manual representation of English, thus for every English word, there is an
equivalent sign. Signed English is not a different language but simply another way of
producing English, just like writing.

Makaton Vocabulary
Makaton is a program for teaching the use of a group of signs that have been developed
specifically for people with disabilities. The Makaton Vocabulary includes signs that cover
basic needs and involves key word signing, that is, only the words that carry information in a
sentence are signed. It is suggested that the teaching of Australasian Signs utilising the
principles of key word signing is most suitable for children with a developmental delay.
 Why is signing used with children with communication difficulties
Signing facilitates speech, language and communication development and is always used in conjunction with
speech.
1. Signing is a visual communication system. Visual communication systems are used with speech because
it is easier to understand a word you can see, hear and feel rather than a word that can only be
heard.

2. A spoken word lasts only a moment and therefore can be difficult to process and remember whereas a
sign can be held in position for longer, giving a child more time to process the information and copy
it.

3. Many signs are easier to understand as they are not as abstract as words, that is, they are more
closely related to the concept they represent. Actions speak louder than words.

4. The child can be assisted to produce the sign through others moulding and shaping their hands.

5. Signing is a natural progression from the use of gestures (eg waving, pointing etc).

6. Signing may relieve frustration by providing an immediate means of communication and thus giving the
child greater control over their environment.

7. Signing may assist others to understand a child’s speech that is unclear.

8. When a child is able to communicate their needs and wants successfully, they are likely to attempt to
communicate more frequently.

9. Signing provides the opportunity to develop social and interaction skills even when speech or expressive
language skills are delayed.
 Points to remember when introducing signing
1. When choosing the signs to introduce, it is important to consider what is of interest or motivating for
your child and important to you as their parent or a carer, for example;
 Objects your child likes
 Activities your child enjoys
 Instructions which are frequently used by others
 Social words used in conversations with peers and family members (eg ‘more’, ‘finished’).

2. When you produce a sign in conjunction with your speech you will assist your child in understanding
what you are saying. There maybe times when you decide to use signing to support your child’s
understanding without expecting your child to actually use the signs themselves.

3. Some signs are physically easier to make than others. Signs that involve the use of two hands and
movement away from the body tend to be more difficult. For more difficult signs it maybe necessary
to accept your child’s approximation of the sign and possibly work towards improving the accuracy of
this sign over time.

4. Language and signing is always best taught in the context of everyday activities, such as play,
mealtimes etc.

5. It is important to use signs consistently, whenever you say the word produce the sign. This will
provide your child with a model of how to use the signs to communicate with others.

6. Start with a few signs and then gradually build on this by introducing more signs.
 Stages in teaching your child signs
1. Provide a model
You will need to model or show the sign to your child numerous times in interactions in many different situations before
expecting him to use the sign himself. We talk to a child for a long time before they can produce words.

2. Opportunity
Give your child many opportunities to use the signs that they have seen being used by:
 providing time for him to imitate the sign
 expecting him to use signs when asking for things
 pausing in a situation where it would be appropriate to use a sign, thus giving him an opportunity to produce it
spontaneously.

3. Provide assistance
If after providing your child with the opportunity to produce the sign he doesn’t, you can physically assist him to make
the sign by manipulating their fingers and hands to form the signs.

4. Reward
Praise your child for any attempts to produce a sign and provide a natural consequence. This will usually involve
giving him the item she asked for or attending to and interacting further about the object or activity she commented on.

The following are signs to be introduced to your child. Introduce one sign at a time. It may help if you stick the sign up
on the wall of the classroom as a prompt to use the sign and as a reminder of how to make the sign.
 MORE
Cup dominant hand and place fingertips
on centre chest – move hand forward

FINISH
Extend dominant thumb with fingers closed.
Rock hand formation from side to side several times.
 FOOD
Close dominant fingertips on to ball of thumb.
Tap formation on chin, twice.

TO DRINK
Shape dominant hand as for holding a glass
Tilt to mouth as for drinking (Natural gesture)
 TOILET
Fingerspell ‘T’ quickly twice, index finger on edge of hand

TO WASH/BATH
Mime washing the part of the object or body
 SLEEP
Open dominant hand place near corner of eye. Close fingers onto thumb as though eyes
closing. May use both hands.

BISCUIT
Extend dominant thumb. Move thumb tip in a small circle on the back of relaxed non-
dominant hand.
 TO LOOK
Move dominant index finger forward from eye

TO LISTEN
Place slightly cupped dominant hand behind ear. (Natural gesture)
 HELP
Place dominant hand into non-dominant hand, palms together. Move motion forward

SIT
Place open dominant hand on back of non dominant hand and move formation slightly
 TO STAND UP
Open hands palms up. Move hands upwards. (Natural gesture)

BOOK
Place blades of open hands together. Close and open formation once.
 TO WALK
‘walk’ extended dominant index and middle fingers along palm of
open non-dominant hand

OUTSIDE
Move extended dominant index finger over the top barrier of
 open non-dominant hand away from body

INSIDE
Move extended dominant index finger towards the body over the top of barrier of open non
dominant hand

TO STOP
Move open dominant hand forward from shoulder height
 WAIT
Bounce open dominant hand palm down in front of dominant side twice
*May use both hands

WORK
Hit blade of open dominant hand on base of thumb of open non dominant hand, thumb closed,
twice, non-dominant arm diagonally across body, blade down