From Video Watching to Expressive Speech: Generalization for Every Level of the Language Pyramid Parents, teachers and therapists can increase the student s rate of success by providing opportunities to use new language and skills with different individuals throughout the home, school, and community. Daily practice increases fluency and helps the language or skill to become functional, leading to the student having more meaningful interactions with his/her environment. PROVIDE AN ABUNDANCE OF PRAISE/REWARDS for desired behaviors! If you are prompting a student to elicit a response, the prompt should be faded as soon as possible so the student learns to initiate without a prompt. Watch the Fading the Prompt video in the Skills Videos under the category Behavior Strategies to see how parents and caregivers can use prompt fading. Attention in the form of praise, high fives, specifically saying what the student did that was desired (e.g., Apple! That s right! It s an apple! ) can be an effective reinforcement for many, especially younger children. However, there are other forms of reinforcement that your student may respond to better or a combination of other forms of reinforcement along with the attention. Pick a level of the language pyramid to learn more: Level 1 - Sparking Imitation Level 2 - Animal Noises Level 3 - Basic Word Labels Level 4 - First Action Words Level 5 - Putting Sentences Together Level 6 - More Action Words with Tense Level 7 - Modifiers Level 8 - Chunking with Phrases Level 9 - Conversational Skills Practice, Practice, Practice
Level 1 - Sparking Imitation Adult models action (gross motor) Student imitates (clap hands, touch head, jump) Adult models action (with object) Student imitates (bang drum, shake maraca, ring bell, push car, push stroller) Play games such as Duck, Duck, Goose, Follow the Leader, Simon Says. Sing Songs with motor actions such as Head, Shoulders, Knees, and Toes, I m a Little Teapot, Slippery Fish, Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star.
Level 2 - Animal Noises Adult holds up an animal and makes the animal sound. Student imitates. The student holds up same animal and makes the correct animal sound Adult asks, What does a bear say? Student says, Roar. Adult asks, What sound does a dog make? Student says, ruff, ruff or bow, wow. Visit a pet store or zoo. Adult asks What does a say? Student says, correct animal noise. Point to pictures of animals in books, use flash cards, or other sources and ask What does the Play Responding When Called game modeled in Skills Videos under Behavior Strategies. Incorporate animal sounds into the game. Adult calls student s name: Daniel. Student answers, Yes. Adult provides instruction walk, student walks toward adult. Adult says Stop. Student stops. Adult asks, What does a tiger say? Student says, Roar! Continue game by providing simple instructions that the student is able to follow and intersperse animal sounds throughout the game. say?
Level 3 - Basic Word Labels Adult walks through house and points to and labels all doors. (Label door in the home, at school, in the store). Student sees multiple examples of a door. Adult points to different doors in different locations (home, school, in the community, and on toys) and asks student, What s this? Student answers, door (Student answers door for doors in the home, doors at the store, elevator door, doors at school, doors on a toy car, doors on a doll house, and doors on vehicles). Adult asks What s this? and points to item in book, magazine, flash card, or any other source that has a door. Student answers, door. Use a variety of items to show multiple examples. The adult may use flash cards, books, magazines, items in environment, toys, movies, and other applicable sources.
Level 4 - First Action Words While pointing at a picture of an action or action occurring in the environment, the Adult asks What is he doing? What is she doing? What are you doing? What are they doing? Student answers, stating appropriate action with or without pronoun use (dependent on current language level of student.) Adult points to action picture of jumping and asks appropriate question. Student answers, Jumping. or He is jumping. She is jumping. I am jumping. They are jumping. Print Flash cards (which are located on the student s Assignments page), use action word cards, draw simple pictures of actions, and take advantage of naturally occurring opportunities in the environment. Riding in the car - Mom asks, What am I doing? and the child answers, You are driving. Mom asks the child, What are you doing? and the child answers, I am riding. The child and parent pass a park that has children playing. Mom points to the children on the playground and asks, What are they doing? and the child answers, They are playing.
Level 5 - Putting Sentences Together Adult asks a question which requires a carrier phrase. What do you want? What do you see? What do you hear? What do you smell? Student answers using an appropriate carrier phrase. Student answers, I want to play ball. Student answers, I see a fire truck. Student answers, I hear thunder. Student answers, I smell cookies. Play games that require the student to use carrier phrases. I spy or I see. Make a noise and have the student identify sound for I hear. (Make animal noises and have the student identify the animal, use objects (musical instruments, vacuum cleaner), or perform actions that make a noise (knocking)). Go to the kitchen/grocery store/candle store and smell different aromas for I smell. Use naturally occurring opportunities. ( I hear rain., I hear thunder., I hear crying., I see a bird., I see a fire truck., I smell flowers., I smell cookies., I want to play ball., I want to play train, I can tie my shoes, I did it. )
Level 6 - More Action Words with Tense Adult asks questions about past, present and future events. Adult asks, What did you do this morning? Adult asks, What are you doing? Adult asks, What are you going to do tomorrow? Student answers questions about past, present, and future events and uses correct verb tense. Student answers, I went to school. Student answers, I am playing. Student answers, I am going to go swimming. Adult asks student, What are you going to do?, as the action is about to happen, What are you doing? while action is happening and What did you do? once action is completed. Student answers, I am going to play., I am playing., I played. Student answers, I am going to swim., I am swimming., I swam. Use sequence cards/photos/pictures in a book and have the student describe actions. Adult: Tell me a sentence story about this picture. Student: I get crackers. Adult: Tell me a sentence story about this picture. Student: I put crackers on a plate. Adult: Tell me a sentence story about this picture. Student: I eat the crackers. Adult: Tell me the story of getting a snack point to each picture as a visual prompt, use verbal prompt/model, if needed. Student: I got crackers. I put crackers on the plate. I ate crackers.. Keep a notebook and record what happens during the student s day. Have the student look at the notebook to help recall and describe events.
Level 7 - Modifiers Adult asks student to compare items. Student compares items by feature of item. Student labels items (big, smaller, smallest) Student labels items (rough, smoother, smoothest) Student labels item (light, heavier, heaviest) Adult asks student to describe familiar objects. Adult holds up book and says, Tell me about this? Student describes familiar object. Student answers, It s a book, you read it, and it is blue. Visit pet store or zoo. Adult ask student to describe the animals. Student describes animals. Student answers, It s a zebra, it has stripes, and a tail. Adult ask student to describe familiar people. Adult asks, What does Dad look Like? Student describes familiar people. Student answers, He is tall, has brown hair and wears glasses. Make up games - Place objects or pictures in a bag and have the student choose an item without the adult/ caregiver seeing it. Have the student describe the item to the adult/caregiver and then the adult/caregiver has to guess what it is by the description. Switch roles and the adult/caregiver describes item and the student guesses. Play Guess Who Play 20 questions ( Is it an animal?, Is it a person?, Is it a place?...).
Level 8 - Chunking with Phrases Adult has student request information in the community. Adult asks student to find out Where the bathroom is. Where can we find video games? Student safely locates staff and asks appropriate question. Where is the bathroom? Where are the video games? Adult places desired items out of reach and has student request the item. Adult places the student s favorite movie on a high shelf. Student asks, Can you get me the? Student asks, Can you get Frozen for me? Adult provides materials for an activity but leaves out one needed item, student needs to ask for the missing item. Adult provides paper but no crayons or markers. Adult gives student bowl of soup but no spoon. Student asks for missing item. Student asks, May have I have crayons, please? or Can you give me crayons please? Student says, I need a spoon, please. Have the student ask each family member about their day. Have the student describe their day. Have the student request information from other family members and then tell the information to someone else. (Mom says, Go ask Dad what his favorite movie is and come back and tell me. Child goes to Dad and asks Dad, what is your favorite movie? Dad says, My favorite movie is Star Wars. Child returns to Mom and says, Dad s favorite movie is Star Wars. ) Have the student describe common familiar objects. Have the student call family and friends on the phone. Pretend play with stuffed animals, action figures, or dolls (Adult talks for one toy and the student talks for other toy).
Level 9 - Conversational Skills Adult has student request information in the community. Adult asks student to find out Where the bathroom is. Where can we find video games? Student safely locates staff and asks appropriate question. Where is the bathroom? Where are the video games? Adult asks student about past, present, and future events. What did you do last night? What are you going to do today? What are you going to do tomorrow? Student answers questions about past, present and future events. Student answers, I watched a movie last night. I am going swimming today. I will go to school tomorrow. Have the student greet family members, people in the community, and peers and ask a question. Have the student call friends and relatives on the phone. Gradually work on increasing the number of back and forth exchanges. Have the student join a club or group that is specific to the student s interest. Have the student retell what just happened in a story or movie and what they think will happen next. Have the student tell you about his/her favorite people, places and things. Ask the student a question and then have the student ask you the same question.
Practice, Practice, Practice Initiate many conversations throughout the day. Start with simple subjects that can be prompted with objects, pictures, or actions. Make short comments when appropriate after the student s statement and provide encouragement and praise for answers and extended language. Adult Using a Verbal Prompt of Say Adult: Daniel, did you go bowling today? Student: Yes. Adult: Say, Yes, I went bowling today. Student: Yes, I went bowling today. Adult: What was your bowling score? Student: 98 and 96. Adult: Say, I scored a 98 and 96 today. Student: I scored a 98 and 96 today. Fading the Prompt Adult decreases the verbal prompt. Adult: Daniel, did you go bowling today? Student: Yes. Adult: Yes, I went (pause and wait for student to say complete sentence). Student: Yes, I went bowling today. Adult: What was your bowling score? Student: 98 and 96. Adult: I scored (pause and wait for student to say complete sentence). Student: I scored a 98 and 96 today. Continue to Fade the Prompt Adult waits for response, points to lips, if needed, to prompt the student to answer. Adult: Daniel, did you go bowling today? Student: Yes. Adult: Adult waits for response, points to lips, if needed, to prompt student to answer. Student: Yes, I went bowling today. Adult: What was your bowling score? Adult: Adult waits for response, if needed, points to bowling score card or to lips. Student: I scored a 98 and 96 today. Conversation, No Prompts Adult: Daniel, did you go bowling today? Student: Yes, I went bowling today. Adult: What was your bowling score? Student: I scored a 98 and 96 today.