Conversation TreatmentBefore beginning to teach conversation, you should be sure that the child is able to...read on...Community > Articles
Conversation Overview
The American Heritage Dictionary defines conversation as: The spoken exchange of thoughts, opinions, and feelings; or talk. Although this definition sounds simple, conversation is actually a very complex skill that is difficult for many children to develop, especially children with Autism and other developmental delays. There is more to conversation than just simply asking and answering questions. There are many small subtleties to conversation that are often over looked, such as body language, eye contact, staying on topic and even showing empathy and active listening. Before a child will engage in conversation, there needs to be a vocabulary that has been developed.
In developing the vocabulary, there are some basic skills that need to be taught. The basic development often begins with the ability to request desired items and activities, often referred to as mands. This begins a child’s basic vocabulary. From there, the child often learns to label the items around them, which in the field of Applied Behavior Analysis is often called tacts. Once the child is labeling about 50 or so items, verbs and adjectives are often taught next. The child is now able to put together simple sentences. From here the child often develops the ability to use prepositions and carrier phrases such as I see, I have, etc.
Once the child is putting together more complex sentences, the focus shifts to what is known in the field as intraverbals. Intraverbals require that the child respond to the questions and cues of others without the presentation of any visual cues. This is a step that many children with developmental delays remain stuck for long periods of time. Without the presentation of a visual cue, the words themselves evoke the response. This requires the child to be engaged with another person to respond to them.
Once the child is able to answer various intraverbals with longer mean utterances, the child is ready to begin conversation. Conversation requires back and forth exchange between the child and another individual. Initial conversation is often based on a preferred item or current activity, as the motivation is higher than abstract topics. Without motivation, conversation can become forced and robotic, which will prevent the child from moving forward. Being sure that the child has the prerequisites before teaching conversation is critical.
Rate Me...
