Helpful Tips to Elicit Language With Your Child

Requesting

• • Instead of giving your child exactly what they want create an opportunity that has them ask for it.

    • Place a favorite item out of reach or in a container they are not able to open and wait. Allow the child to initiate in their developmental language stage (i.e., eye contact, sign, word approximation, etc.) before giving them an object.

  • Offer a small amount of a food or drink during snack time not mealtime.

    • Instead of giving your child the entire apple cut it into pieces giving them one piece at a time. Wait for your child to request before giving them another piece.

    • To do this with a drink, give your child an empty cup. Wait for them to request using words or signs such as: “in,” “more,” “juice,” etc. When they do give them a small amount and encourage them to continue the activity by accepting words or signs such as before.

  • Offer your child a choice.

    • Give them a choice of two objects and wait for them to point, sign, or use a word to make their choice.

• Comment

  • Change a familiar activity

    • Create an opportunity of surprise for your child. Put their sock on their hand instead of their foot and wait for a response. You are looking for comments such as: “no,” “foot,” etc.

  • When things go wrong…

    • Instead of cleaning up milk that is spilled or picking up a toy that has fallen wait for a reaction from your child.

• Expand on Your Child’s Comments

  • To encourage your child’s length of sentences expand on their comments. For example if your child makes a comment “Blue car”, add a word on such as “Blue car go”.

  • Vary your words that you expand. Use question words (i.e., “Who,” “what,” etc.),” describing words (i.e., “blue,” “cold,” etc.), action words (i.e., “hug,” “run,” etc.), words for feelings (i.e., “happy,” “sad,” etc.), location words (i.e., “in,” “on,” etc.), social words (i.e., “bye-bye,” “night-night,” etc.), and words that express belongs (i.e., “my,” “mine,” etc.).