TIPS FOR FACILITATING COMMUNICATION

Get my attention
Make sure that you get my attention by calling me or tapping my arm. Be sure that I am looking at you before you start signing to me.

Get down to my level
Bend down so that I can see your face. You can say a lot of important things with your eyes and your smile, so it is important that I can see them!

Keep things simple
Use short phrases when you are talking to me. If you have a complicated idea, break it down in a way that I can understand what you are saying. For example, “We’ll go outside once you’ve finished your snack” is much harder to understand than, “First, finish your snack. Then we will go outside.”

Not too many questions
Only ask me questions if you don’t know the answer or you are interested to know what I think. Please don’t ask me questions just so that it is not quiet when we are playing together (e.g., What are you doing? Are you feeding your doll? You like your doll, don’t you?). It makes it harder for me to think of the things that I want to say.

Observe, wait, listen
Watch my body language, notice where I am looking and pointing. Wait for me to answer. I am just learning about the world and how to say things so it takes me a minute to get my thoughts to come out as words. Listen carefully to what I say! I have a lot of important things on my mind.

Follow my lead
Just like you, I talk most about the things that I find interesting.

Talk about what is going on
Instead of asking me questions about what I am doing (like the example mentioned before about the doll), be my life’s narrator (e.g., You’re playing with the doll! Oh dolly is hungry. You’re feeding the doll. Dolly likes you.). When you do this, it provides me a model of the words I need to tell you about the things I am doing.

Expand on what I am saying
When I say, “ball” and point at it excitedly, what I really mean is, “Wow! Did you see how high that ball bounced?” but I don’t have the words to say it. You can help me by saying, “Yes ball, it bounced high! Look at it go!”

Take the pressure off
If I say/sign something that doesn’t sound/look like a grown-up word just repeat it back to me and carry on.

Routines
I like it when you use the same words to describe what we are doing during routine activities. Singing songs and re-reading my favourite books are another way for me to hear the same words over and over again.

Use visual supports
I can understand best when you use spoken language, sign language, gestures and pictures to help me understand what you are telling me.