Gestalt Language Development
GESTALT LANGUAGE PROCESSING (ECHOLALIA AND SCRIPTING HAVE MEANING!!!)
Did you know there’s more than one way to develop language naturally? That’s right! Keep reading to learn more.
1. Analytic Language Development is what we usually think of when we hear the term “typical language development”. Analytic language processors learn single words, combine those single words into two-word phrases, and build from there until they are formulating long sentences and participating in conversations. These individuals assign meaning to each individual word as its very own unit. Ball = ball. Run = run. You get the picture. For years, when a child demonstrates challenges within their language development, speech therapy aimed to teach the child language following the “traditional” language development pattern. Therapists (including myself) worked so hard to teach single words, then two-word phrases, and so on. This sounds great until you dig a little deeper. We actually have existing research that proves there is another type of NATURAL language development. This research has been overlooked for many years as well-meaning therapists (again- like myself) pushed for single words as a starting point for language development. As it turns out, it’s true that we are all unique. Some people are…
2. Gestalt Language Processors. Have you ever heard an autistic child produce scripts? A script is the term for a phrase that a child repeats over and over that they typically picked up from a show, movie, therapist, teacher, parent, etc. This phrase is produced in the exact same way each time it is produced. These phrases typically don’t have meaning to potential conversation partners. That is, until we pay closer attention. Research shows that children actually produce scripts to communicate. Children who are gestalt language processors do not begin using language in single words. They begin using language as full phrases/gestalts/ scripts. This means that the child has assigned meaning to the entire phrase and has not yet learned the individual meaning of each word in the phrase. My favorite example of this is from when I was doing a home visit for a 4-year-old kiddo I had been seeing for over a year. I stood up getting ready to leave this child’s house. He immediately said “it’s time to go to school.” I had just completed the gestalt language processing course by Meaningful Speech and this was such an “ah-ha” moment for me. You see, this child did not yet have the words to talk about me leaving his house. In that moment, the only language he was able to access that in some way meant “leaving” was “it’s time to go to school.” He had most likely heard his mom say this almost every single day for several years. A week later I began using the Natural Language Acquisition approach I had just learned in the GLP course. Less than a month later when I left this kiddo’s house he stated “it’s time for Mrs. Abby to leave.” Wow. The difference just a few weeks made in this child’s language. Almost anyone would’ve brushed off his statement about it being time for school a few weeks earlier. Others would have likely smiled and said something about going to school tomorrow. Learning how to respond in this moment likely just gave this child a brand new potential for the language abilities he will now be able to achieve. Natural Language Acquisition is the approach used during therapy for individuals who are gestalt language processors. When we take time to consider the beautiful, unique, and immensely diverse ways that we each communicate we can slowly make the world a better place to live. I am forever grateful that I FINALLY (I say finally because I considered it for a few years) took the leap to learn about gestalt language processing. I only wish I had taken that leap much sooner.
There is more than one way to develop language. If your child’s language mostly consists of scripts from shows or echolalia, then it is very possible that your child is a gestalt language processor. It is also possible that your child has been in therapy for years and hasn’t made quite as much progress as you expected. Talk to your speech therapist about gestalt language processing and natural language acquisition. Learning how to respond to scripts and echolalia in a way that is affirming and encouraging for your child could make all the difference in their language development.
Always remember that PLAY is the key to success for language development. If you’re watching a speech therapy session and wonder why your child is always playing, just know that your therapist is guiding the play using highly trained and researched-based techniques to facilitate their communication skills. Talk to your therapist and ask the questions you want answers to. Every child deserves to communicate. We can make that happen by not being afraid to try new strategies in therapy and advocating for more research and available information.
Let’s continue to advocate for more research and awareness about gestalt language processing!!
- Abby Hedgepath M.S., CCC-SLP
(I have gathered the information in this blog through various books, research articles, continuing education classes, and personal experience. Meaningful Speech is a great resource to learn more about this topic.)
