How Psychological Theory Helps Speech and Language Development

When I was studying to become a Speech and Language Therapist, I also gained a degree in Psychology. One person who stood out during my learning was a man named Lev Vygotsky. I studied his work in relation to child development. To this day I continue to follow his theory known as the Zone of Proximal Development.

This simple, yet powerful, theory makes a lot of sense to me and can be applied to all areas of speech, language and communication. It happens naturally in societies that are not organised into schools, teachers and pupils.

First you need to know where a child is at right now. What can he or she do? What does he or she know? For example, he can complete a 6 piece jigsaw. She can speak in 2 word utterances.

The zone of proximal development refers to what comes next. It contains knowledge and skills just beyond the child's current level, that is just within reach, that will stretch and encourage. Exposure to this zone is what is needed, whether in the form of peers who are a little more able, or in the form of an adult who offers a model of what comes next. This would include showing and helping him to complete a 7 or 8 piece puzzle, adding a word to make up 3 word utterances.

So you know where the child is now. You add the zone of proximal development. Then you add in some scaffolds to help the child cross to the next level. Then you start again.

To learn more about my work, please go to my website.

How to help a child to use his language functionally

Many children I have worked with have had the following problem: they are developing their vocabulary but they don't always use it to communicate. Sometimes they may talk at home but not in school. Sometimes they speak in certain activities, such as when naming in a favourite book, but not in others. It can be frustrating for everyone involved. I have seen it in children who are on the autistic spectrum as well as others who have a language delay and may have a passive personality.

A technique that often (but not always!) works is called 'Sabotage'. This involves creating communication opportunities, ie the child has to say something otherwise the activity doesn't work. Some examples of sabotage include:

1) Ooops! I forgot....    You give your child a bowl of cereal and milk, but no spoon. You wait. You might even encourage him to eat up. If nothing happens, simply model the word you want to hear. It could be 'spoon' or 'help'.

2) Say something silly....  You are counting '1, 2, 3, 4, 27...' Again, you wait and pause. You might say '27? Is that right?' You can model the word 'no!'

3) Do something silly.... You try to put socks on your child's hands

4) Put something in sight but out of reach... You put your child's favourite toy on a shelf he can't reach

5) Be really mean with quantity....  Give your child just a tiny drop of juice in a cup, or just one crisp

Another technique is called 'sentence completion'. This is when you help your child get started but leave out the key word for him to fill in. An example would be when you KNOW he really wants something but he is just pointing or maybe screaming. You help by saying, 'I want....(train)'
Or he is struggling to get going with the zip on his coat. You help by saying, 'I need...(help)'

A new AAC tool to add to the tool kit

I was listening to an audio book last night and discussing how your mindset influences events in your life. So a positive mindset will lead to positive experience, negative to negative - in a simplistic nut shell.

I also knew that today I would be attending a training day on PODD (Pragmatic Organisation of Dynamic Display) - I can see why it is just called PODD! Now my knowledge of PODD was very limited. All of this limited knowledge was via a colleague and I didn't really know whether it was for me, or whether it was for the children I work with. I had also learned that the original 'free' place might have become a 'paid' place. It was hard to wake up with a truly positive mindset. I wanted to be positive but couldn't genuinely do it.

But after 30 minutes that all changed. I had, by the way, made a conscious effort to be at least open-minded. I mean I wasn't negative and set on being a doubter or one of the 'no' camp. The presenters were engaging and they put across the same ethos and principles I believe in - the need for genuine communication (not contrived), the need for communication everywhere, with everyone, all the time (if that is what the child or adult wants), and the need for a two-way process (not just something the child/adult uses but me too). Throughout the day my open-mindedness changed into a definite positive mindset. I like it. There is enough space for PODD alongside all the other techniques I know. It will add another dimension to the environment and to one to one conversations, it is appropriate for children with differing clinical needs,  including autism (it really highlighted what PECS just doesn't do). This positive mindset means that I can and I will be using this successfully with my clients. No questions, no obstacles. Just mindset.

For a small insight into how it works, there are a number of youtube clips. To enquire about my work or to book an appointment, please visit my website.