PROCESSING LANGUAGE & TOP TIPS

 

Language processing is complex. It is more than listening or understanding and is dependent upon the integration of a whole range of skills which include:

• Hearing
• Sustaining attention
• Sorting out and making sense of the sounds you hear
• Holding auditory information in memory (see auditory memory leaflet)
• Making links between words and ideas
• Associating new information with old
• Putting the whole thing together to make sense

 

…And it all happens AT SPEED!…

 

For this reason, a child who has difficulties with understanding and processing spoken information will begin to rely on visual prompts and clues. These can be an essential support for learning e.g. Makaton signing to support early understanding.

Visual supports such as visual timetables, pictures and symbols and daily routines should be available in early year’s settings to support understanding. In order to cope with busy and often noisy settings, the child will benefit from a range of strategies to support understanding and processing.

 

You can help by:

• Making sure you have the child’s full attention (see tip tops from the attention and listening section)
• Being face to face
• Keeping your language simple – giving short instructions
• Giving the child time to think and respond
• Emphasising the most important words in the sentences
• Use visual supports to aid understanding e.g. gesture, facial expression, objects and pictures.

 

TOP TIP: If the child doesn’t follow the instruction you have given, it is possible that there has been a breakdown in communication. Try to work out where this breakdown has happened. You could think about: Was your instruction too long or too complex? Were the words you used too difficult? Did you have the child’s full attention? Did you give them time to respond?