FD Title Slide
1
https://militaryfamilieslearningnetwork.org/event/22023/
Small Talk: Strategies to Support Child
Communication Before Words Emerge
Thanks for joining us! We will get started soon.
While you’re waiting you can get handouts etc. by following the link below

Connecting military family service providers
and Cooperative Extension professionals to research
and to each other through engaging online learning opportunities
https://militaryfamilieslearningnetwork.org
MFLN Intro
2

FD Title Slide
3
https://militaryfamilieslearningnetwork.org/event/22023/
Small Talk: Strategies to Support Child
Communication Before Words Emerge

Today’s Presenters
Juliann Woods,
Ph.D., SLP-CCC
• SLP & EI trained
• Mom/Grandma
• Enjoys working
vacations…
• Autism and Caregiver
coaching
Mollie Romano,
Ph.D., SLP-CCC
• FSU – SCSD
• Mom of 2 girls
• Needs a vacation!
• Early
Communication
Development
4
Photos used with permission, J. Woods & M. Romano

What are the earliest communication
milestones?
• Insert a series of 3 parent child dyad photos with child
between 6 & 12 mo, around 18 months and then a 2yr
old ….
5
Photospin.com, by Skreidzeleu AliakseiPhotospin.com by Design Pics Photospin.com by Monkey Business Images

Developmental Summary 0-3
• Critical importance of supportive interactions with
caregivers
• Early gesture development mirrors social communication
functions
• Progression of babbling to vocalizations to words and
combinations
• Comprehension precedes expression
• Form, function and content are ALL essential for future
language and literacy success
6

When concerns arise…
• It’s never too early to provide a communication and
language rich environment
• Share information and resources about building a
language rich environment
• Support caregivers to be responsive and encourage
communication throughout the day
• Monitor development and increase supports as needed
7

8
ImagefromPixabay.com/CC0
Fred Rogers, Middlebury College commencement address, May 2001

• Identify the forms and functions the child typically uses to
communicate
• Recognize emerging communication skills
• Select communication targets
– Expand function of current form(s)
– Expand to next form in developmental sequence
Selecting Communication Targets
Pixabay.com, CC0
9

• Enhances active and successful participation
• Based on family priorities
• Builds on child’s strengths
• Context of meaningful activities
• Measurable behaviors
Writing Communication and
Language IFSP Outcomes
10

IFSP Outcomes: Enhancing
Participation
• Kaden will participate in family games, books, meals, and bath
time with gestures and vocalizations to request and share
enjoyment.
• Trinity will imitate words, e.g. ball, kick, when family members
name the object or action that she requests while going to
brother’s soccer games.
Routine
Form Function
Form
Function
Routine
11

• Activities that the child and family participate in regularly
• Routines that contain the following components:
– Clear beginning and ending
– Functional communication outcomes are embedded
– Follows predictable or logical sequence
– Provides opportunities for repetition 3 ways
– Functional, developmentally appropriate material use
Establishing Routines within a
Family’s Priorities
12

13
Types of Routines and Activities
FGRBI is a project of Florida State University
Updated: 2012
Child’s Name:________________________________ ________________________________ _____ Date: ___________________________
Family Routine Categories
Play Routines Caregiver Routines
Play with objects/constructive
play
Pretend play Comfort/disability related
routines
Dressing related routines
Physical play Social games (roles) Hygiene related routines Food related routines
Pre-academic and
Literacy Activities
Community and
Family Routines
Reading with books Songs and rhymes Community and family errands Family chores
Computer, TV, video Writing/drawing Socialization activities Recreation

Routines offer the most teaching
and learning for children and adults
when they are…
All images from Photospin.com by Monkey Business Images
14

15
• Joint attention
• Reversible rolesReciprocal
• Time and number of opportunities
• Types and number of targets
Expandable and
Contractible
• Provide “anchors” for adults
Logical and
Predictable
• Can be in multiple locations, with other
people, and materials
Flexible for
Generalization
• For the child and the adultMotivating
• Will grow with the childDevelopmental

Remember Kiyah & Kris?
Used with permission, J. Woods
16

Used with permission, J. Woods
17

Used with permission, J. Woods
18

Used with permission, J. Woods
19

Used with permission, J. Woods
20

Used with permission, J. Woods
21
21

Used with permission, J. Woods
22

Used with permission, J. Woods
23

Used with permission, J. Woods
24

Used with permission, J. Woods
25

Embedding Language Development
Environmental
Arrangement
Responsiveness
Descriptive
Talking
Expanding and
Building
Everyday Activities & Routines
26

• Environmental arrangement strategies are based on
what the family does, the toys and materials they prefer
to use, and the strategies they like.
• Encouraging Communication through
– Positioning of people and materials
– Meaningful & developmentally appropriate materials
– Communication temptations
– Removing or adding materials to sustain attention
– Offering choices between activities and/or materials
Environmental Arrangement
27

Using Environmental Arrangement
Strategies
• Where and how
can pauses be
embedded?
• Where and how
can materials be
manipulated?
Images from Pixabay.com, CC0
28

• Encouraging Communication through
– Following the child’s interest
– Being involved in the activity
– Responding contingently to child’s communication
– Balancing turns
Responsiveness
Photospin.com by PS Productions
29

• Encouraging Communication through
– Talking about the child is doing/looking at
– Talking about what the adult is doing/looking at
– Using language at the child’s target level
– Using a variety of word types
– Using words for different communicative functions
Descriptive Talking
30

• In view, out of reach
• Piece by piece
• Novelty
• Sabotage
• Forgetfulness
• Violating expectations
Communication Temptations
Photospin.com by Monkey Business Images
31

• Encouraging Communication through
– Using expanded language models
– Recasting the child’s communication
– Using a varied language forms
– Upping the ante and prompting
Expanding and Building
32

Using Expanding Strategies
Photospin.com by Lev DolgachovPhotospin.com by Monkey Business Images Photospin.com by Monkey Business Images
33

Model the gesture, sound, or word
Say milk
Offer a choice
Do you want milk or juice?
Ask an open-ended question
What do you want?
Time Delay
Pause & look expectantly
Using Building Strategies
34

Increases in:
a) amount of parent – child interaction
b) responsiveness to child communication,
c) amount and quality of linguistic input, and
d) use of learning support strategies
(Brown & Woods, 2016; Roberts & Kaiser, 2011)
Parent Implemented Communication
Intervention – It works!
Photospin.com by PS Productions 35
35

Principles
• Theoretical frameworks
used in policy
• Integrate values and
vision
• Guides the outcomes
• Tells us why
Practices
• Evidence informed and
empirically validated
• Observable and
measureable actions
demonstrating vision
• Accomplishes outcomes
• Tells us what,
when/where, how and
who
Bridging the Research to Practice
Gap
36

Learning is sequential and situational in
authentic frameworks to facilitate retrieval
Clear, measureable and value driven
indicators assessed to ensure consistency of
performance
Active participation with increasing
independence and ownership is essential
Systematic approach with repetition in a
variety of contexts supports generalization
Core Adult Learning Principles
Images from Pixabay.com, CC0
37

As an adult
learner, what
strategies are
you using right
now to help you
learn?
Pixabay.com/CC0
38

• Introduction
• Illustration
• Practice
• Evaluation
• Reflection
• Mastery
Trivette, C. M., Dunst, C. J., Hamby, D. H., & O’Herin, C. E. (2009). Characteristics and consequences of adult learning methods and
strategies. Winterberry Research Syntheses, 2, 1–31.
Active Ingredients of Adult Learning
Pixabay.com, CC0
39

Learning Cycle
Woods, J., Wilcox, M. J., Friedman, M. & Murch, T. (2011). Collaborative consultation in natural environments: Strategies to enhance family centered supports and services.
Language, Speech, and Hearing Services in Schools.
40

Coaching Practices
Woods, J., Wilcox, M. J., Friedman, M. & Murch, T. (2011). Collaborative consultation in natural environments: Strategies to enhance family centered supports and
services. Language, Speech, and Hearing Services in Schools.
SS-OO-PP-RR
• SS = Setting the Stage
• OO = Observation and Opportunities to
Practice
• PP = Problem Solving and Planning
• RR = Reflection and Review
41

Setting the Stage (SS)
42
Gathering updates & sharing
information
•
Encouraging family priorities
for session plan
Woods, J., Wilcox, M. J., Friedman, M. & Murch, T. (2011). Collaborative consultation in natural environments: Strategies to enhance family centered supports and
services. Language, Speech, and Hearing Services in Schools.
Used with permission, J. Woods

Observation and Opportunities to
Practice (OO)
43
Observe caregiver child
interaction in routines
•
Use coaching strategies
matched to caregiver-child
•
Provide general and specific
feedback
Woods, J., Wilcox, M. J., Friedman, M. & Murch, T. (2011). Collaborative consultation in natural environments: Strategies to enhance family centered supports and
services. Language, Speech, and Hearing Services in Schools.
Used with permission, J. Woods

Problem Solving and Planning (PP)
44
Problem solve intervention
strategies
•
Expand
opportunities and contexts to
practice
Woods, J., Wilcox, M. J., Friedman, M. & Murch, T. (2011). Collaborative consultation in natural environments: Strategies to enhance family centered supports and
services. Language, Speech, and Hearing Services in Schools.
Used with permission, J. Woods

Reflection and Review (RR)
45
Promote caregiver reflection
on what occurred and how it is
working
•
Review session and plans for
next steps
Woods, J., Wilcox, M. J., Friedman, M. & Murch, T. (2011). Collaborative consultation in natural environments: Strategies to enhance family centered supports and
services. Language, Speech, and Hearing Services in Schools.
Used with permission, J. Woods

General Coaching
Strategies
• Information Sharing
• Observation
• Joint Interaction
Specific Coaching
Strategies
• Direct Teaching
• Demonstration with
Narration
• Guided Practice
• Caregiver Practice
• Feedback
• Problem Solving
• Reflection
• Review
Friedman, M., Woods, J., & Salisbury, C. (2012). Caregiver coaching strategies for early intervention providers:
Moving toward operational definitions. Infants & Young Children, 25(1), 62-82.
General and Specific Coaching
Strategies
46

What to use when?
General Coaching
• Great place to start each
visit to support and extend
relationship
• Important throughout visit to
ensure adequate time to
listen and clarify
• Opportunity to balance and
synchronize pace, push,
progress and planning
between the triad
Specific Coaching
•Focuses on caregiver’s and
child’s outcomes and
learning strategies
•Combines systematic
teaching with feedback
•Shifts responsibility of
leadership between coach
and caregiver based on
performance and
confidence
47

• Which coaching strategies did Peg use with Kris and
Kiyah?
• How did the Kris respond to Peg’s use of various
strategies?
• What could Peg do next to up the ante?
Revisit Kiyah & Kris
Used with permission, J. Woods 48

49
Pixabay.com, CC0 49

Connect with MFLN Family Development Online!
MFLN Family Development
MFLN Family Development @mflnfd
Talk About it Tuesday: #MFLNchat
MFLN Family Development
To subscribe to our MFLN Family Development newsletter send an email to:
MFLNfamilydevelopment@gmail.com with the Subject: Subscribe
FD social media
50

Through the Early Intervention Training Program at the University of Illinois,
providers in Illinois can receive 1.5 hours of Early Intervention credit.
Several states other than Illinois have already agreed to recognize CE units from
this webinar. They are: Georgia, Kansas, Maryland, North Carolina, Texas, and
Virginia.
All participants may receive a certificate of completion from this webinar after
completing an evaluation and post-test. This certificate can sometimes be used to
apply for CE credits with your credentialing body if you are not an Illinois provider.
Links and further information will be available at the end of today’s presentation.
Evaluation and CE Credit
51

Webinar participants who want to receive a certificate of continuing
education (or just want proof of participation in the training) need to take
this post-test AND evaluation:
https://vte.co1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_7POUSIr6WjIVCct
CE certificates of completion will be automatically emailed to participants
upon completion of the post-test & evaluation.
•Questions/concerns surrounding CE credit certificates can be emailed to
this address: MFLNFDEarlyIntervention@gmail.com
•Sometimes state/professional licensure boards recognize CE credits from
other states. However, it is necessary to check with your state and/or
professional boards if you need CE credits for your field.
CE Credit Information
52
52

Up and Away: Building child language, social interactions,
and preliteracy skills in early childhood settings
Nov. 29, 2018 at 11:00 a.m. Eastern
https://militaryfamilieslearningnetwork.org/event/22036
For more information on MFLN FD Early Intervention go to:
https://blogs.extension.org/militaryfamilies/family-development/
FD Early Intervention Upcoming Event
53

Learn with us at https://militaryfamilieslearningnetwork.org
54
54