This document provides information on communication development in children. It discusses how communication includes more than just language, including facial expressions, gestures, and more. It outlines typical comprehension and production milestones in children from 8 months to 4 years old. It also provides tips for supporting communication skills in children with atypical development, such as adapting language used and ensuring the child is engaged.

2. “When you smile at me, I learn that I am lovable. When
you understand me, you help me to understand the
world.”
-Hatkoff, 2007

3. Remember that communication is not JUST language.
It also includes:
 Facial expressions
 Directed gaze
 Gaze aversion
 Gestures
 Body Movements
 Object use
 Sounds (cooing, babbling, words)
 Intentional Actions
 Reaching, showing, pointing, pulling, nodding
 Speech, signing, pictures, text

4. Three areas of communication:
 Comprehension = the ability to understand
communication and utilize the messages in daily living
 Production/Formulation = the ability to formulate or
produce components of language
 Pragmatics/Use of Language = the ability to use
language functionally and purposefully in daily living

6.  The ability to comprehend language comes from:
 Shared attention
 Shared meaning
 Shared intentionality

7.  “…two people direct their attention to the same
aspects…”
 “…ensures that some aspect of the event is experienced
by both participants…”
(Nelson, 2007)

8.  “Meaning… is whatever is perceived as relevant to the
individual on the basis of needs, interests, present
context, or prior history… that which has meaning –
significance for the individual…”
 “Two people can share an experience but not a
meaning.”
(Nelson, 2007)

9.  Collaborative activity in which participants share
psychological states with one another
Tomasell0 (1999)

10. Video of Sara and Swing (Visual Reality)

11.  The ability to connect what is heard to what is already
in his mind
 The ability to recall ideas from memory that are
associated with prior experiences of the words
 The ability to form a new intentional state
representation (what does that mean for me right
now? “Kaaaaat, where’s the swing?” while pointing
and drawing Kat into the interaction).
 Adapted from Bloom and Tinker, 2001, p. 15

12.  In typical language acquisition, the comprehension of
language precedes production
 In atypical language acquisition, the comprehension
does not always precede production

13. 8-12 months
 Understands a few words in context (plays pee-a-boo
in response to words and gestures)
 Responds to interactions of others
 Responds to other’s intentions to regulate behavior,
other’s intentions to draw attention to themselves,
other’s intentions to draw attention to objects
.
(Miller and Paul, 1995; DMIC, 2005)

14. 12-18 months
 Understands single words for objects used in
immediate environment
 Will get objects when asked if they are in view
 Will perform some actions when asked
 Knows names of familiar people
 Responds to name
(Miller and Paul, 1995; DMIC, 2005)

15. 18-24 months
 Understands two word combinations similar to those
they can produce (eat cookie, Mommy jump,
Mommy’s shoes, kiss baby)
 Understands words for objects that are not in view
 Understands and responds to routine forms of “who”,
“what” and “where” questions
 Doesn’t understand agent-action-object (Mommy eat
cookie) fully.
 Understands about 150-500 words.
(Miller and Paul, 1995; DMIC, 2005)

16. 24-42 months
 Understands (agent-action-object) constructions
 Understands a greater range of “what”, “where”, “who”
and “whose” questions.
 Understands more complex directions
 Understands and responds to simple, causal “why”
questions. “Why is daddy fixing the bike? (in the
context of Daddy fixing it)”
 Understands locatives
(Miller and Paul, 1995; DMIC, 2005)

17. 42-48 months
 Understands when, how, and why questions
 Understands about 1000-3000 words.

18.  Does your child respond to directions or statements made
about the environment?
 (i.e. “A cup!” – child picks up the cup)
 Can your child pick up on stressed or emphasized words?
 (i.e. That’s the BIG chair!)
 Does your child respond to sounds, speech sounds, affect,
or tone?
 Does your child respond to gestures and sounds of others
with and without contextual clues?
 Does your child understand ‘wh’ questions?
 (i.e. Where is the dog?)

19.  May imitate what is said to him
 May not respond to questions or comments
 May not respond to verbal requests to join an activity
 May not show, look at or get items/objects named or
pointed out in the environment
 May not engage in actions that are requested within
their environment
 May demonstrate anxiety, confusion, and
dysregulation.
 May not engage, relate, or communicate as we might
expect

20.  Bring down the complexity of your language input
 Target particular words and phrases
 Work on comprehension in familiar contexts and
affectively rich/meaningful situations
 Pair language with the child’s actions
 Present targeted language in many familiar contexts to
promote learning
 Adapt to the child’s comprehension level (if only saying
“open” we shouldn’t be using “want me to open it?”)

21.  Pair words with gestures, facial expressions, and
other visual supports
 Use question forms that the child understands
 Use choice questions judiciously
 Request clarification
 Repeat, paraphrase, make salient the new
‘information’

22.  Use affect to help support understanding
 Use gestures to support understanding
 Emphasize words or sounds
 Pair with signs or pictures to help support
understanding
 Use LESS language
 Be sure your child is engaged before communicating

23. Video Emma and the eggs (Visual Reality)

24.  Remember, BEFORE our kids comprehend
communication our child must be:
(Level 1) REGULATED
(Level 2) and ENGAGED
THEN
(Level 3) TWO WAY COMMUNICATION
 Be sure your child’s foundation is ready for
communication by supporting regulation and
engagement.

26. Precursors to Language
(things you gotta have first!)
 Shared understanding between infant and parent
 Synchrony in infant-parent interaction
 Intersubjectivity
 Join attention

27. Precursors to Language
(things you gotta have first!)
 Sensory motor development –
 Object permanence
 Means end relations
 Causality
 Objects knowledge, object relations, event relations
 Child’s “theories” of objects, space, time, etc.
 Child’s knowledge base

28. Precursors to Language
(things you gotta have first!)
 Affect expression – feelings and states
 Vocal expression
 Contours of syllables
 Babbling
 Jargon
 Speech sound perception

29.  Work on engaging interactions – lengthen them and
strengthen them in fun, playful settings.
 Work on communicative rhythm – back and forth
responses, attending and responding.
 Experience the world with your child – explore and start to
recognize patterns in the world.
 Example: Can your child determine cause and effect of
putting on his own seatbelt or make his own sandwich, etc?
 Play with sounds – sing, rhythm, vocal tone.
 Phonemic Awareness
 Labeling sounds – dog, cow, etc. Connecting sounds with
labels.

31.  Does your child use language to get what they want or
need?
 (i.e. “Bakey” = give me my blanket)
 Does your child use language to comment?
 (i.e. “uh oh!” when food falls on the floor)
 Does your child use language socially (to interact in a
social manner)?
 (i.e. “get ya!” to signal a game of chase)

32.  Helping your child:
 Ensure your child is engaged and relating with you.
 Model! Show them how to request using gestures and
words in lots of non threatening play situations or
interactions.
 Highlight the context for them.
 Watch their comprehension. Are they understanding?
 Keep an eye out for sensory or emotional overload.
 Keep your pacing appropriate. Keep the rhythm, the
relating!
 Help a child to be intentional.

34.  What is the child doing?
 Why are they doing it?
 How can I join?
 How can I expand?
 Make random behavior purposeful.
Video of B and S doing math

35.  How can I start with sensory?
 What can be used to make this activity include
appropriate movement?
 What is the child’s sensory system telling me about our
play?
Video of S and J jumping by the mirror

36.  What can I turn into a theme?
 How can I change the theme slightly to move up the
ladder or support the roots?
 Is my theme consistent with the child’s lead?
Video of Emma and the Lollipop Dance (Visual Reality)

37.  Can I say what I said with more tune, rhythm,
singsong or beat?
 Can I use rhythm OVER verbal language?
Video of J and M, Wheels on the Bus

38.  Am I drawing everything out?
 Am I sloooooooooowing it down?
 Am I exciting?
 Am I expressive and affective in my face, vocal tone
and body language?
Video of J and the car on the rug

39.  Can I playfully get in the way to require more?
 Can I present a problem in a way that is silly, fun and
exciting?
 Can I play dumb to an extent that the child enjoys the
game?
Video of S & S – Wake Up – 4:15

40.  Remember to be in the moment… you’ll get where
you’re going if you’re patient.
 Wait for it, wait for it… 
 Taste the joy in the moment, march forward at the
pace the child sets forth and have fun!

41.  Use facial expressions, body language and gestures to
communicate.
 Help your child read your cues and tune into you
without excess language.
Video of M and S eating lunch

42.  You want the mustard?! Oh, no? The MILK!!
 Best way to encourage a child is to play dumb – really
make them think!
 Remember how learning the world and environment
supports language production and comprehension.
Video of S & S – Jump Rope, 18:50

43.  Watch your positioning
 On the child’s level
 In their visual field
 In front of the child vs. behind

44.  KEEP going with it!
 Difference between expand and staying in the
interaction
Video of Paper Ripping – if it’s working GO with it!

45.  Keep trying. Try the same thing four or five times
before you change.
 When you change, change slightly according to the
cues and information your child is giving you
Video of C – don’t change too much – persist in what you
were doing

46.  Make sure you are always on the positive
 When a child does something GREAT, be reinforcing
and exciting.

47.  Watch how many steps you are giving a child.
 “Go upstairs, get your shoes and get in the car” vs.
“Shoes? SHOES!!! Shoes.”
 IF you think they can, try FIRST, THEN. First, shoes.
Then, car.

48.  “Engaging Autism” – Stanley Greenspan and Serena
Weider
 “The Out of Sync Child” – Carol Stock Kranowitz
 “The Child with Special Needs” – Stanley Greenspan
and Serena Weider
 Floortime.org
 ICDL.com
 If you want a copy of “Visual Reality,” email Sima
Gerber @