| In my clinical practice as a speech-language | | | | communication partners more on the same level. |
| pathologist and when I am out and about, I listen | | | | The interaction is more supportive and |
| to how parents talk to their young children. I am | | | | informative about how language works. A child |
| always amazed by how many questions parents | | | | can copy all or part of a statement if able and |
| ask their children. Often it sounds like parents are | | | | ready to. The words are "right there" to be |
| "peppering" their children with questions! | | | | recycled. Conversely, when asked a question, a |
| And, it seems, the less able children are to talk, | | | | child has to understand it and then "go inside" his |
| the more questions their parents ask. It is a | | | | brain to create a response with words that may |
| downward spiral. The parent asks a question--the | | | | be different from the words used in the question. |
| child is not able to answer. The parent's concern | | | | That can be much too challenging. |
| over the child's lack of speech ability increases, | | | | There are many different kinds of statements |
| and the child hasn't been given any new tools | | | | parents can make. One could write a book on |
| from which to learn and gain new skills. | | | | that subject, and I have. What I will say here is |
| I think parents ask questions because they | | | | that parents can simply state the obvious. Talk |
| desperately want to hear their children talk, and | | | | about what the child is seeing, doing, experiencing, |
| they think that if they ask a direct question that | | | | feeling. Put words to the child's body language. Put |
| they will finally get an answer. I haven't seen that | | | | a "period" at the end of each statement by |
| happen. | | | | making your voice go down at the end. Any rising |
| So, instead of peppering children with questions, | | | | inflection, even on a single word or sound, turns a |
| what should parents do? | | | | comment into a question. |
| Instead of "pepper," try "salt." Let's say that "salt" | | | | When it comes to helping your child learn to talk |
| stands for making statements. | | | | or to talk better, "season" well with a lot of "salt" |
| Why are statement forms better than questions | | | | and only a little bit of "pepper. |
| for language stimulation? Statements put the | | | | |