What is Gestalt Language Learning?
Gestalt Language Learning, also known as Gestalt Language Processing (GLP), is a pattern of learning language where children acquire language in chunks or “gestalts”. Children start by repeating language verbatim that they have heard elsewhere. Their gestalts may be single words, phrases and/or complete sentences. When gestalt language learners start speaking, their communication is typically described as ‘scripted.’ Once they have a large repertoire of gestalts (or ‘scripts’), they learn to break them down into smaller units of meaning which can be mixed and matched to eventually make new utterances.
Strategies to Support Gestalt Language Learners (at home and school)
1. Follow Your Child’s Lead
Children learn best when they are engaged in something they find meaningful and enjoyable. Your child will learn language best when you watch what they are interested in and then join their play while modelling meaningful language.
- Child: Pushes a toy car repeatedly into a pile of blocks.
- Adult: Gets another toy car and copies their child’s actions while saying, “crash!” or “Beep-Beep”
2. Acknowledge All Communication
Gestalts are meaningful chunks of language that gestalt language learners use to communicate. Even if the meaning isn’t immediately clear, acknowledge what your child has said and try to respond in a way that matches their communicative attempt.
- Child: “One, two, three me!”
- Adult: Smiles and imitates child’s action “One, two, three me!”
3. Be a Detective
All speech is communication and as the adult, it is your job to figure out what your child is communicating through their gestalts. Consider the context in which your child uses a gestalt and look for patterns to help decipher meaning. Once you understand what your child is communicating, model a phrase that conveys the intended meaning.
- Child: “Juice goes in the fridge.”
- Adult: After some detective work, the adult realises that the child uses this script when they are thirsty and models “I am thirsty.”
4. Limit the Number of Questions You Ask
Early gestalt language learners often struggle with responding to questions and need to hear many meaningful language models before they can reliably answer questions.
- Instead of: “What are you doing?” or “What’s that?”
- Try: “We are playing cars!” or “Beep-beep, red car.”
5. Experiment with Pitch and Intonation
The early language of gestalt language learners tends to be rich in pitch and intonation. When you are modelling language for your child, play around with emotion in your voice. This type of ‘fun’ language is more likely than monotone statements to stick with a gestalt language learner.
6. Model Mitigable Gestalts
Think about phrases or gestalts that have components that can be use in a variety of situations and model these for your child.
Suggestions include:
- Let’s go…
- Let’s get…
- It’s a…
- I need…
If you would like more information about children’s language development or speech and language therapy with South Lakes Speech & Language Therapy, please get in touch. Follow us on Facebook for more speech, language and feeding tips and sign up for South Lakes Speech & Language Therapy’s newsletter if you would like new posts sent directly to your inbox.