Carmel Terner SLP - Speech and language therapy in downtown Toronto

The third part of my Building Vocabulary series is ‘Naming and Narration in Action’!

In the last couple of videos we talked about the power of two strategies— Naming and Narration. These techniques support your child’s understanding and use of the words they hear and see around them. But what does naming and narration look like in practice? In the video below I show you what one of my narrations sounds and looks like. I narrate a cooking task, which is a typical routine in my home.

Throughout the narration, watch out for some of the strategies I recommended in my last videos like, ‘problem solve out loud’ and ‘point out written words’. Also note that I don’t ask a lot of questions, I’m not looking for responses, but I do leave space for them.

This is a pretty typical unscripted narration for me. Your narration won’t be like mine though, because your style is unique! It will also evolve over time, in part, because as you name and narrate, you’ll probably find yourself noticing more words and using them in new ways.

For the next video I thought it would be fun for us to take a closer look at the words and concepts present during an activity. We’ll try to find (all of) the vocabulary that we can name!

BONUS NARRATION TIP: You might be concerned that your child isn’t listening to your narration. They may not be looking in your direction. Or they walk in and out of the room. And then come back again. In my opinion, if your child is there, or comes back periodically, then they are showing curiosity, and they are listening. So Keep on Narrating!

Monday Mouthfuls- Building Vocabulary, Part 2- Naming to Narrating!

Last time we talked about how to use words and phrases to name everything! Naming is great, it’s a foundation for understanding. To go even deeper, I find that it’s helpful to think of naming as part of a ‘narration’. Narration is the act of telling a story.

Think of the narrator in a play, book, or movie. They do more than name individual things, they also describe and explain, and explore the connections between the people, objects, and events in the story. Becoming a narrator of your own life enables you to do this as well.

By naming the things in your environment and narrating your life in many contexts, you help your child expand and deepen their vocabulary. You help them to consider that items have characteristics (shape, size, quantity…), that they are made of parts, and that they belong to categories. You help them notice the various ways items are associated with each other or whether they are the same, similar, or opposites. You also help them understand why, when and how these words are used across a variety of interactions. And so much more!

Narrating can include more than verbal and AAC words (AAC = Augmentative and Alternative Communication). You can deepen your words’ meaning further with these strategies…

Include Objects!: Point to or hold an object, choose between objects to do an action, and do the action with the object as you narrate. A written word can be a sort of 'object' too. Point out the words you’ve been using lately, or other words that have similar or opposite meanings.

Repetition in Different Contexts:
Use new words in conversation, in jokes, riddles, or make-up songs! Talk through a problem and the possible solutions.

Make Connections!:
Talk about the connections among actions and objects, how you need ‘this object’ to do ‘this action’.

Connect new words with ones your child already knows. (Ex. New word: ‘mess’, Familiar word: ‘dirty’... ‘The room is a mess. That means it’s dirty. Let’s clean it up.’)

Your daily narration helps your child understand the words they hear. This deepened understanding can help them to feel more confident about using words verbally and with AAC!

For more information about using naming and narration, click here: https://bedrocklearning.org/literacy-blogs/21-fun-ways-to-improve-your-child-s-vocabulary/

Monday Mouthfuls- Building Vocabulary, Part 1!

You’ve probably heard it before— developing a wide vocabulary is fundamentally important for children. But why is learning words so important? Well, for many reasons, but here are two pretty big ones. Establishing understanding and use of a broad array of words can help build stronger social skills and it can have a significantly positive effect on literacy and other academic skills. So, a strong vocabulary can help us interact with each other and get things done!

To help your child build their vocabulary skills, NAMING is your best tool! Name everything! By naming the different things around you, you highlight words in meaningful contexts and help to give shape and definition to your child’s world.

The simplest way to name things is by using single words and simple phrases. Do this by using verbal names and AAC-based labels like pointing to a picture symbol on a Core Board or in an AAC App. (AAC = Augmentative and Alternative Communication)

You can name things like:
- Nouns (objects, people, and places)
- Actions
- Actions and Objects together (‘Cut the squash with a knife’)
- Prepositions and Objects together (‘The apple is on the box’)
- Feelings
- Other Descriptions including Adjectives and Adverbs
- Steps in a task (using Sequencing terms like ‘first’, ‘next’, and ‘last’)

By naming the many things in your environment you provide your child meaningful experience with a variety of words. And these experiences help to expand and deepen their understanding and use of those words.

In my next video I’ll talk about how naming can be more than just labeling items. We’ll consider how to include naming as part of a ‘narration of your life’ to help build your child’s vocabulary even further!

Until next time, keep on naming!

Learn more about my practice at www.tongueterner.com

(Not-quite) Monday Mouthfuls- How to help a loved one interact with your child, Part 2

Last time we talked about how to create opportunities for your child and loved one to interact, using loosely structured turn-taking games. Through game play, they can get to know each other better and trust each other a little more.

How can we help to extend and evolve these interactions and continue to build that trust? One way is by using reading and writing to explore the shared interests or ideas that come up during play.

For example, someone might say, “I wish we had pudding for snack, but we forgot to buy some”. You could expand on that by considering out loud what to do, verbally and with AAC. And let's say you decide to make some pudding, here are some ways you, your child, and loved one, can explore that further by including reading and writing:

1. Look up and read pudding recipes online. (There’s a great recipe website linked below.)

2. Bookmark your favourite recipe website(s).

3. Watch a video(s) with the same or similar recipe.

4. Follow a recipe.

5. Write, type, or dictate-to-text the recipe to keep it for later.

6. Create and label a file for recipes on your computer, tablet or phone.

7. Email or text the recipe to friends and family.

8. Add ‘pudding’ to a handwritten or typed shopping list.

9. If you’re inspired, write your own recipe!

By doing these kinds of ‘extension’ activities with your loved one, you show and share the fun and learning that they can have with your child too, even when you’re not around.

Enjoy!

ttps://accessiblechef.com/recipes/mini-chocolate-pudding-pies/

Monday Mouthfuls- How to help a loved one interact with your child

How can you help your loved one deepen and strengthen their interactions with your child? And by doing so help them to support your child to be a stronger communicator!

Here are some tips that emphasize meeting everyone where they are and using simple games to interact meaningfully and have fun.

1. With your child, choose a simple turn taking game that can be played with little equipment and from any sitting position. Like, balloon volleyball, bean bag basketball, or beach ball soccer.

2. With your child, show your loved one how to play and the words you use to talk about the game, do this verbally and/or with AAC (Augmentative and Alternative Communication).

3. When it feels right, explicitly ask them to participate, verbally and/or with AAC. Or help your child ask them, verbally and/or with AAC.

4. Keep it simple: encourage your loved one to play right from their chair and make sure items needed for the game are nearby. For example, to play beach ball soccer, create their ‘goal’ by using the space between their chair and the coffee table.

5. To keep things going, encourage your child to bring the ball or bean bags back to where your loved one is sitting throughout the game.

6. Play the game often, and then start to encourage them to play when you’re away. For example, if you go out for a while, remind them to find the things they’ll need to play, verbally and/or with AAC.

7. Eventually you’ll be ready to play the game in a different environment. When you guys go on an outing, encourage your child to bring the ball you've been using. And then together show your loved one how you use this new environment to play the game, inviting them to participate too!

And don’t forget to have fun!

(For more information, please see the video attached!)

https://www.wikihow.life/Play-Volleyballoon