WORLD FINDING DIFFICULTIES

 

Learning vocabulary is an ongoing, lifelong process. Each new word has to be effectively processed, stored and then retrieved when needed. Some children have difficulty recalling names for people and objects. Many of us experience this from time to time when we say the word is ‘on the tip of my tongue’.

 

Strategies to help with word finding difficulties:

• Encourage the child to use gesture or mime to supplement speech.
• Ask the child to show you what they mean, by pointing to the object or a picture of it.
• Cue the child in with the first letter or syllable e.g. ‘It’s a ba…banana’
• Give the child choices to help him/her remember the word e.g. is it a carrot or a potato?
• Avoid speaking for the child. This may frustrate them or stop them from trying.
• Reflect back and question – repeat the child’s phrase.
• Accept any reasonable attempt at a word. It doesn’t have to be perfect. The important point is the child to get his message across – COMMUNICATION in its widest sense.
• Closure – use a build up sentence but let the child ‘close it’ by saying the last word e.g. ‘You’d like a drink of… ‘ or ‘You need to go to the …’

 

Please see the ‘vocabulary’ section for further information and activities.