Attention and Listening

• Try to use a quiet environment to increase attention.
• Follow your child’s lead and talk about their interests.
• Praise often and emphasise what they have done right.
• Play or work in short bursts so they can feel successful and let them know how long then need to concentrate for.
• Offer some movement breaks before or after needing to focus.
• Give them a reason to listen (e.g. a special job or word they have to listen out for).

Receptive Language

• Difficulty understanding language and following instructions
• Get your child’s attention first by saying their name.
• Show and tell through objects, pictures and gestures.
• Keep your sentences short.
• Use familiar routines to help them understand instructions and what might be happening next.
• Using the positive, e.g. ‘Good walking’ rather than ‘Don’t run’.

Expressive Language and Vocabulary Strategies

• Offer choices or ways for them to show you want you mean.
• Play vocabulary games (see Tiny Happy People website and the Games/Top Tips pages in the resources section at the foot of this page).
• Remember that specific questions - 'Who? What? Where? How? and Why?' can be tricky, so try to think about other ways to find out this information.
• Extend what your child has said by repeating back and adding in some extra information (e.g. 'Yes, we saw a yellow car.')

Difficulties With Word, or Sound Production

• Show them that you are listening.
• Tell them to show you instead if you aren’t sure what they have said.
• Syllables and clapping games.
• Do not correct speech but repeat back in the correct way.
• Sound games e.g. I spy.

Dysfluency

• Disruption to the flow and timing of speech.
• Model slowing down your own speech and pause between phrases.
• Give processing time and don’t overuse questions.
• Maintain eye contact and show you are listening by giving your full attention.

Social Skills and Interaction

• Notice different styles of communication at different times. Your child may be able to communicate much better in some situations than others, when they are most relaxed for example.
• Support skills which will help with turn taking or expectations within groups. This may involve talking about or role playing what might happen beforehand at home, or getting involved to support any turn taking to help reduce any worry.
• Talk about it being ok to feel shy in new situations or with new people, and what might help them with that.
• Talk about emotions in the moment (e.g. 'I wonder if you are feeling a bit…shy/nervous/worried.') to help your child understand and communicate how they feel.
• Reassure your child that non-verbal communication is ok e.g. smiling and waving.
• Let other people around them know not to put them under pressure to speak.
• If helpful: Give your child a set phrase to say. Sensitively prompt to say hello or stay on topic (e.g. by modelling this yourself, practicing this in beforehand or using a code word to help them get back on topic).