Have you noticed some children repeating everything you say or echoing scripts (Gestalt Language) from their surroundings? This happens because children learn language in different ways. In this article, we’ll explore about echolalia and the two primary styles of language learning:
- Echolalia
- Analytic language development
- Gestalt language processing
Understanding which style a child uses can be helpful for parents and professionals. Knowing a child’s language learning style is important because it can help determine if they might benefit from speech therapy and guide the direction of that therapy.
What is Echolalia?
Echolalia is a natural stage of language development that most toddlers go through, but they typically outgrow it by the age of three. However, children with autism may not progress beyond this stage and can remain stuck in echolalia.
There are two types of echolalia:
- Immediate Echolalia: Children repeat words or phrases they hear immediately in their environment.
- Delayed Echolalia: Children repeat words or phrases they have heard in the past from sources like TV shows, storytelling, or conversations with familiar people.
What is Analytic Language Processing?
In analytic language processing, children learn language by focusing on individual words. As they begin to speak, they might use words like “mama,” “papa,” “bye,” and “give.”etc. As their language skills develop, they start combining two words to communicate and eventually form sentences with different structures, such as “I want…” or “Give me…”. This method is often considered the “typical” way children acquire language, moving from learning individual parts to forming complete sentences. If your child is an analytic language processor, you can enhance their vocabulary and language skills using our “kid’s Talk Program “and resources that provide guidance for beginners. These resources teach single words, two-word combinations, sentences, and grammar.
What is Gestalt Language Processing?
Some children develop language through gestalt language processing. Instead of learning individual words, they memorize entire phrases or sentence s. This approach is often associated with echolalia, where a child repeats phrases or sentences they have heard before or from their immediate environment. Gestalt Language Processors (GLPs) typically do not start with single words; they often begin with rhymes, songs, chunks of words, or long scripts. They are also known as “intonation babies” because they incorporate intonation into their speech, learning accent and tone from the sources they repeat.
Examples:
- One of my GLP students began by singing rhymes and songs, using 2-3 lines from his favorite rhymes. He would repeat everything he was told or asked.
- Another GLP student used learned phrases to express himself, saying things like “You hungry?” or “You wanna milk?” Sometimes, he would sing a car song when he wanted to go out.
There are four stages of gestalt language development. Children start with scripts, songs, or larger chunks, then learn to speak using one word, then two words, and eventually progress to grammatical structures. They learn through Natural Language Acquisition (NLA). I am an NLA-trained clinician and have worked with many GLPs who have successfully learned to communicate through this approach. Click the link below to know more about Stages of Gestalt Language Processors.
Check Stages of Gestalt Language Learning
Learn How to teach communication to Analytical Language Processor: click on the links below:
Check and calculate your child’s language age
How speech and language therapy work
How to use play to teach communication skills