There are 2 ways children process and develop language: Analytic Language Processing (historically labeled “typical” language development) and Gestalt Language Processing (often associated with delayed echolalia). Analytic Language Processors:
Start learning language as single words (e.g., “More” “Go” “Car”).
Combine words together to make new phrases (e.g., “Go car” “More go”)
Continue to build spontaneous language by combining more single words together (e.g., “The car is red” “Make the car go fast”)
Gestalt Language Processors:
Start learning language as longer strings like phrases or sentences they heard from speech, songs, or videos (e.g., “Who took the cookie from the cookie jar”). This delayed echolalia is often unintelligible with rich, adult-like intonation.
Learn to break it down into smaller units and eventually attribute meaning to single words and word combinations (e.g., “Who took it?” “The cookie jar” “eat cookie”).
Begin to form spontaneous language with those "freed" single words and begin to develop grammar (e.g., “I like cookie” “The jar is empty” "Eating cookies”).
The type of language processing significantly changes the therapy approach for your child and should be highly individualized based on their current language production and where they are in their language development. Effective speech-language therapy approaches for Analytic Language Processing are completely different from Gestalt Language Processing. Consult an SLP if you have questions about your child’s language development!
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