Gestalt Language Processing (GLP), is a style of learning language where children initially memorise phrases, and then work backwards to eventually learn the meaning of words.
In 1983, Barry Prizant’s article laid the foundation for what we now understand as Gestalt Language Development. During the same year, Ann Peters’ qualitative research further enhanced our understanding of this concept. Following their work, four initial stages of language development were classified.
Almost 30 years later, in 2012, Speech and Language Therapist, Marge Blanc reassessed the stages of Gestalt language in her book “Natural Language Acquisition.”
There are no current statistics available showing how many children have GLP, but we do know that it is highly likely that a lot of children with this condition will be autistic.
Essentially, children with GLP tend to learn via the following routes:
- Immediate echolalia: Repeating a phrase as they hear it.
- Delayed echolalia: Repeating phrases they’ve heard beforehand.
- Memorising phrases: Memorising whole phrases, then breaking them down to eventually learn word meanings.
- Not understanding individual words: Initially not understanding how to create a sentence.
- Using rich intonation: Children may sing as they communicate.
Deanne, Specialist SEN Tutor
Deanne, a Specialist SEN Tutor in Buckinghamshire, has been trained to spot GLP learners. She explains, “As children learn the language, they start with a song or phrase. They then break the phrase down, eventually ending up with a single word that they can use correctly.”
“Children who are developing their language as GLP’s often learn these chunks of language when they are associated with an emotional experience. For example, a child who enjoys cake at a party who hears the ‘Happy Birthday’ song. This emotional experience is meaningful to the child because they like cake, and therefore they may learn the entire song. Subsequently, when the child sees a picture of a cake in a book, or a cake in a cafe, they may sing the whole song, even though that cake is not associated with a birthday. As their language skills develop further, they may start to use shorter ‘chunks’ of language from the song when they see a cake in their environment. Eventually the child may start to learn and to use the single word ‘cake’ rather than singing any of the birthday song”.
Echolalia is a crucial tool used by Gestalt processors to navigate their Gestalt language. Once considered useless, research has since validated the meaning of echolalia; it just might not be apparent to us what the meaning is.
It is our job to use our skills to tune into what a child says – listen to their phraseology, look for a sing-song intonation, and become an expert at knowing what is being communicated.
Deanne illustrates with a specific example; “In a plea to prevent her son from hurting himself, a little boy I worked with had been sharply told by his mum to ‘be careful; the eggs are hot!’ As the child then associated the phrase with a warning, he then used it to express other warning situations that had nothing to do with a hot pan”.
It is interesting to note the point at which a child is really understanding the language in mainstream terms. Deanne explains, “You can spot this when a child makes grammatical errors; at this stage you then know that they are forming the actual language, and not just copying it”.
How to Help a Child With GLP
There are a lot of techniques available:
Eliminate questions: children with GLP won’t know how to answer a question and may repeat it.
- Acknowledge their “gestalt:” i.e. the phrase they use even if you can’t grasp it. A simple repetition of the phrase or a “oh, yes of course” will suffice.
- Use open-ended activities; building/creating something will develop critical thinking, problem-solving and decision-making; this will enhance confidence and knowledge of semantics.
- Think about sentence starters: begin a sentence with words or phrases such as “Let’s… It’s… Don’t… I am… How about… I wonder if…” This will assist linguistic development without pressure.
- Model your language differently: using their phrases and a sing-song intonation.
- Look for patterns: be a detective! Familiarise yourself with a child’s use of phraseology and repetition. Link their word combinations to an underlying emotion or thought.
- Allow music during conversation: song repetition can help Gestalt language processors, leading to more language achievement.
- Avoid the word “you” when conversing: a Gestalt child finds “you” confusing, often misusing the word. For example, when they fall over, instead of saying “Are you okay?” find an alternative phrase, such as “Oh dear!” or “Whoops!”
Gestalt language processors will always be as such, even when progressing beyond stage 4 of the Gestalt developmental milestones. As we develop our understanding of their unique communicative techniques, we will too become Gestalt speakers.
In addition, retain a response routine for your learner. This will help children feel understood and boost their confidence, leading to faster progress in their language development.
For more information, check out https://www.meaningfulspeech.com/blog/Stages-of-GLP
Please note: The information provided within this blog, by SENsational Tutors, is for general information purposes only. We appreciate that every person is unique and any advice/experiences mentioned within the content of each blog may not be reflective of your own personal experience. All information on the site is provided in good faith and is for educational informational purposes only. It is not a substitute for professional advice. Before taking any actions based upon such information, we encourage you to consult with appropriate professionals.
