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General Strategies
Following are general strategies to help individuals who have difficulties expressing themselves:
- For individuals with significant language weaknesses, it may be necessary and most appropriate to use augmentative communication devices (e.g., communication boards). Such devices use electronics or computer technologies to express the person's thoughts by having them press pictures, images, or letters on the board that are then expressed in complete, grammatically correct sentences. Such communication boards are frequently used, and can be specifically made for individuals based on their individual language strengths and weaknesses or physical limitations (e.g., quadriplegia).
- As with other cognitive weaknesses, it is important to provide environmental adaptations to assist people with language weaknesses. For example, it is very important and can be very helpful to meet with others (e.g., employers, teachers, friends, coworkers) to explain the nature of the person's language difficulties, and inform them of appropriate expectations, frustrations can be minimized both for the person with the language impairment and those with whom they work and live.
- Notebook with pictures of real people in various emotional states from happy to sad to angry should be used as a communication device to let the individual express their emotions.
- When educating others about the nature of an individual's language weaknesses, it is appropriate to establish external regulations. For example, arrangements can be made such that an individual is asked to express themselves in three sentences (or words) or less.
- Individuals with significant expressive language difficulties should carry a writing tablet at all times to assist them in communicating their thoughts and needs.
- If necessary, individuals with expressive language problems should be provided with pictured stimuli to serve as choices or cues for word finding deficits.
- Provide multiple choice questions for the individual with language difficulties to answer (e.g., "Would you like to watch channel 3, 5, or 17?").
- Minimize the need for individuals with expressive language difficulties to speak, whenever possible. For example, efforts can be made for communication to occur by writing notes, sending emails, drawing pictures, and gesturing whenever possible.
- It can be very helpful for those with expressive language Weaknesses to minimize difficulties by practicing communication skills, and particularly for specific events such as lectures, presentations, phone calls, interviews, and so on (i.e., practice makes perfect).
- To improve general expression, it can be helpful to have the individual practice conversational skills and engage in storytelling activities.
- As is the case in the rehabilitation of many cognitive skills, it may be helpful to videotape the conversational skills of the individual, and then review the tape with them to discuss their relative communication strengths, weaknesses, and appropriate use of compensatory strategies.
- It is important for the person with the language impairment, as well as others with whom they interact, to be patient. Due to the nature of both expressive and receptive language problems, it is likely that extra time will be needed for the affected individual to express their thoughts and understand others. Frustrations will be minimized by allowing for extended time for communication, and developing appropriate expectations for difficulties to occur.
- Many individuals with language disorders find it embarrassing and very difficult to inform others of their weaknesses. As a result, it can be helpful to teach people with language Weaknesses ways to inform others of their language strengths, weaknesses, and needs.
- Individuals should be encouraged to use non-verbal means of communications (e.g., gesturing, drawing, making faces, etc.) when appropriate.
- One of the simplest strategies to compensate for language deficits is to have others provide frequent language cues whenever the individual is experiencing difficulties. However, it is very important that others be careful not to speak for the person if they can do it themselves.
- The cloze procedure is a common strategy used to help individuals compensate for expressive language weaknesses. This strategy involves providing the individual with the language impairment with a sentence that describes the identified work, although the word I omitted, such as, "You eat soup with a ___?"
- Similarly, individuals can be provided with phonetic cues to improve their language skills. For example, individuals can be provided with a sentence that describes the intended word, plus given the first sound (i.e., phoneme) of the word, such as "You eat soup with a s___?"
- Furthermore, individuals can be provided with syllable cues, such as "You eat soup with a spoo__?"
- Some individuals benefit from the use of association strategies, in which individuals are assisted in recalling words by providing them with similar words that are categorically associated to them, such as "When you eat, you use a fork, knife, and ____?"
- Modeling involves the provision of the identified word to be spoken, usually in the context of a sentence, with directions for the person to then repeat the word, such as "You eat soup with a spoon. Say 'spoon.'"
- Whenever possible, others should ask the affected individual "wh" questions to elicit responses, such as "who, what, where, why, and how."
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