July's - Tip For Parents
From ISVI's Speech & Language Department
Meal Time is a Good Teaching Time
Children
with visual impairments need frequent and repeated opportunities to experience
and interact with their surroundings to develop meaningful language. Making
connections between "words" (verbal speech), and "concepts" (understanding what
words mean), does not always occur naturally for a child with a vision loss.
Although teachers and therapist can be very helpful in this learning process,
parents are truly a child’s first, and best teacher. Opportunities for providing
multiple language connections can be found in a child’s everyday activities.
Often family interactions become so familiar and routine that we lose sight of
the important role they play in a child’s learning success. Take a moment to
look for opportunities within your daily routines to promote your child’s
language skills.
For example, mealtimes can be a wonderful time to
expand a child’s language. With a little practice mealtime can become a
rewarding learning experience for your child. Here are some ideas and concepts
that are a natural part of the mealtime routine:
At mealtime name the food items and label items
involved in the meal. Provide your child an opportunity to touch the food.
If possible allow him to touch and explore the package the food comes in.
Describe food items, how they feel, smell, and
look ( round, crunchy, chocolate ).
Talk about what you are doing as you prepare the
meal. Say you are getting the milk from the refrigerator. Use words like
full and empty. Talk about "pouring" and let him assist. Place his finger in
the bowl so he can feel the "cold" milk. Point out similarities and
differences.
Remind your child where he ate other meals
(grandma’s house, McDonalds).
Discuss likes and dislikes. Encourage him to
request more food. Allow him to make a choice of foods. As his language
skills increase encourage him to describe the food he wants without naming
it.
Discuss what happens to the "dirty" dishes, where
they go and how they get clean. As he progresses, give him the opportunity
to learn what utensils you need for meal times, where they are located, and
place them at the table.
Involve him in keeping a grocery list when items
need to be replaced. Include him in shopping, expanding his understanding of
the process of how food appears in the kitchen, and where it comes from.
Additional suggested activities: bathing, dressing,
cooking, cleaning, shopping, playing, bedtime, reading,
Talking Tips for Parents: (Communication Skill
Builders)
Make talking fun.
Reward and praise your child’s communication
attempts.
Keep sentences short and simple.
Speak slowly and clearly. Repeat if necessary.
Emphasize key words you want your child to learn.
Repeat main ideas frequently, in as many different
ways as possible.
Set a good example. Model correct speech. Don’t
require your child to repeat exactly what you say.
Give your child enough time to respond. Your child
may take a long time to organize thoughts and feelings and put them into
words. Avoid the tendency to answer for your child or interrupt.
Avoid placing too much pressure on your child to talk.
Your child may not want to "perform" verbally in front of others.
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