How To Support A Gestalt Language Learner

Gestalt language processors learn best through natural language acquisition rather than through explicit teaching. Communicate naturally, while keeping the following in mind.

• Follow their lead to encourage spontaneous communication. Give them more of what they are enjoying.
• Notice what the learner is interested in and make a comment about it.
• If you want to ask them a question and you already know the answer, it’s likely a “testing question”. Make a comment instead.
• Acknowledge and repeat what they express to show that you’re interested. Next, add something very brief and then wait to give them a chance to add to the conversation.
• Model useful and interesting phrases and sentences. Beginning with modeling of single words instead of phrases and sentences can make it difficult for the learner to progress.
• Match phrases and sentences you say to the activities and routines you do with together with the learner. This helps them to learn meaning. Common phrases and sentence starters to model include: “Let’s …..”; “Wanna ……?”, “It’s time for ……”.
• Learners often need to hear a phrase or sentence many times before saying it. Place no pressure or expectation for the learner to say what you model.
• Use songs, interesting intonation and expressive emotions to engage gestalt learners.
• Provide language modeling that is appropriate for the stage of gestalt language development your learner is in. Find out more about the stages and what supports to offer in Engaging Potential’s post “Stages of Gestalt Language Learning (and what learners need at each stage)”.
• Talk with a speech-language professional to find out more about how to support a specific learner.