7 Communication Skill Development Tips for Non-Verbal Kids

by JoleneAug 26, 2013Books and Resources, Special Needs Parenting4 comments

Parents can use these 7 strategies to encourage non-verbal kids grow in communication skill development.

Communication skills. How can parents encourage them in kids with special needs who are non-verbal? A post at Austisable offers answers for parents asking that question.

Communication Skill Development Ideas for Parents

The folks at Autisable asked speech experts to share their best tips for parents, and they came up with these seven suggestions. Although they are made with an eye towards kids with autism, they have value for kids with a variety of special needs.

Encourage play and social interaction. Try different games to find ones your child enjoys, playful activities that promote social interaction. Sit in front of your child and close to eye level so your child to see and hear you.
Imitate your child. Mimicking your child encourages vocalization and interaction. Also imitate how your child is playing, but only if the behavior is positive!
Focus on nonverbal communication. Gestures and eye contact build a foundation for language. So use your body and your face when talking and exaggerate your gestures. Also, respond to your child’s gestures.
Leave “space” for your child to talk. When your child doesn’t answer immediately, don’t fill the silence with talk. Instead wait (teachers call this wait time) for your child to compose thoughts and answer. Respond promptly when she speaks, including a response to their gestures and body movement.
Simplify your language. This makes it easier for your child to understand and to imitate your speech. Try using phrases with one more word than your child uses.
Follow your child’s interests. Narrate what your child is doing using simple language. Talking about what your child enjoys helps her develop vocabulary in that area.
Consider assistive devices and visual supports. Assistive technologies and visual supports can foster speech development rather than replace it. Look for apps and devices with lots of visual supports.

Communication Skill Development Ideas You Like

How do you encourage communication for your child? What strategies have you discovered on your own or learned from speech therapists? Leave a comment.

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By Jolene

Jolene Philo is the author of several books for the caregiving community. She speaks at parenting and special needs conferences around the country. Sharing Love Abundantly With Special Needs Families: The 5 Love Languages® for Parents Raising Children with Disabilities, which she co-authored with Dr. Gary Chapman, was released in August of 2019 and is available at local bookstores, their bookstore website, and Amazon. See Jane Sing!, the second book in the West River cozy mystery series, which features characters affected by disability, was released in November of 2022.

4 Comments

Kerith Stull on August 27, 2013 at 8:32 am

Great suggestions! Love the “leaving space” one. That’s sometimes tough in the fast paced space know as “life” but so important!

My 17yo daughter with cerebral palsy cannot speak at all (although she has normal hearing and uses fairly fluent sign language). We struggle with communication every single day.

I also think it’s important to (1) know your child so you can understand their thought connections, especially when their language is limited; and (2) make them use as much “language” (whatever skills they have) as much as possible, don’t settle for “less than” if they can do more!
Kerith Stull on August 27, 2013 at 8:32 am

Great suggestions! Love the “leaving space” one. That’s sometimes tough in the fast paced space know as “life” but so important!

My 17yo daughter with cerebral palsy cannot speak at all (although she has normal hearing and uses fairly fluent sign language). We struggle with communication every single day.

I also think it’s important to (1) know your child so you can understand their thought connections, especially when their language is limited; and (2) make them use as much “language” (whatever skills they have) as much as possible, don’t settle for “less than” if they can do more!
Ruth Stieff on August 26, 2013 at 9:06 am

Some of those ideas are really great. I particularly want to emphasize giving a child time to talk simplify your language. When children don’t understand, I find a lot of people use more words to try to explain. The real key is to use less words for the child to comprehend. Those words need to be well chosen. Another area where “less is really more.”
Ruth Stieff on August 26, 2013 at 9:06 am

Some of those ideas are really great. I particularly want to emphasize giving a child time to talk simplify your language. When children don’t understand, I find a lot of people use more words to try to explain. The real key is to use less words for the child to comprehend. Those words need to be well chosen. Another area where “less is really more.”