Wednesday, August 20, 2014

Expressive Language

Language that a Child Uses Him or Herself

Source: Quoted from Jerry Webster at About.com
This Article provides a clear understanding of expressive language

Expressive Language is language that the individual creates to express him or herself. Usually it refers to spoken language, though even when this language is supported by pictures or devices, as long as it creates communication it is effectively expressive language.

Expressive language usually follow "receptive language," the ability for the individual child to understand and respond appropriately to language spoken by others. Receptive language is usually built by teaching small children to pair words with items and then imitating in order to pair actions with directives, i.e. "sit down." "Stand up." "Clap your hands . . ." etc.

Verbal Behavioral Analysis (VBA) uses the behaviorist strategies of ABA to build language. The first skill necessary for a child to acquire receptive language is "manding" or the ability to make a request for an item, an activity, or a need. Because manding creates a change in the child's world that the child has initiated, this is the strongest form of expressive language, the proverbial horse that pulls the cart of language. When a child begins to "mand," the other forms of language according to VBA, tacting (naming objects or people in the environment) and finally intra-verbals (asking questions, juxtaposing two things in a sentence: "Is that a hot dog or a bratwurst?") are not far behind.

Expressive language is an important step toward full participation in society, but often children who struggle with building language also need to build social skills and need explicit social skills training to be successful.

Examples: Jonathon began using expressive language when he found he could get a piggy back from his favorite therapist just by asking for it! (Manding)