Autism &
Gestalt Language Processing
Research shows that most autistic children are Gestalt Language Processors which starts with the use of delayed echolalia (repeating learned phrases/scripts).
There are 6 stages moving from repeating learned phrases (Stage 1) to children generating their own sentences (stages 4-6).
In the initial stages from films or books tend to be picked up due to the drama or emotion being felt by a character at that particular time.
Phrases are also often picked up from songs and it will be a particular beat or pitch that a child finds particularly interesting or the feeling behind the words so 'happy birthday to you' could be repeated by a child at any exciting event, not just birthdays.
So confusingly the child’s reason for using that phrase may have nothing to do with the words themselves.
Signs of Gestalt Language Processing
Please note, not all of these signs may apply to your child. However, they could still be Gestalt Language Processing.
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One
Delayed echolalia- Repeating phrases learnt from songs/movies.
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Two
Lots of intonation when talking.
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Three
Likely to be Autistic and/or hyperlexic.
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Four
May not talk yet but may sing/hum rhythmitcally.
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Five
Pronoun reversal, using ‘you’ when talking about themselves.
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Six
Studies/replays media clips over and over.
Early Language Acquisition
Assessment and therapy for children who are Gestalt Language Processors is different to traditional Speech and Language Therapy.
If your child is a Gestalt Language Processor and has had traditional speech therapy, this may have resulted in them having a lot of single words but not being able to combine them, or understand that a single word has a single meaning. For example, a word such as ‘tree’ might have a greater meaning to them and be used more generally to mean ‘outside’.
Gestalt Language Processing is one of two typical ways that children learn to communicate.
The other is Analytic Language Processing and is the one that you’re probably more familiar with.
In Analytic Language Processing children learn single words which are then combined into short two to three-word phrases and then into sentences. Traditional speech therapy generally works better with children acquiring language this way.
Whichever way children learn to communicate, most of them do this without the help of a Speech and Language Therapist. Others however get stuck and need some support.
What’s the difference between Analytic and Gestalt Language Processing?
Analytic
Learns and understands the meanings of words one at a time.
Learns how single words go together in a sentence and starts putting sentences together.
Gestalt
Memorises and repeats phrases from TV shows/songs.
Long phrases can have a single meaning.
Begins to understand the individual meaning of the words in the long phrases and starts to use those words in their own sentences.
Stages of Gestalt Language Processing
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At this stage, children are repeating chunks of language that they have heard from people, songs, films or books.
They may not be fully intelligible and the gestalts tend to hold a larger meaning than the actual words that are being repeated. The gestalts are also likely to be full of intonation!
Sometimes a gestalt is a single word such as ‘dog’ but this might be used to refer to any animal, not just dogs.Example of a Stage 1 gestalt:
‘Up, up and away!’ This is a gestalt picked up from the film Toy Story’ and used every time the child does something exciting.
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Then children start to break down their Stage 1 gestalts into smaller chunks.
They also start mixing and matching parts/chunks of gestalts into semi-unique utterances.
Example of a Stage 2 gestalt:
‘Up, up and away’ and ‘Pat a cake’ becomes ‘Up, up + cake’ from breaking down and mixing those two gestalts. Used perhaps when they can see some exciting food that they want!
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At this stage, children are now breaking down scripts into single word units and they are starting to understand that one word has one meaning so ‘bus’ is used just for buses and not all vehicles.
This is an exciting stage as this is when children start using self-generated language! They also start combining some single words.
Example of a stage 3 gestalt:
‘Bus’ or ‘bus big’ or ‘bus red’ (we are not worried about word order or grammar at this stage).
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Children can now start to make their own sentences and they begin to use grammar.
This is the stage when we can start to support them with developing grammar.
Example of a stage 4 gestalt:
‘The boy goed on the swing.’
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In these stages children begin using advanced and complex grammar.
Examples of stages 5 and 6:
‘I don’t like the swing’ (Stage 5) and ‘Shouldn’t it be my turn to go on the swing by now’. (Stage 6).
Does your child seem to be stuck in one of these stages?
What does a therapy session look like?
Speech therapy sessions are child-led and play based in order to ensure that your child is engaged and motivated throughout.
Based on their interests, I offer different activities for your child to choose from that I believe will give lots of opportunities to help facilitate their language. Building connection with your child is also key as well as lots of movement in order to get language flowing.
All forms of communication are honoured and respected whether that by through spoken words, signing or the use of AAC (Augmentative and Alternative Communication) such as picture/symbol boards or a communication app.
Consideration is also given to a child’s sensory differences to ensure that the child or young person is regulated and able to participate fully in the session without feeling over or under stimulated.
Is it time to get support for my child?
The following signs could mean that your child would benefit from Speech Language Therapy support to move through the Gestalt Language Processing stages.
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Your child seems to mainly communicate by repeating learnt phrases/scripts from films/ books and does not seem to be moving past this.
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Your child has some or even lots of single words but does not seem able to combine them.
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Their single words have a greater meaning than the word itself e.g. ‘car’ could mean any vehicle; cars, buses, lorries, trains, motorbikes etc.
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Their speech is unintelligible, but full of intonation.
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They are getting frustrated with not being able to make themselves understood.
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Not being able to communicate effectively is starting to affect relationships with other children at nursery/school.