Strategies For Use With The
Intervention Hierarchy for Language and Vocabulary
Input is basically exposure. Children with normal hearing hear and overhear thousands of words per day
and, on average, they make a year's progress in a year's time. For our children, we need to provide
abundant exposure to specific language and vocabulary targets, in meaningful and playful ways, so that
they have an opportunity to hear the target over and over again.
Teaching/Learning Strategies for Input:
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Provide input first through audition.
Provide abundant, meaningful input.
Provide input in complete, correctly structured phrases.
Model language slightly above a child's current level of use.
Provide input in a "sing-songy" voice.
Use acoustic highlighting
Use indirect language stimulation techniques:
o Expansion
o Self-talk
o Parallel talk
o Uses mostly comments and avoids over-questioning
o Follows child's lead.
Comprehension Check follows input and is, of course, referring to receptive abilities. Checking
for comprehension is a step that is all too easily overlooked when working with deaf children.
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It is only when the child has had significant input or exposure to language and vocabulary
meaningfully that s/he comprehends it. It can be as simple as asking a question: "Where
is the ball?" It can be a statement: "Give me the ball." We do have to be careful that we
aren't "giving it away." By that I mean: Is the ball the only thing that is there or, more to
the point, are there other objects present and they have to interpret what was asked for?
Just because a child imitates something does not mean that s/he understands what it
means and can use it spontaneously.
Imitation can either be direct or delayed. Direct imitation involves the teacher/parent saying the
word, and the child imitating it immediately after, using appropriate strategies. Delayed
imitation is when there is a lag between the teacher or parent saying the target and the child
imitating the target. It is, in a sense, forcing the child to think about and remember the word
without directly copying, or parroting, it from the adult model. Both are useful strategies to
strengthen the auditory feedback loop.
Developed for First YEARS by Sherri Vernelson , 2009 - from CASTLE, Durham, NC adapted from intern
notebook and used by permission.
Exceptional Children Division, NC Department of Public Instruction
Direct Imitation Strategies/Techniques:
Say the word you want your child to say, and then prompt him/her to repeat it by:
1. looking expectantly at him/her
2. directing the child to tell something to another person using the target language. For
example, say, "Tell Susie, 'I need that one.'"
3. leaning towards him/her, cupping your ear
4. giving him/her the hand cue (my turn/your turn)
5. saying "Can you say __ ?"
Delayed Imitation Strategies/Techniques:
After modeling the word you are working on, encourage the child to say the word several more
times without hearing you say the word over and over. You can do this by:
1. asking another person a question then immediately asking the same question of the child
2. beginning a sentence containing part of the target and waiting to let the child complete it
3. saying, "That's right, tell (person 1). Tell (person 2). Tell (person 3)." Or you can use
stuffed animals or play people if you are alone with your child
4. looking expectantly at your child while giving him more of something each time he says
the word, or by doing something fun each time he says it. (For example, give your child
little bits of play-doh each time he/she says "more." Or, pour a little bit of water each
time he/she says "pour.")
5. holding up as many fingers on your hand as you want your child to say the word and
point to or put down each finger as your child says it. (This technique is not as natural,
but it works well with some kids, especially older ones.)
The key is to try to get the child to say the targeted word several times without having to hear a
model first each time. If he/she gets stumped and forgets the word, just model it again and start
over with the delayed imitation techniques. After the child has said the targeted word several
times in a row, try to put a little more time in-between each time he/she says the word. This will
lead quickly to spontaneous production.
Spontaneous Production
When a child uses a target vocabulary word or language structure without hearing a model first, it is a
spontaneous production. This is the ultimate goal of language development. The most effective
strategy for getting a child to use language spontaneously is to stop talking. Wait time or pause
time is crucial – it is the "down time" needed to give the child an opportunity to initiate or take a
turn in the conversation.
Teaching/Learning Strategies for Spontaneous Use:
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Ask open-ended questions or make open ended statements, e.g "What did you draw?" or
"Tell me about that."
Developed for First YEARS by Sherri Vernelson , 2009 - from CASTLE, Durham, NC adapted from intern
notebook and used by permission.
Exceptional Children Division, NC Department of Public Instruction
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Respond to what the child says, as opposed to what he/she meant. (e.g. The child says,
"Put juice on cup." then you put the container of juice on the cup.)
Provide wait time to allow the child to think for himself before implementing more
strategies.
Avoid anticipating needs and allow the child to communicate them.
Encourage child to repeat himself to provide clarification to others rather than doing it for
him.
Use sabotage techniques – setting up situations that require the child to communicate
o Make silly mistakes and break routines.
o Set the child up for others to have something to comment about.
Developed for First YEARS by Sherri Vernelson , 2009 - from CASTLE, Durham, NC adapted from intern
notebook and used by permission.
Exceptional Children Division, NC Department of Public Instruction