24/04/2022
Edited:
There have been quite a few people sharing this post. For that, thank you. There have also been some misinterpretations. Even some individuals were angry at this post.
One reason could be that this was shared without enough context to interpret. Another may be that many individuals who did share may not have had the context of previous posts I share on my page. It may also stem from individuals less familiar with my credentials. CCC-SLP which is a Certificate of Clinical Competence for Speech-language pathology received many many years ago from our national organization American Speech-language Hearing Association. So with that, posts on my page typically focus on individuals with disabilities. Not all disabilities are visible. This may include anxiety, neurodiversity, and language delay to name just a few.
Therefore I have made some revisions for clarity
Questions aren't connections for many individuals with language challenges or anxiety or even neurodiversity. Questions can increase anxiety for many individuals. It's the idea that there may be a correct answer. It could be because the person is trying to process the question you are specifically answering that requires a specific answer. Also, questions are more linguistically complex - particularly yes/no types of questions. (let's save that for another day)
Instead try statements discussing mutual interests, items in the environment that you and the individual may share an interest in.
image shows:
Instead of "How was school?" > "You look like you had a long day." Another suggestion, I see brown paint on your shirt. I think you were painting something. It was a beautiful day. I went for a walk. I hope you did too.
Instead of "Did your math test go well?">"I was thinking about you today during your math test." Another suggestion, "I saw you working hard to prepare for your test today. I am proud of your dedication."
Instead of "Did you have a friend to play with at recess?"> I remember last night you were worried about recess. Another suggestion, Today was a beautiful day. I would love to hear about how you spent recess.
Instead of "How do you feel?" > "You're smile is SO big."
The use of declarative statements is an invitation to converse, not a demand. Declarative language makes up the majority of our conversation language. It's a great way to model the more common way of engaging another rather than asking only questions. In clinical practice, I have worked with individuals who ask a barrage of questions to engage another with one not having to do with another. This may be their interest but I ponder - Was this the way others engaged this person because they didn't initiate communication? Was this taught to the individual or used heavily because it was part of a larger intervention that targeted asking for things they want? Then were questions taught specifically to the person to request information?
Therefore this person may get the sense that's how you engage another.
What's your name in almost every session? (after 6 months of therapy)
What's your brother's name?
What's your dog's name? my response: I don't have a dog.
What's your cat's name? my response: I don't have a cat.
All asked one right after each other.
Then again, we really don't know because we don't have much guiding research on the language development of individuals who are neurodiverse. While children with language delays may be bombarded with questions- "to get them to talk".
As for individuals with significant anxiety, the demand for information may be taxing for some children or adults for that matter. This may lead to them feeling overwhelmed and not experiencing an engaging conversation with another. Their perspectives could be different. If you are the educator, parent, sibling, or a peer of someone with anxiety. You may have already noticed this.
I see new and veteran speech-language pathologists asking lots of questions while they read books or play games. Sometimes there are just too many questions.
I see new and veteran speech-language pathologists asking lots of questions while they read books or play games. Sometimes there are just too many questions. I am currently teaching my graduate students to use more declarative language.
As for shared reading, it's pretty common for children, adolescents, and adults with significant support needs to be engaged in this emergent literacy activity and asked questions. Even story comprehension questions. These individuals are still learning to use language via speech, sign, or AAC. Rather than engaging in teacher/therapist directed I ask-- you answer. OR expecting an individual who is learning to process language to listen to discourse-level language and remember a specific response to something read. Use comments--or declarative language.
Declarative language is often less linguistically complex and easier to understand than questions.
Something to consider for family members, educators, and professionals. If you find yourself only asking questions, reflect that it probably sounds more like an interview than a conversation.
Are there places for questions? Yes. Certainly. Be mindful of why they are being asked. Do you know the answer when you are engaging in the question? Then why are you asking?
Hopefully, this may also help us see, that we are asking questions about something we have an interest but your communication partner doesn't.
For more information on Follow the CAR in Shared Reading see Sharedreader.org website OR Project-Core.com
We are hopefully ๐ค close to publishing a case study in a classroom using Follow the CAR.
Lastly, I will share an anecdote. I was discussing this was some family members. One commented: "I see how asking questions to my teenagers to start a conversation was hitting a wall. I was told, "I don't know." or maybe one-word answers. For the parents of teenagers, maybe this is a tactic that may encourage more open-ended questions or comments may encourage sharing.
Thank you,
Dr. D
