Suggestions for Talking with a Child
· Get down at the child’s level and as close to his or her ears as possible.
· Maintain eye contact with the child throughout the conversation.
· Let your face and voice tell the child that what you are saying or doing is important or interesting and fun.
· Provide honest answers to the child’s questions.
· Use reminders rather than questions when children forget or refuse to follow directions.
· Talk about the here and now.
· Talk about what the child is seeing or doing or what the child is interested in.
· Say the obvious.
· Everything has a name. Use it.
· Put the child’s feelings into words.
· Use new words over and over again.
· Take a child’s short response and put the response back into a whole sentence.
· When a child uses incorrect language, say what he or she was attempting to say correctly.
· Use a variety of sentence forms.
· Expand a child’s thoughts by adding more information.
· Tell the child what you want him or her to do and not what you don’t want him or her to do.
· Make statements that will encourage the child to continue his or her desirable activity.
· Praise children for efforts as well as accomplishments.
· Provide simple explanations to a child’s questions.
· Explain the anticipated consequences of specific behaviors.
· Speak distinctly and use correct grammar.
· Never talk about a child when the child or other children are present.
· Talk with the children and not other staff during program hours unless the conversation is related to immediate program activities.
· Ask questions that will make a child respond with something other than yes or no. (open-ended questions). For example, “Tell me…”
· Provide clear directions and patience when handling transitions.
· Address each child by name every day.