What are your “super power” words?
These superheros have power words like POW BOOM! ZAP!
A child’s SUPER POWER WORDS are related to what they are interested in. When you are thinking about helping a child to communicate who has little or no words think SUPERPOWER WORDS. Power words are words that help your child get what they want.
Start by observing your child and write a list of their favourite toys, food/ snack, activities, songs, etc. Then try to create as many opportunities as possible for your child to use these words throughout the day.
Try to include some functional words that can be used across situations like “more”/ “again”, “no”, “go”, “stop”, “bye”, “all gone”
To tempt your child to communicate and use their POWER WORDS
put items in a container that they cannot open. Model the word open as you open the bag, jar, box
give them one raisin, grape, chocolate button, crisp at a time. This will allow for lots of opportunities to request “more”
Put an item in sight but out of reach
What words might be highly motivating and powerful for our child to use? For example: “door”, “out”, “car”, “ball”, “bubbles”, “more”
WORDS have the POWER to give your child a voice
by Sarah Winstanley, SaLT
Communication Lincs Ltd because Speech Therapy Matters