Coaching Parents to Foster Their Child’s Expressive Language Skills
An excellent article written by Tracy Sippl and the following suggested activities that parents can use to help a child grasp a language concept. This article explains parents wanting their toddler with autism spectrum disorder to label an apple…
Present the child with several apples, preferably of different colors. Talk about the outside of the apples: color, shape, size, smell, taste and texture.
Cut open the apples (“What do you see?”) , and eat some of each, talking about how it sounds and tastes as you bite into each piece.
Cut an apple in half horizontally and use washable tempera paints to make apple prints on paper using the different colors apples can be.
Find a simple recipe to make applesauce or another food from apples.
Eat apple slices with peanut butter and talk about how it tastes, and about the messiness and stickiness.
Make a pretend apple out of PlayDoh.
Compare the “fake” apple with the real one, explaining that you can eat a “real” apple but not the “pretend.” This models analytical thinking.
Bring in another fruit, such as an orange, and do the same steps.
Try making and drinking homemade orange juice.
Compare an apple to an orange.
Show video clips of people picking apples and oranges, showing how both grow on a tree.
Add bananas, doing the first seven steps (tastes great with peanut butter).
Roll the items across the floor and talk about how they roll. Compare.
Use this method to teach about common fruits you either purchase or see in the market.