Helping Students With Expressive Language Disorder

Posted on January 27, 2022 by Austin Uzama PhD. BEd.
  1. Give the learner sentence starters (e.g., Go ___. Run ___. Today! ___ . Anyone can ___. etc.) and have them write finished sentences.
  2. Record the learner’s speech and point out unfinished statements and common terminology. With each successive recording, reinforce the learner as their use of finished sentences and specific vocabulary improves.
  3. Following a special event like the virtual Christmas carol or Hanukah or Chinese New Year, have the learner retell the learning activities that occurred with all emphasis on using descriptive vocabulary and finished sentences.
  4. Select a peer to model speaking in finished sentences for the learner. Designate the students to work together, perform tasks together, etc.
  5. Get the learner to role-play several situations in which speaking well is essential (e.g., before joining a soccer/basketball club, church choir).
  6. Get the learner to correct a sequence of phrases by making each a finished sentence.
  7. Provide the learner several short sentences and have them combine them to produce one longer sentence (e.g.,” The dog is big.” “The dog is brown.” “The dog is mine.” becomes “The big, brown dog is mine.”).
  8. On occasions where the learner uses unfinished sentences or nondescriptive terminology, give the learner models of growth and specific vocabulary using their statements as a foundation.
  9. Get the learner to finish “fill-in-the blank” sentences with appropriate words (e.g., objects, persons, places, etc.).
  10. Video the learner and classmates performing several actions. Play back the video without sound and have the learner narrate observations in finished sentences with descriptive vocabulary. (This learning experience could be altered by using a prerecorded videotape.)
  11. Select a topic for a paragraph or story and alternate making up sentences with the learner to give a model of the components of a finished sentence.
  12. Ask questions that encourage language. Refrain from those that can be answered by yes/no or a nod of the head (e.g.,” What did you do at recess?” instead of “Did you play on the slide?” or “Tell me about your weekend.” instead of “Did you watch TV over the weekend?”).
  13. Present the learner an object or an image of an object for a few seconds. Ask the learner to recall specific attributes of the object (e.g., color, size, shape, etc.).
  14. Provide the learner a sequence of words (e.g., objects, persons, places, etc.) and have the learner list all the words they can think of with similar meanings (i.e., synonyms).
  15. Provide the learner a sequence of words or images and have them name as many things as possible within that category (e.g., objects, persons, places, things that are hot, etc.).
  16. Provide the learner a sequence of words describing objects, persons, places, etc., and have them find the opposite of each term.
  17. Provide the learner a sequence of finished and unfinished sentences, both written and oral, and ask them to find the ones that are correct and incorrect and make appropriate modifications.
  18. Provide the learner a group of related words (e.g., baseball, fans, glove, strikeout, etc.) and have them write a paragraph that includes each term.
  19. Provide the learner a list of transition words (e.g., therefore, although, because, etc.) and have them write sentences using each term.
  20. Get the learner to make notes, lists, etc., of vocabulary that is needed to be recalled and have the learner carry these reminders for reference.
  21. Get the learner to keep a list of times and/or situations in which they are nervous, anxious, etc., and have more trouble than usual with speech. Assist the learner in finding ways to feel more successful in those situations.
  22. Consider using a language development app.
  23. Consider using an assistive technology like Touch Chat, designed to support students with less than 50 words speech.
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