We've preselected "All levels" for you, but you can change your study level at any time by choosing one of the options on
this menu. Changing your study level will return you to the beginning of the module.
The capacity to distinguish their home language over others; and
A preference for the moving human form.
Watch the extract from the Open University video 'Simple Beginnings'.
What aspects of pre-verbal communication do you notice?
Learning through interaction
In the clip on the previous page, a parent engages her baby in interaction, helping to establish fundamental communication
skills that will be needed later for conversation.
In this clip, Lesley, a teaching assistant uses the same approach with Callum, a child with PMLD.
Teaching assistant Lesley interacts with Callum
1:22
Learning through interaction
Q
What features characterise these early interactions?
Click for the answer
A
You might have noticed how:
The child/early communicator contributes actively;
The adult reinforces and builds on spontaneous responses and vocalisations;
Both participants are positive;
Interaction is inherently pleasurable - the child is given the clear message that s/he is valued.
Features of early interactions
Q
From the two clips that you have watched in this section, list the features that characterise early interactions.
Click for the answer
A
At such an early stage of development, the earliest interactions include:
Turn taking;
Eye contact;
Monitoring gaze; and
The timing of utterances.
The child's pre-verbal exchanges with adults and caregivers are the foundations for language development. With over 80%
of all everyday communication estimated to be non-verbal, the development of these skills will be of lasting benefit.
Problems viewing video whilst online may be the result of controls on the network you are using to access the SALT materials.
Should problems viewing video persist, it is recommended that users download the video using the link provided.
Problems viewing video whilst offline?
If you are using Firefox or Internet Explorer, you may find that some video resources will not play in your browser when you’re
working offline. We’ve supplied a link with each video to open it in your default media player if this happens.
The mp4 videos on this site are not compatible with older versions of Windows Media Player. If you want to watch the videos
offline, please download an alternative such as QuickTime or RealPlayer, and set this as your default media player. You will also need to do this if you want to download videos from the materials’
‘Further reading’ area.
Alternatively, you may choose to work through the materials in Chrome or Safari.
Please go to your browser settings and turn on JavaScript to make full use of this site.
Teaching assistant Lesley interacts with Callum1:22
