Different ways children communicate

Noticing how and why children and young people communicate is really important. This helps us know how to begin to understand, respond to and validate their communication style.

Different ways children and young people communicate

Not all children or young people use speech to communicate. Some may use:

• gestures or body movements
• signs or symbols
• pictures or objects
• technology or devices

Some children use more than one method. It’s important to notice and respond to all forms of communication.

Understanding behaviour as communication

The way children and young people behave or react in different situations can give us clues.

Children and young people often show how they feel through their actions. For example, a child might:

• walk away when they’ve had enough
• cry when they’re tired or overwhelmed
• react strongly to change or noise

Noticing how they respond can tell us if they are:

• scared
• tired
• worried
• would like something to end

These behaviours can be signs of communication. We may not immediately understand by their response or behaviour.

You can support your child by noticing, understanding and responding with care.

Echolalia and language learning

Some children and young people may repeat sounds, words or phrases heard from:

• other people
• TV and videos
• books
• rhymes or songs

 This echoing and copying is called echolalia. It can happen:

• immediately - right after hearing something
• delayed - hours or days later

This is a natural way some children and young people learn language. It's often part of Gestalt language processing.

How children learn lanague

There are two main ways children learn language:

• analytic language processors - start with single words and build up to sentences
• gestalt language processors - start with whole phrases and break them down over time

Both ways are valid. Understanding how a child learns helps us support their communication.