Self talk is an extremely effective strategy for helping toddlers to kindergarten age children develop speech and language skills. Self talk is a running dialogue about your actions. Think of yourself as a cook on the Food Network talking about everything you are doing; mixing, pouring, cooking, tasting. For example, while you are making lunch with your child you might say, "I'm getting the bread," "Now I'm spreading the peanut butter on top of the bread, it's sticky!" "Oh, where is the jelly?" "Oh I found it, it was hiding behind the loaf of bread." "I'm cutting the sandwich now, yum, yum!" "I can't wait to eat this sandwich with you!" Essentially this strategy is all about talking about what 'you,' the parent or caregiver, are doing when you are around your child. You will be pairing your words with your actions too, which will help you build the child's language. This strategy can be used in every setting that you can think of; the grocery store, the movie theater, the park, in the car and of course in your home or classroom. It may feel a bit foreign at first using 'Self Talk' but with practice it will become easy and fun for you and your child/student.
