Hey there friend,

One of the most common concerns I hear from parents is, "My child understands most of what I say.

But they struggle with following certain commands or instructions.

If this sounds familiar, don't worry – you're not alone.

Today, I want to share some strategies to help you teach your child. They'll help your child better understand and follow instructions at home.

First, you must check if your child truly understands you. Or, if they're guessing from context.

For example, if you hand them a tissue and they throw it in the bin, it might not mean they understand you. They may have assumed that's what to do with rubbish.

To test their understanding, try giving an uncommon command. For example, ask them to put the tissue on the sofa or wipe the table with it. If they seem confused or still throw it away, they may not fully grasp the instruction.

When evaluating your child's comprehension, consider their breakdown level. This is the point at which they can no longer understand or follow commands.

This is often measured by the number of critical elements or keywords they can process in a sentence.

A child can only understand one keyword. They might struggle with a command like "Put the apple in the fridge." This is true if there are many objects and places to choose from.

So, how can you help your child improve their ability to follow instructions?

1. Use physical prompts: Instead of pointing or relying on artificial attention-getters, gently guide your child with physical prompts. For example, if you say, "Drink your milk," help them lift the cup to their mouth. This helps link the action to the words you're saying.
2. Fade out prompts gradually: As your child begins to understand and respond to physical prompts, slowly reduce the level of assistance you provide. Move from full physical prompts to partial prompts and eventually to verbal cues only.
3. Provide immediate reinforcement: When your child successfully follows an instruction, praise them or offer a small reward. This positive reinforcement encourages them to continue listening and responding to your commands.
4. Practice rehearsal: For verbal children, have them repeat the instruction back to you before carrying it out. This helps ensure they've heard and processed all the keywords. If they struggle with certain parts of the command, you can provide additional prompts or gestures to clarify.

Teaching your child to follow instructions is a slow process. It needs patience, consistency, and lots of praise.

Understand your child's current comprehension level. Use these targeted strategies. They'll help your child develop the skills they need to thrive at home and in the classroom.

For more guidance, visit our website. We have free courses on teaching children with speech and language delays. It's at www.agentsofspeech.com.

We're here to support you every step of the way.

Until next time,

Ming