Please find below some of the key strategies to develop positive interactions that we use at Whitecross, and that you may find useful at home.

• Allow the child opportunities to choose the toy or activity.
• WAIT for the child to act, vocalise or talk. This provides them with valuable thinking time to plan and organise what they want to say or do.
• Follow or copy the child’s lead.
• Gain the child’s full attention before speaking to them.
• Talk about what the child is doing, provide a simple commentary.
• Use short, simple sentences.
• Use non-verbal clues to help the child understand what you are saying, including gestures, facial expressions etc.
• Limit the number of questions (4 comments to 1 question is recommended).
• Do not correct immaturities in the child’s utterances/sentences, but model the correct language / sentence so that the child hears good examples of spoken language.
• Occasionally, add a short, simple idea or new word. This will expand a child's understanding and vocabulary.
• Be very specific when you praise the child, explain clearly what the child has done well. This helps them to understand exactly what they are being praised for.