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Follow the Child’s Lead

Helping a Child Learn

to Use a

Communication Device

Following the Child’s Lead

• Children learn best then they are motivated.
• Following the child’s lead means going along with the interests of the child when interacting with them.
• You focus on your child and the activities they’re doing.
• You comment on what they are doing
• You switch your focus when they switch their focus.

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Looking at your child and communicating about their actions is following the child’s lead.

What did you see?

Did you see how the adult physically followed the child in his play with the trains?

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Did you see how the adult made comments with the picture symbols about what the child was doing?

Did you see how she shifted her focus when he moved to a different area?

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Are there times in your day when you can follow your child’s lead in using their AAC system?

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For example:

Recreation Time: like

Snack Time: eat + more

Movie Time: not + like, see + more

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