Page 98 - Routines-Based Early Intervention Guidebook

Routines-Based Early Intervention Guidebook

Teaching How to Describe 7.4

You can see by this list that we are building

knowledge about cookies so that remembering
and using the word “cookie” becomes possible for

the student. We cannot provide every student

with experiences of all the places and objects on
the planet. However, videos and books give us all

the background knowledge we need to create a

meaningful associa on to a word so that we can use it. Here are several ways that

descrip on skills can be increased.

1. Laddering – Before we can use a word independently we have to hear the word

and hear how it is used. Laddering is the process of adding one descrip on to

every word that a child says. If a child says “cookie,” we say; “Yes! Two/
chocolate cookies.” There is not an expecta on that the child repeats what we

say. We are just going up one rung of complexity to show how a word can be

expanded upon.

2. Label Classroom or Household Objects ‐ Using post‐it notes to label items is a
great way to introduce young children to the words in their environment. Older

children can do the labeling for you!

3. Engage Your Child in Story Telling – Stories become interes ng when they are

rich in descrip on. Encourage your child to share a story about something that
happened in their life or a story that they have made up on their own. Be sure to

ask leading ques ons that require describing. For example, “You said they were

at the North Pole. What was it like there and what did it feel like?”

4. Converse Regularly – Just like with story‐telling, conversa on improves
vocabulary and descrip on skills because it provides more opportunity to

prac ce. Also, people like to be listened to. Crea ng an engaging (descrip ve)

conversa on makes people want to listen to us.

5. Play with Words – Here a many different word games that are fun and promote

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