What is scripting?

Children who are gestalt language processors memorize phrases or “scripts” and then work backward to learn the meaning of the words. They also use memorized phrases or “scripts” from their environment (such as movies, TV shows, or everyday interactions) to communicate, repeating whole chunks of language rather than constructing sentences word by word. A child’s repeated use of these “scripts” then gets labeled as echolalia.

Scripting and delayed echolalia may seem similar at first, but they have distinct differences. A gestalt language processor will pick up and use language in chunks or scripts; the repeated use of these scripts is what is labeled as echolalia. However, scripting is more intentional than delayed echolalia — children use learned phrases (or "scripts") to express themselves or navigate situations. These scripts might start out as delayed echolalia, but over time, kids can begin to adapt and mix them to create more flexible, meaningful communication.

For more information, see our full article Gestalt Language Processing (GLP) 101.