What should I write in my child's IEP for gestalt language processing?

IEP services and supports are determined by the IEP team and are based on the individual needs of each student. Here are some effective strategies you can use at school to support your child who is a gestalt language processor:

• Make sure your child’s communication methods are honored, especially when they’re using scripting or echolalia. IEP goals shouldn’t focus on eliminating their scripting/gestalts.
• Communicate with their teachers and share information on gestalt language processing. They might not be familiar with it, and the conversation will help them understand and validate your child in the classroom.
• Work with your child’s speech therapist to understand what your child needs in the classroom. Add accommodations for testing and class participation, such as extra time, small group settings, assistive technology, AAC, or different ways to communicate what your child knows.
• If your child is using gestalts or scripts based on music or TV shows, consider requesting that they be placed in groups during class time with other students who have similar interests. This creates more natural opportunities for language modeling, shared enjoyment, and child-led learning. For example, you could suggest groupings like a Lego club or a Paw Patrol team.
• Add goals for using visual schedules, picture communication systems, or apps with images to help kids express themselves more easily.
• Set IEP goals that encourage using full phrases or sentences instead of just individual words.
• Consider requesting speech therapy sessions with a speech-language pathologist experienced in natural language acquisition to support your child’s language needs. Speech and language services are often conducted both in individual sessions and in a group with similar-age peers.

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