What is gestalt language processing?

What is gestalt language processing?

There are 2 ways that children can learn language. These are analytic language processing (ALP) and gestalt language processing (GLP). Some children use a mix of both types of language learning.

We call the chunks of language that children learn “gestalts”, “scripts”, or “phrases”. Gestalts could be:

• a quote from YouTube: “Subscribe to my video!”

• a single word: “Cheese”

• a phrase they’ve heard an adult say: “It’s ok darling”

• part of a song: “Twinkle Twinkle little star”

• a quote from a TV show or film: “Paw Patrol are on a roll!”

Children often learn scripts better when they are having a particularly emotional time. They might be excited or happy or sad or angry, and then use the script later on when they are feeling the same emotion.

For example, a child might be having lots of fun with their parent singing ‘5 little monkeys’ and jumping on their bed. They might copy “one fell off and bumped his head”. Later at the park, they might be having fun on the swing. So they sing “one fell off and bumped his head” because they are excited again.

A child might copy you saying “ouchy knee” when they are crying after falling over. Later on they feel sad and cry because their toy broke and so they say “ouchy knee” again. Sometimes the script is linked to the emotion rather than the thing that is happening. We have to do the detective work to understand what they mean when they say that script.

What are the different ways to process and learn language?

Analytic language processors (ALPs):

ALPs are sometimes called ‘word babies’. They tune into single words and use these like building blocks to make longer phrases and sentences.

First they learn to say one word at a time, for example ‘banana’ or ‘milk’ or ‘more’.

Then they learn to put those words together into 2 word phrases, like ‘more banana’ or ‘milk gone’.

Then they learn to use more grammar and longer sentences.

This is the style of language processing that most people are familiar with.

Gestalt language processors (GLPs):

GLPs are sometimes called ‘intonation babies’. Intonation is the way our voices go up and down while we are talking. It makes language sound really interesting to GLPs.

GLPs are really tuned into the melody of the language they hear. They begin to speak by repeating whole chunks of language that they have heard. This chunk can be a whole phrase, song or a word, or it can sound like strings of sounds that do not make sense to us yet. It could be something like ‘time for bed’ or ‘Paw Patrol are on a roll’.

They then learn to break these chunks apart and mix them with other chunks. This is called ‘mitigation’.

Next, they isolate single words and start to use those to make new 2 word combinations.

Later, they begin to develop simple and more complex grammar.

What are the stages of language processing?

There are 6 stages of gestalt language development. You can see below how ALPs and GLPs go through different stages of language development.

Stages for ALPs:

1. Use single words, for example “bear!”

2. Use 2 word phrases, for example “want bear”

3. Use first sentences, for example “my want bear”

4. Use emerging grammar, for example “I want my bear”

5. Use more complex sentences and grammar, for example “please can you help me find my teddy bear”

6. Use more advanced grammar, for example “Do you think you could help me find my teddy bear because it isn’t where I left it”

Stages for GLPs

1. Use scripts or ‘gestalts’ to communicate, for example “we’re going on a bear hunt”

2. Break scripts apart into smaller chunks (called ‘mitigation’) or mix and match scripts. For example “I want” and “a bear hunt” (2 partial gestalts mixed together)

3. Isolate single words and put 2 words together, for example “look bear”

4. Use pre-sentence grammar in new phrases, for example “my want bear”

5. Use early grammar in sentences, for example “please can you help me find my teddy bear”

6. Move to more complex sentences and grammar. For example “Do you think you could help me find my teddy bear because it isn’t where I left it”

Both types of language development can end up at the same stage. Children can eventually use more complex sentences and grammar from both types of learning language.

Things to remember

It is important to remember that:

• Neither way of learning language is better. They are just different and need slightly different approaches to support them.

• Lots of children are ALPs or GLPs who develop language skills all by themselves. Being one or the other does not mean you need additional help to learn to communicate.

• Some children will need adults around them to put support in place so that they can make progress.

• Not all children will get through all of these stages. For some children, they will always be in one of the earlier stages. They might not be working towards using long sentences with correct grammar. We can still help them to learn more communication skills within that stage.

If your child is not talking at the moment, there might be some other signs that they are a gestalt language processor. Children can be a stage 1 GLP even if they are not saying any recognisable scripts yet. There is not a stage before stage 1.

How can I support my child at each stage?

We have provided information about supporting your child at stages 1 to 4. These are the stages that we look at in the Sheffield Speech and Language Therapy Service. You can find more information about how to support your child at their current stage here:

• Stages 1 and 2

• Stages 3 and 4

There is information about general strategies to support all gestalt language processors here:

• General strategies to support GLPs

• Doing the detective work

• Examples of gestalts during different activities