Frequently Asked Questions -General
1. Who is Language And Learning Steps?
We are a start up company formed to develop educational therapy apps. Janet and Sue have worked together on many other projects over the past 30 years, combining their multidisciplinary skills eg Australian trainers of the Derbyshire Language Scheme, Parent and Child early intervention programs, voluntary consultancy (Fiji). Both are well qualified and experienced in the areas of language, communication and early childhood.
Janet Eales (M.Ed-Guidance and Counselling/Dip Ed. Dip Special Ed, Dip Montessori (AMI 3-6), Post Graduate Certificate in Therapeutic Play)
Sue Park (M.Sp.Path., B.Sp.Thy.)
Frequently Asked Questions – KEY WORD KIDS
1. What are Key Words?
Key Words or Information Carrying Words (used with permission) are the words a child MUST understand or use in order to convey a message. The Derbyshire Language Scheme is a popular toy based scheme used in Australia and New Zealand. It is currently the most widely used intervention program used by Speech Language Therapists in the UK for children up to the age of 7 years (Better Communication Project, UK, 2010, 2013). https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/219627/DFE-RR247-BCRP13.pdf
3. How is the app used for reading comprehension?
Go to settings and choose the Voice Off Text On function. Many children using this feature will understand spoken language at a 5 Key Word level, so can work through any level as the written text is not graded from simple to difficult.
4. Why does the app recommend my child use the Expression when they used the level check for Comprehension?
The first levels of the Level Check test how the child identifies single word vocabulary. All single word vocabulary teaching is found in the Expression section. When the sound button is ‘on’, the item can be touched to hear it’s name, and so the child can listen to all of these names, before attempting to say the name themselves, and record them to play back. After playing in this area, with characters, items and actions, the level check can be used again to see if a Level 2 recommendation is made.
5. What can you do in the Expression section?
e.g.learning names of objects eg Comprehension-Show me the xxxxx or Expression-say the name and the child copies or names spontaneously.
e.g setting your own scene-choose some pictures that best fit the structures you want to work on eg ball, brush on left hand side and bed, chair on right hand side. Give command “Put the ball on the bed”. Child moves ball to bed (Comprehension activity 2 ICW). Expressive- tell the child it’s their turn to be teacher and encourage use of two word utterance. This is great to use for children who are struggling with the comprehension section at 2 words as allows a slower introduction.
e.g teaching and encouraging use of question words, both simple and for inferencing/predicting-set up the scene and ask questions “Who is xxx? “; ‘What is the xxxx doing?”; “Why do you think the xxxxx?”; “What might happen if xxx?”
e.g narrative-oral or written. Child chooses a scene and sets it up and then tells you about it (can record the story if chooses), or writes a sentence or story. Great way to encourage ‘silly sentences’ or use for a ‘sizzling start’ for older students eg Africa theme example “The only sound that could be heard in the African bush was the flapping of wings from the birds flying over the umbrella tree…..until a roar from Africa’s king of the jungle signaled the approach of the most feared beast……”
Frequently Asked Questions – KEY VERBS WITH STEFFY AND JAMES
1. Why verbs?
Action words can be tricky to learn-both conceptually-what does xxxxing actually mean, and grammatically-especially irregular past tense endings such as broke, fell, shook, rode as children tend to add ed instead. Pronouns-he she it-can also be tricky so we have used these in the app with the past tense to describe the completed action eg She rode, he fell, it shook.
2. What age?
There are two modes-Learn where younger children can enjoy being exposed to and learning the concept. The Test mode is where children can either say or write the past tense in response to the question” What did she/he/it do?” This means the app is great for ages 12 months-7 years.