My question is how to guide a non verbal child who doesn’t want to cooperate with tongue exercise and sign language. How to work on expressive language and receptive language. I am using your ‘Wh’ question cards. Sometimes it seems the child is not following and he is in his own world.

My Thoughts:

1. Find an AAC system or device that interests the child.  Start with something simple like a Big Mack Switch or pointing to a single picture at first.  Help the child push the button or point to the picture and then give him what he wants.

2. Do a Reinforcer Probe to find out what the child will work for.

3. Work on having the child follow simple directions that he hears every day and reinforce with items from the reinforcer probe.

4. If that doesn’t work, just work on getting joint attention.

5. Work on imitating actions or speech sounds.