GESTALT LANGUAGE
PROCESSING (GLP)
WHAT IS GESTALT LANGUAGE PROCESSING?
In language, a gestalt is a single or multi-word "chunk" that
a speaker hears, stores, and uses as a whole , before having
knowledge/awareness of its internal structure. it may be
defined by its prosody/intonation and have a distinctive
Meaning related to a specific context where a person has
encountered it.
WHERE DID GLP COME FROM?
GLP was named by the linguist ANN peters and taken up by slp
scientist barry prizant. much of this work is decades old,
which is why the term "gestalt" may sound unfamiliar.
Gestalts can also be described as using delayed echolalia.
"Delayed" meaning the person is echoing an utterance after a
period of time, not immediately after hearing it.
WHO USES GESTALTS?
many people who are neurotypical and neurodivergent use gestalts
either partially or predominantly; however, it is most often discussed in
reference to those who are diagnosed with autism. likewise, echolalia has
been associated with autism since autism was first described, but with a
more "ableist" lens, where it was viewed as non-communicative. GLP's lens
views echolalia as communicative and the first step in that individuals
"natural" development of language.
WHAT ARE THE STAGES OF GLP?
Gestalt language works on a "large-to-small" route to developing
productive grammar, meaning a child acquires gestalts as their initial
units of language, which they then can learn to break down later.
1. Echolalia ("I love you, you love me.")
2. Mitigated Echolalia ("I love dad, dad love me.")
3. Isolated words and beginning word combinations ("I love puppy.")
4. grammar ("I love this.")
HOW DO I APPROACH GLP?
use of the 4 stages as well as use of different language units,
including supplying new gestalts that are both meaningful and easy
to mix & match later. A commonly used early gestalt is "Let's ." the
thought is that the stages aren't/can't generally be skipped since
grammatical development requires the use of single words. children
using non-mitigated gestalts need to start by mixing and matching
chunks of scripts before targeting single words.
WHAT IS THE BENEFIT OF USING GLP?
When Approaching echolalia functionally through the principles of
GLP, this not only normalizes but values the functions of echolalia and
scripting. Families and professionals are moving away from behavioral
approaches and seeking out alternatives that are more neurodiversity
affirming. GLP aligns with the broader neurodiversity movement being
that autistic cognition and communication patterns are valid and do
not need to be "fixed" to look neurotypical.
WHAT TO BE CAUTIOUS OF WHEN USING GLP?
Make sure to watch out for quick fixes - this approach requires:
deep knowledge of the child and their language environment
extended language sampling and analysis in collaboration
with familiar listeners
individualization of targets
people will be tempted to look for shortcuts that don't align with
evidence (i.e., large caseload, such as a school)
SO... WHY GESTALT LANGUAGE PROCESSING?
the idea of gestalt language processing has the ingredients for
being a useful model for approaching the assessment and treatment
of some individuals who communicate with (delayed) echolalia. Next
time you come across a child exhibiting signs of gestalt language,
try implementing this approach!
*You do not need to be specially certified to begin practicing these
principles - not a specific protocol
for more information:
Reference: Evans, K. (2022). Let’s give them
something to Gestalt about. Retrieved from
https://www.theinformedslp.com/review/let-sgive-them-something-to-gestalt-about