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The
following is a way to characterize the means in which a child represents the
world in his mind and through communication that comes from Piaget's
classification system. This is very
useful to know, and is possibly the best way to indicate to me and to the other
readers of your reports what "level of communication" your client is at. It is also important to remember that
language is merely one way to represent the world - which is characterized by a
system of rules and syntax. Communication
can be unintentional (the child stares at something indicating his interest;
the child cries because he is hurt, indicating his pain but not necessarily
requesting help) as well as intentional.
It can be specific or non-specific ("ba ba" for juice, water, or milk...;
crying to indicate a variety of things from pain to frustration to protest,
etc...).
Index: This is the earliest level, which
is evident in typically developing children early in the second year (12-16
months - sometimes a little earlier or later).
Receptively, the child can understand that objects or parts of objects or actions represent some sort of
event (e.g., keys means Mommy is leaving; Mommy putting the milk in the
bottle means a drink is coming, etc.).
Receptively, the child can also recognize a part of an object as representing the rest of the object (e.g. the
brush handle is visible but the brush is not -the child still recognizes it as
the brush).
Expressively, the child uses objects to
share his intent. At the earliest level,
the child reaches
out towards the object and monitors Mommy to see whether she sees
the same thing. A gesture that looks
like pointing with an open hand is called a "prototypical point." Later on, the child begins to point more
specifically, pull on the adult's
clothing, or take the adult by the
hand to the object "hand-leading."
Another form that walking children can do is bring objects ("object presentation,"
e.g., holding up one's cup to indicate a desire for more to drink; bringing the
diaper to the parent in order to have a B.M., etc.).
Symbol: A symbol is marked by it's
resemblance to the object, but it is distinct from the object. The following aspects of communication are
considered "symbolic:"
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Symbol Levels
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Receptive
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Expressive
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Imitation
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Child
understands specific gestures such as turning the wrist to indicate "key" or
wringing hands together to indicate washing hands. Can understand by imitating an animal what
animal it is.
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Child can
represent the object or event by acting it out with his body (e.g., says
"quack, quack" and moves like a duck; makes a drinking motion to indicate
drinking). This can include acting out
familiar routines or scenes from videos.
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Physical Models
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The child
recognizes figures (dolls, toy trucks, etc. - 3-D objects) or drawings as
representative of the real thing.
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The child
plays with figures and dolls. The
child uses clay and drawings to evoke an image of the object from the
representation.
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Pictures
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Understanding
of 2-D stimuli (pictures and drawings as representations) comes somewhat
later than understanding of 3D representations.
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Use of PECS or some other pictorial
representation (picture on a restaurant menu; toy out of a catalog) to
indicate an idea or preference.
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Make-Believe
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In-between
realistic looking 3-D objects and "signs" are object representations that
have little resemblance to the real object, but the child understands
represents something specific (e.g. a pencil represents a brush; a broomstick
represents a horse to ride on, etc.).
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The child
plays by using objects bearing little resemblance to the real thing (as
described left).
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Sign: Signs have no resemblance at all
to the objects or events they depict.
The only way to use "signs" to communicate is to have an agreement among
a language community that defines the representation. For instance, the collection of sounds that
make up the word "cup" means a short drinking vessel to members of the English
language speaking community. This same
collection of sounds would not have the same meaning in another language
community. |
