Ming from Agents of Speech explains how to prompt speech-delayed children without accidentally rewarding crying or struggle. Structure tasks so prompting is easy, and don't let kids drop requests after one word, or you'll teach them that's enough.
If you don't have effective prompting and queuing, you need to create an environment that is so easy for the child to do what you want them to do. The goal is set a good level and where you can actually prompt. A lot of times parents will want, oh, I heard it once, and therefore I would give the whole thing or let them off. Hold onto something the child wants. And this is what a lot of therapists would teach, what we call manding requesting. Whatever you're holding onto it and what you do is, oh, you say whatever first. Say first you can't do it. And then they're like crying. And then say cookie. And then you give it, right? What happens is that you are teaching that you're rewarding all the crying, all the ignored words. Then when they say cookie, they get to walk off. What are you doing? You're rewarding. Telling them that it's an ordeal. It's a very unpleasant experience to talk to you. When they finally can say the word once, you let them go. Right? What I'm trying to say here is not what you should do.
