Ming shares two strategies to get kids talking more: use predictable routines like taking cookies from a jar and pausing before giving more, so they have to ask for it. Or use devices like unlocking a phone and pressing YouTube, pausing at each step to prompt word combinations.
First, you go up and you say, take the cookies. You open the jar and you take them out. And after that, give and then eat. Close it and you put it back on top. You make sure that the cookie is a small piece so that he or she wants to ask again. That's why every time it's a routine that they say something, it goes through the routine of saying one word, you're prompting more, and then they say it and then they get it and then they run off. So this time I want you to change it and only give a little bit. When you give a little bit, what's going to happen is like they want more and they will ask for more. And you can do it again. And this time you can require them to talk because they already know what you're going to do. You take it down and open it, you're going to take it out and give it right. So everything has a step, including everything that they want from you. Even if it's a phone, a tablet, you have to unlock it, you have to swipe, you have to go there, press YouTube and give it to them. Then press Play. Those are all opportunities to teach word combining.
