The Functional Language Program for Children helps those with severe language impairments to understand and use early developing semantic relationships. This expansive program with 251 reproducible picture cards uses a controlled vocabulary and a variety of teaching methods. Children learn functional language, increase mean length of utterance, and master 22 phrase structures in a systematic progression of engaging lessons.
The program uses these innovative techniques:
each word of every phrase taught is essential to completing the tasks correctly
a limited number of vocabulary words helps students master syntactic relationships
students are empowered to control their environment
train skills with picture cards, toys and objects, group interaction, and the natural environment
The heart of the program is the 251 full color, print-your-own picture cards (print them using the included online access code). The picture cards are presented in sets with one picture representing the target phrase and the other pictures representing phrases that differ from the target by only one word.
The program is organized into four levels of difficulty:
Single words
nouns
verbs
adjectives
prepositions
relational phrases (e.g., more, bye-bye)
Two-word phrases - develop nine phrase structures such as:
noun and noun (e.g., milk and cookie)
adjective + noun (e.g., sad boy)
verb + noun (e.g., eating apple)
"more" + noun
Three-word phrases - teach seven phrase structures such as:
noun + verb + object
noun + preposition + object
possessive noun + adjective + noun
Four-word phrases - target six phrase structures such as:
noun + preposition + adjective + object (e.g., dog under dirty car)
adjective + noun and adjective + noun (e.g., wet girl and big ball)
adjective + noun + verb + object (e.g., little boy pushing wagon)
There are four types of training activities in each level:
Picture card training - three levels of receptive and expressive skill training include activities for even the most challenging language delays
Functional training activities - use common toys and objects for activities in modeling, imitating, and producing words (from various parts of speech) and phrases
Classroom group activities - circle time/expansion activities help students use target semantic structures in new contexts
Environment - less structured practice using common toys and objects in everyday life
The program includes these additional helps:
Picture library of manual signs for the 28 vocabulary words
Sample goals for receptive/expressive language
Suggestions for targeting skills in articulation/phonology, Childhood Apraxia of Speech, and auditory discrimination and comprehension
