DiscussionParticipants :Mother• 40 years old of low SES Child • 2.5 year old son with developmental delays • Largest deficit areas: speech and gross motor

Setting: • The research takes place in the home.

Intervention & Coaching Strategies (IV)• Mom views a 40-60 second video clip of her play with her son.

• Milieu teaching strategies of responding, asking open ended questions, imitating, expanding, praising, and referencing are then gradually presented to mom through follow up coaching segments.

• Coaching included demonstrating techniques, role playing, and defining strategies that mom should emphasize in next play interaction.

• Five minute play interaction occurs between mom and son with 2-3 strategies emphasized to mom.

Parent Dependent Variables (DV)• Questions—what, why, how questions are asked to provoke child response beyond rote or yes/no

levels.

• Imitation-copy child’s vocal/physical actions.

• Expansion- Add verbal to imitation attempts.

• Reference-Label aspects of play interaction.

• Response- reaction to child led play in an attempt to get another child reaction.

• Praise-positive physical and/or vocal sign.

Child Dependent Variables (DV)• Vocalizations-any sound made as an attempt by child• to provoke play interest directed at adult.

• Approximations-attempt at a word and is more sophisticated in sound than a vocalization but is not a complete word.

• Words-recognizable vocabulary used by child • to communicate with mom

• Sentences-Words strung together as two or more to communicate detailed point.

Participants :Mother• 40 years old of low SES Child • 2.5 year old son with developmental delays • Largest deficit areas: speech and gross motor

Setting: • The research takes place in the home.

Intervention & Coaching Strategies (IV)• Mom views a 40-60 second video clip of her play with her son.

• Milieu teaching strategies of responding, asking open ended questions, imitating, expanding, praising, and referencing are then gradually presented to mom through follow up coaching segments.

• Coaching included demonstrating techniques, role playing, and defining strategies that mom should emphasize in next play interaction.

• Five minute play interaction occurs between mom and son with 2-3 strategies emphasized to mom.

Parent Dependent Variables (DV)• Questions—what, why, how questions are asked to provoke child response beyond rote or yes/no

levels.

• Imitation-copy child’s vocal/physical actions.

• Expansion- Add verbal to imitation attempts.

• Reference-Label aspects of play interaction.

• Response- reaction to child led play in an attempt to get another child reaction.

• Praise-positive physical and/or vocal sign.

Child Dependent Variables (DV)• Vocalizations-any sound made as an attempt by child• to provoke play interest directed at adult.

• Approximations-attempt at a word and is more sophisticated in sound than a vocalization but is not a complete word.

• Words-recognizable vocabulary used by child • to communicate with mom

• Sentences-Words strung together as two or more to communicate detailed point.

Milieu Teaching Strategies are used to increase both verbal and nonverbal communication interactions of children with language delays.• Parents who follow their child’s lead see

greater increases in both verbal and nonverbal communication from their children.

• Siblings trained in using question prompts with their younger brothers with language delays increase their overall vocalizations and play interactions (Hancock & Kaiser, 1996).

• Structured play verses free play generate varied types of increased communication opportunities for children and their caregivers.

• Building in wait time and asking open ended questions empowers to take ownership of their communication experience.

The current study examines the following: • If parents are effectively coached in Milieu

Teaching Strategies, will immediate gains in child initiated communication occur?

Milieu Teaching Strategies are used to increase both verbal and nonverbal communication interactions of children with language delays.• Parents who follow their child’s lead see

greater increases in both verbal and nonverbal communication from their children.

• Siblings trained in using question prompts with their younger brothers with language delays increase their overall vocalizations and play interactions (Hancock & Kaiser, 1996).

• Structured play verses free play generate varied types of increased communication opportunities for children and their caregivers.

• Building in wait time and asking open ended questions empowers to take ownership of their communication experience.

The current study examines the following: • If parents are effectively coached in Milieu

Teaching Strategies, will immediate gains in child initiated communication occur?

• Caregivers have a tremendous impact on shaping the communication interaction they have with their child. The mother in this study responded more to her child as she was coached in Milieu Teaching Strategies. Her child greatly increased his initiated communication during play.

• Waiting for children to make choices and responding to their vocalizations is a critical component to a more enriching play experience (Hemmeter & Kaiser, 1994).

• Setting up play is also a main component in the type of communication that may occur for a child. The child in this study showed varied types of communication based upon their play actions

• The child responded in a rote fashion to the parent, by providing basic familiar answers during parent led play (i.e. Child says the number “one” when mother draws “1”). The mother in this study reshaped her communication to allow her child to take the lead of their play and his communication. The dyad was pushed out of their comfort zone and became more empowered as a result.

• Caregivers have a tremendous impact on shaping the communication interaction they have with their child. The mother in this study responded more to her child as she was coached in Milieu Teaching Strategies. Her child greatly increased his initiated communication during play.

• Waiting for children to make choices and responding to their vocalizations is a critical component to a more enriching play experience (Hemmeter & Kaiser, 1994).

• Setting up play is also a main component in the type of communication that may occur for a child. The child in this study showed varied types of communication based upon their play actions

• The child responded in a rote fashion to the parent, by providing basic familiar answers during parent led play (i.e. Child says the number “one” when mother draws “1”). The mother in this study reshaped her communication to allow her child to take the lead of their play and his communication. The dyad was pushed out of their comfort zone and became more empowered as a result.

Coaching Caregiver’s Communication

Citation Purpose of Research

Main Findings 

Kaiser & Roberts, 2013

To examine differences in using MT strategies by therapists vs therapist w parent MT trained.

Parents/therapists combined saw greater gains in children’s levels of communications both in clinical and home settings.

Wright et. al, 2013

To package MT strategies with joint attention, emotional regulation, and symbolic play

Joint attention along with spontaneous and prompted word usage increased. Symbolic play showed no increase.

Hemmeter & Kaiser, 1994

To determine effectiveness of parents trained in MT for their child

Parent satisfaction from performance feedback, coaching through video, role play, and play interactions.

Ingersoll et. al, 2012

 To determine effectiveness of MT with children with Autism.

Children made gains in both prompted and spontaneous communication.

Research Methods

Milieu Teaching Strategies for a Child with Language Delays Beth Lattime, M. Ed Kent State University

Introduction

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CHILD LED PARENT COMMUNICATIONCHILD INITIATED COMMUNICATION

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