[blindkid] how do you teach a child to say yes?

[rholloway at gopbc.org]

Sounds like something called "echolalia" which is really common with blind kids. Before you begin to worry about some new diagnosis, it is a behavior that is generally outgrown. 

My best guess is it happens so much with blind kids because they may be getting words very clearly, but attaching the words to actual physical things and concepts comes more slowly, especially at first, because it takes time to fill in the gaps caused by missing visual information as compared to the knowledge base and timeline for typically sighted kids. 

If you're not familiar with it, definitely google that term and see if it sounds familiar. Again, no need to panic over this one, it happens a lot. 
Sent on the Sprint® Now Network from my BlackBerry®

-----Original Message-----
From: "Barbara Hammel" <poetlori8 at msn.com>
Sender: blindkid-bounces at nfbnet.org
Date: Wed, 27 Jul 2011 21:21:28 
To: <blindkid at nfbnet.org>
Reply-To: "NFBnet Blind Kid Mailing List,
	\(for parents of blind children\)" <blindkid at nfbnet.org>
Subject: [blindkid] how do you teach a child to say yes?

Our semiverbal twin has “no thank you please” down pat.  He uses it very appropriately but if he wants the thing we’re asking him about he’ll just repeat the name of the thing.
I’m just wondering if anyone has ideas about how to choose between yes and no.  For example “do you want a beef stick?”  The inferred choices are yes and no but he doesn’t know what to do with that kind of question.  So far, I’ve asked if he wants something and if he repeats it, I tell him we’re going to try again and I want you to say yes.  I repeat the question and say the y sound to prompt him before he has a chance to think of copying the requested item’s name.
I forgot the name of those books that nonverbal people use that has all the pictures of things and if you choose say the hurt picture, you’d turn to the correct page to point out a body part.  He needs to know how to say yes or no to be able to do the book with his teachers.
Would you say I’m on the right track, or do you have other tips for teaching this skill?
Barbara

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