Gestalt language processing (GLP) is a model of language acquisition wherein language is acquired first in units of language and then later learned to be broken down into individual words. This is in contrast with analytic language processing, which begins with the child acquiring a series of single words and then learning to string them together into phrases and sentences. Gestalt language learners may begin by understanding the meaning of an entire phrase without understanding the individual words in isolation. An example of acquiring language through analytic language processing is: “school” becomes “go school” which later is expanded to “let’s go to school.” An example of acquiring language through gestalt language processing is: “Let’s get ready to go!” becomes “Let’s get ready to school” which later is generalized to “Let’s get going to school.”
It has been suggested that both neurotypical and neurodivergent people can be gestalt language processors, either fully or in part. Echolalia, largely associated with autism, has been described in the gestalt language process as the first step in their natural development of language. Echolalia is when a child repeats a phrase they have heard in an automatic way. Considering echolalia can be a long phrase, it is seen by some SLPs as the first step in the “large to small” gestalt language process learning.
When helping a gestalt language learner to acquire language, it is suggested to provide the child with new gestalt phrases so that they may learn to put them together in different ways, before working toward learning the individual words that make up the phrase. A commonly recommended phrase that a child may use is something beginning with “Let’s…” This is in contrast with beginning by teaching core words (commonly used words) or beginning by teaching functional scripts “I need to have some water” without consideration for teaching the grammatical component.
There has been a push not to minimize the importance of echolalia, as it has been determined to serve many communicative functions. Using strategies to teach grammar through GLP can help echolalia be taught functionally. It is important to note that not all children with autism are gestalt language learners, and it is still under debate if it is valid to label children as either gestalt language processors or analytic language processors, or if the reality for some children lies somewhere in between the two styles, with one being more prominent in some children. It is also important to note that, at this point, there is no distinct criteria for determining that a child is a GLP or predominantly a GLP. With this in mind, it is essential to be aware of misleading statistics stating that a certain percent of autistic children are gestalt language processors, when there is no way to accurately determine such statistics.
Helping a gestalt language learner to acquire language by teaching grammar from “large to small” by starting at the phrase and eventually breaking it down to the individual words has the potential to teach a functional use of echolalia. Though, it is important to keep in mind that many children may acquire language through a mix of both gestalt and analytic processes.
Evans, K. (2022). Let’s give them something to Gestalt about, The Informed
SLP. Available at:
https://www.theinformedslp.com/review/let-s-give-them-something-to-gestalt-about
