Key Takeaways

• Gestalt language processing is a unique way of acquiring language, where students learn in whole phrases rather than individual words.
• Evidence-based strategies, such as modeling, scripting, and naturalistic language facilitation, help gestalt language processors develop meaningful communication skills.
• Example IEP goals provided in this guide help educators create measurable objectives that foster language development.

Gestalt language processors acquire language differently from analytic language learners. Instead of learning single words first, they develop language in memorized phrases—called gestalts—before gradually breaking them down into more flexible, self-generated speech. Because of this unique processing style, traditional language intervention strategies may not always be effective.

For educators and speech-language pathologists, setting IEP goals for gestalt language processors requires a structured, individualized approach. By aligning goals with a student’s stage of language development, we can help them move from echolalia to independent, meaningful communication. This guide explores key strategies, example IEP goals, and best practices to support language growth in gestalt language processors.

What is Gestalt Language Processing?

Gestalt language processing is a developmental style of language acquisition where children learn and use memorized phrases before breaking them down into smaller, flexible word combinations. This differs from analytic language processing, where children learn single words first.

Gestalt language processors may face challenges in various aspects of communication, including expressive and receptive language skills. They may struggle with organizing their thoughts and expressing themselves clearly. Additionally, they may have difficulty understanding and interpreting the intentions and emotions of others, leading to challenges in social interactions and building relationships.

Key characteristics of Gestalt Language Processors

• Use of echolalia (repeating phrases heard in specific contexts)
• Preference for memorized scripts rather than individual words
• Difficulty combining words spontaneously in early language stages
• Progression from whole phrases to more flexible, self-generated language over time

Strategies for Supporting Gestalt Language Processors

Gestalt Language Processors acquire language in memorized chunks before breaking them down into flexible speech. Because of this, traditional language interventions may not be effective. Instead, Gestalt Language Processors need strategies that align with their natural language development.

The following approaches—modeling, scripting, visual supports, and interactive learning—help expand communication skills, promote independent language use, and support meaningful social interactions.

1. Encourage Naturalistic Language Modeling

• Repeat the student’s echolalic phrases while slightly altering them.
• Provide contextual modeling of words and phrases during daily activities.

2. Use Scripting and Modified Phrases

• Introduce predictable scripts while gradually expanding meaning.
• Encourage students to swap words within familiar scripts to create flexibility.

3. Implement Visual Supports

• Use communication boards, sentence strips, and AAC devices for assisted communication.
• Offer structured visual models to help students generalize language across settings.

4. Facilitate Peer Interactions and Social Communication

• Pair students with communication partners for structured language-building activities.
• Use guided social scripts to help students engage in reciprocal conversations.

5. Reinforce Language Growth with Play-Based Learning

• Use toys and real-world experiences to create meaningful communication moments.
• Encourage functional language use through role-playing and shared storytelling.

What Are IEP Goals for Gestalt Language Processors?

Individualized Education Program (IEP) goals are structured, measurable objectives designed to support students with disabilities in building essential skills for academic and everyday success. These goals are outlined in a student’s IEP—a legally binding document that details their specialized instruction, services, and accommodations.

For Gestalt Language Processors, IEP goals should be carefully crafted to align with their natural language development. Unlike analytic language learners, who acquire language word by word, gestalt language processors learn in larger chunks or “gestalts” before breaking them down into flexible, spontaneous speech. Because of this unique processing style, communication-focused IEP goals must support a student’s progression through the stages of gestalt language development.

These goals might include expanding echolalic phrases into more flexible language, increasing comprehension and use of self-generated speech, or strengthening problem-solving and social communication skills in natural contexts. By tailoring IEP objectives to a student’s individual language development stage, educators and therapists can provide the right support to foster meaningful, functional communication.

How to Set IEP Goals for Gestalt Language Processors

Developing IEP goals for gestalt language processors requires a structured, stage-based approach to support their progression toward flexible, independent communication.

Step 1: Collaborate with Key Stakeholders

IEP goals should be created with input from speech-language pathologists (SLPs), teachers, parents, and caregivers to ensure consistency in language support.

Step 2: Assess Current Language Development Stage

Before setting goals, determine the student’s current stage of gestalt language processing:

1. Echolalia (Delayed or Immediate) – Repeating memorized phrases
2. Mitigation and Mixing – Beginning to modify scripts
3. Single-Word Use – Extracting single words from phrases
4. Flexible, Spontaneous Language – Independently generating new sentences

Step 3: Set SMART IEP Goals

IEP goals should follow the SMART framework:

• Specific: Clearly define the language skill to be developed.
• Measurable: Establish criteria for tracking progress.
• Achievable: Ensure the goal is realistic for the student’s current language stage.
• Relevant: Align with the student’s communication needs.
• Time-Bound: Set a timeframe for achieving the goal.

Example SMART Goal: “The student will independently modify an echolalic phrase to create a new meaning in 4 out of 5 opportunities.”

Step 4: Implement Evidence-Based Strategies to Support Goals

• Use natural language modeling by repeating and slightly modifying the student’s echolalic phrases.
• Introduce scripted phrases with variation opportunities to promote language flexibility.
• Provide visual supports (e.g., picture communication boards) to reinforce spontaneous word use.
• Encourage peer interactions in structured settings to facilitate conversational practice.

Step 5: Monitor Progress and Adjust Goals

• Collect language samples to analyze shifts from echolalia to self-generated speech.
• Use observational tracking to measure language flexibility across different settings.
• Adjust goals as the student progresses through language development stages.

Step 6: Support Parents and Caregivers

• Provide home strategies for expanding language use (e.g., repeating and expanding child-led phrases).
• Share examples of scaffolded conversations to guide parents in facilitating communication.
• Offer regular updates on language progress to ensure consistency across school and home.

Example IEP Goals for Gestalt Language Processors

IEP goals for gestalt language processors should align with their natural language development, supporting them as they move from echolalic speech to flexible, self-generated communication. These goals help students progress through the stages of gestalt language processing by focusing on expanding scripts, increasing independent word use, and fostering meaningful interactions.

Below are example goals and objectives designed to support language growth in structured and naturalistic settings.

Goal 1: Expanding Scripts into Flexible Language

1. The student will modify an echolalic phrase to create a new meaning in 80% of structured opportunities.
2. The student will combine elements from two different scripts to generate a novel sentence in 4 out of 5 opportunities.
3. The student will use a modified script in a new context in 80% of observed interactions.

Goal 2: Initiating Communication with Peers

1. The student will independently initiate a conversation using a self-generated phrase in 4 out of 5 structured opportunities.
2. The student will greet or gain a peer’s attention using a self-generated phrase in 80% of observed social interactions.
3. The student will initiate a request or question to a peer in 4 out of 5 opportunities.

Here’s an example video modeling lesson from Everyday Speech that helps students use conversation drivers when playing:

Goal 3: Increasing Independent Word Use

1. The student will extract and use single words from memorized scripts in 80% of observed interactions.
2. The student will independently use single words from scripts to label or request in 4 out of 5 opportunities.
3. The student will substitute words within scripts to fit different situations in 80% of observed instances.

Goal 4: Engaging in Reciprocal Conversations

1. The student will maintain a back-and-forth exchange of at least three conversational turns in 80% of observed social interactions.
2. The student will ask a follow-up question related to a peer’s comment in 4 out of 5 structured conversations.
3. The student will use a self-generated phrase to continue a conversation after a partner responds in 80% of observed interactions.

Here’s an example video modeling lesson from Everyday Speech that helps students make connected comments:

Goal 5: Using Visual Supports for Language Expansion

1. The student will use a communication board or AAC device to expand their language use in 80% of opportunities.
2. The student will use visual sentence strips to build a new phrase in 4 out of 5 structured activities.
3. The student will combine visuals with verbal language to request, comment, or respond in 80% of observed interactions.

Goal 6: Demonstrating Flexible Sentence Construction

1. The student will create novel two-word combinations from known phrases in 80% of observed situations.
2. The student will combine three or more words from familiar scripts to create an original sentence in 4 out of 5 opportunities.
3. The student will adjust a repeated phrase to match a new setting or communication partner in 80% of interactions.

Bonus IEP Resource

Everyday Speech is a no-prep social skills curriculum that teaches skills like self-regulation, resilience, and problem-solving through evidence-based video modeling. Here is an example video modeling lesson from our curriculum: Understanding My IEP.

The video, developed for middle and high school students, guides students through understanding their IEP, highlighting its purpose, components, and the importance of self-advocacy in customizing their educational experience: 

Helping gestalt language processors develop independent communication skills through well-structured IEP goals is essential for their language growth. By setting targeted, measurable goals and implementing research-backed strategies, educators can support students in moving from echolalia to flexible, self-generated speech.

With structured support and naturalistic language modeling, gestalt language processors can expand their communication abilities, improving academic engagement and social interactions.