Communication Strategies for Children with Learning Differences

Talking with a child who has a learning difference can take extra care, and it is worth it. It helps them feel seen and valued. There is no single approach that works for every child, and even experienced teachers learn something new from each one. Here are strategies our faculty use every day.

Narrate Everyday Activities

Everyday moments are great chances to learn without the pressure of a classroom. When you describe what you are doing, your child can listen without having to answer, and they learn new words in context. Baking cookies? Read the recipe aloud, ask your child to bring you ingredients one at a time and let them help measure and mix.

Cut Down Distractions

Busy, noisy places make communication harder. In class, sitting near the teacher can help. Before you speak, make sure your child is paying attention. Make eye contact if it is comfortable for them. Ask them to repeat back what they heard, and praise good listening.

Be Creative

What worked for one child may not work for the next. Some children are non-verbal. It is still important to find a way to connect with them.

• Offer choices, but not so many that they become frustrating.
• Take time to listen, and repeat back what you heard. Helping a child express themselves builds independence.
• Read aloud, even to older children. It is relaxing and builds vocabulary.
• Make it fun with songs, silly rhymes, and poems.

Go Beyond Words

Words aren't the only way to communicate. Picture cards help children connect images with words, or make themselves understood before they have the words. If your child holds up a picture of an apple, say, "Would you like an apple?" so they hear the word.

• Start with simple pictures and add detail over time.
• Follow their lead, and learn their gestures or signs.
• Keep trying. A child who doesn't respond may still be listening.
• Use more than one approach. Say instructions aloud and write them down.
• Show how to do the task, and use objects to make your meaning clear.

Show You Care

Everyone wants to feel seen and appreciated. Children with learning differences deserve real connection with their families, friends, and teachers, even when communication is hard.

Let Empathy Guide You

Put yourself in your child's shoes. Trouble communicating is not a sign of low intelligence, and a bright child who struggles to express themselves can feel deeply frustrated.

• Speak directly to your child, not to the adult with them.
• Don't talk down to them. Keep your words right for their age.
• Talk with them often. Even if they don't answer, they are taking it in.
• Praise their efforts to communicate.

Keep Language Clear and Simple

Concrete words work better than abstract ones. If a shorter word says what you mean, use it.

• Use short, simple sentences.
• Give one instruction at a time.
• Speak slowly, repeat yourself, and pause often.
• Mirror your child's way of communicating.
• Encourage questions.

Be Patient

Frustration stops communication. Remember that your child is frustrated too, and they never get a break from the struggle. Be ready to repeat yourself, explain again, or add pictures, gestures, or props.

• Repeat back what you heard to check you understood.
• Don't finish their sentences, and don't interrupt.
• Suggest other ways to share their meaning, like pointing or drawing.
• Don't pretend to understand. Ask them to repeat or explain.
• Allow time. Some children need longer to process what they hear.

How Gow Can Help

Since 1926, The Gow School has taught students with dyslexia and related language-based learning differences in rural Western New York. Our faculty are trained to work with students with ADHD, executive function challenges, central auditory processing disorder, dyscalculia, dysgraphia, and more. The Gow Method is a multisensory structured language approach, so lessons reach students through sight, sound, and touch, and every student finds a way in.