Resources & techniques

These activities spotlight a basic pattern through repetition. Due to the constancy of the pattern, when the adult makes a change, the child will be more likely to notice it. Given the immediate history of experiencing the pattern, the child will be more likely to be competent to repeat the interaction. This competence will allow the child to assume the responsibility for the regulation, if given enough time. Through the increased competency, the child will be motivated to continue within the interaction. As the child gains competence, the child becomes more resilient and more willing to accept challenges within other interactions.

Declarative language is characterized by:

• the formation of episodic memories
• it reflects the ongoing interaction
• it involves the sharing of emotional content
• it can incorporate information provided within the interaction
• it is the communication that is used in a dynamic system
• while one individual does not control the other, there is control within the interaction
• there can be self talk for the purposes of supporting self-regulation
• the language is defined by the communicative intent and not syntactic rules or memorized scripts

It is used to convey a wide range of communicative functions — commenting, regulating, wondering, referencing, anticipating, predicting, inviting, celebrating, clarifying, repairing, explaining, reporting, encouraging, complimenting, sharing, narrating, planning, joking, rehearsing, co-creating, comparing, suggesting.