Yoga for Speech-Language Development

130 Yoga for Speech-Language Development

writing skills. Adults can structure reading interactions with
children in order to maximize benefits from this activity. Adults’
sensitivity and responsivity to children during shared book
reading is crucial ( Justice and Pence 2005). In order to engage
children, adults can sit face-to-face with them, observe their
interests and actions, and listen and respond to their questions
and comments. According to van Kleeck and Schuele (1987),
adults can use a developmental progression of question types and
comments to enhance children’s language during shared book
reading. Table 9.2 presents different types of adult linguistic input
and the associated child language behaviors that could be elicited.

Table 9.2 Developmental progression of question types and comments that adults
can use to elicit language behaviors in children during shared book reading

Children’s language

behaviors

Types of questions and comments

In order for children to... Adults could...

label items ask “what” or “who” questions

elaborate on items ask specific questions regarding

the number and type of items

code events ask “What happened?”

elaborate on events ask about locations or consequences

talk about motives or causes ask “why” or “how” questions

react to the story ask how the children feel about the

characters and their actions

relate the story to

the real world

comment on the relevance of the characters

or events in the story to the real world

(adapted from van Kleeck and Schuele 1987)

It is generally helpful for adults to ask open-ended questions
(e.g. “What do you see?”) in order to elicit more language
from children rather than yes-no questions (e.g. “Do you see a
baby?”), which only require a one-word “yes” or “no” response.
When asking children questions, waiting expectantly for at