3.  When playing with cars, require the child to request the car.

4.  When the child wants something to eat/drink, require him to ask for it.

5.  When knocking down blocks, require the child to request more crashing.

6.  When singing, stop in the middle of the song and reqire the child to request more singing.

7.  When playing horsie (rocking the child on your leg), stop and require the child to request more.

8.  When riding bikes outside, stop pushing your child and require him to request to go more.

9.  When playing a game, require your child to request more before he can have another turn.

10.  When reading a familiar book, stop in the middle and require your child to request more book before you continue.

11.  When reading a book, require your child to request to turn the page.

12.  When blowing bubbles, require your child to request more bubbles.

13.  When coloring, require your child to request a new color or more paper.

14.  When playing a tickling game, stop tickling your child and require hime to request more tickling.

15.  When listening to music on a tape recorder, stop the tape and require your child to request more music.

16.  When reading familiar books, or singing familiar songs, pause when you get to a repeated line or word and see if the child will fill in the blank.

17.  When engaged in a familiar activity or routine, violate the routine or do something foolish, so that the child will comment and redirect you.  For example, when getting ready to go tell the child, "We need to go to the garage and get in the boat."  If the child doesn't recognize the mistake, encourage the child to correct you, by saying, "Oh my goodness, I said boat, we're not going to drive a boat, what are we going to drive."

18.  When your child wants to play, show him to toys he could play with and require him to make a choice.

19.  When your child asks for more of something, such as colors, blocks, videos, or cars, show him two videos, for example, and require him to make a choice.

20.  When your child wants something to eat or drink, show him two things he could eat/drink and require him to make a choice.
 

Suggested Strategies to Expand Expressive Communication
 

1.  Planned Stupidity-   The communication partner "plays dumb" and pretends not to understand what the child is trying to say.  This encourages the child to revise his or her communication and use multiple modes of expressive communication.

2.  Choice Making-  Give the child options during activities.  Let him chose between two toys or chose between snack foods, etc.

3.  Repetition and Expansion-  When the child makes a request or statement, repeat what they indicated and expand upon it.  For example, if the child points to juice, point to the juice and say juice and sign juice.  This will show the child what he or she did to get the juice and it will also give them examples of other ways to communicate juice.

4.  Developing Routines-   Play games and make up routines (singing songs, reciting rhymes, setting the table, getting dressed, etc.).  When the child is familiar with the routine, the routine can be violated.  For example, when setting the table put the plates on and then ask the child to put the placemats on the table.  If the child does not recognize that this is silly and communicate this, than show them how to say that was silly, i.e., point at the plate under the placemat and laugh or say oh my gosh where are we going to put the food.
 

*When communicating with children with expressive language delays be sure to accept any form of communication, i.e., pointing, gesturing, pantomiming, signing, pointing to representational pictures or speaking.  Be sure to encourage any form of communication.  This will allow the child to practice communicating, even when they don't have the skills to communicate with words.  Always expand upon what the child is saying and give them models of other means to communicate such as signing or speaking.