Support for Gestalt Language Processors during TACPAC sessions

In the last blog about gestalt language processing, I talked about general support strategies to promote communication for Gestalt Language Processors (GLPs). In this blog, I am going to discuss how we can support our GLPs during TACPAC sessions.
Supports that benefit GLPs will also support our ALPs (Analytic Language Processors) as ALPs will take the language that they need from the models.

Key supports during TACPAC sessions:

Establishing trust and connection. This is fundamental to true communication and is a key feature during TACPAC sessions. Trust and connection are established during TACPAC by sticking to the beat of the music and using a consistent body pattern.
Following the GLP’s lead. We aim to follow our receivers’ lead during TACPAC sessions and tune into and respond to their communication bids.
Respecting and accommodating sensory preferences.
Use phrases and sentences, rather than single words and try to model language that is easily mitigable (i.e. could easily be broken down and re-combined into a different utterance) e.g. ‘it’s time for TACPAC’ could then be mitigated to ‘it’s time for dinner/music’ etc.
Model language from the child’s perspective – as a GLP is likely to learn and use the modelled utterance as a whole it needs to be framed from their perspective, e.g. ‘my turn ‘we did it’ rather than ‘you can do it’.
Make utterances melodic and full of expression – GLPs are ‘intonation babies’ and respond well to language that is rich with intonation and expression.
Avoid questions and focus on declarative language, e.g. comments, observations like ‘that’s tickly’, ‘it’s a fan’, ‘on my arm’, ‘I want it again’ rather than ‘where’s the fan?’, ‘what’s that?’.
Assume competence – always assume that the GLP’s utterances are meaningful even if they don’t make sense to you at the time. Often by asking those that know the person best, we can work out the meaning of a gestalt, e.g. a parent explained that when her child sings ‘Daisy, Daisy’ it means ‘I love you’.

As you can see, a lot of the supports that help GLPs are already embedded into TACPAC sessions as the whole philosophy of TACPAC is rooted in establishing trust and connection and being responsive to the receiver’s needs and sensory preferences.
If, like me, you have been taught to simplify language and focus on repetition of single words and short phrases to help our receivers that have language difficulties, this is the area where we may need to re-think what we are saying during sessions for GLPs.
As this an area that is still quite new for lots of us, we would love to hear from you if you have tried adapting your communication for your GLPs during TACPAC, any particular phrases that you use and how you have got on!

I found the training was delivered well and matched my school’s cohort very well. It was thought provoking and gave me many ideas on how this can be rolled out and introduced. It also enabled me to get a clearer idea around the intent and the purpose of TAC PAC as a communication strategy and how this can be explained to outside agencies such as ofsted.

Cheryl Louis, Treehouse School

I thoroughly enjoyed the whole training day from start to finish. Vanessa was an amazing instructor and pitched the course well with both theory and practical. She was extremely helpful in answering questions relating to my context and I can’t thank her enough. I feel confident in taking this intervention forward in my class of complex P1 learners.

Charlotte Johnstone Teacher Park School

It was really informative. I would encourage parents and other professional to go through Tac Pac training. Found it really innovative. Most surprising fact that it can be done with household simple stuff and doesn’t need to be expensive, very much handy and easy to use for parents/other caregiver and professionals.

Online Training Delegate,

The learning of the importance of the beat and uncovering some of the myths that we had previously been doing in our school so now they can be corrected. I feel I can relay the appropriate content learnt to other staff within my setting now.

Eimear Corrigan, Teacher,, Palmerstone School, Liverpool

I have been working with children with special needs for the past seven years. I have been amazed at the transformation in children who have been exposed to Tacpac. As there are no trainers that I know of in the Perth area, I am interested in becoming a trainer to enable more children to reap the benefits of this wonderful program.

SEN teacher

Hilary, You have given much joy to many with your creation of Tacpac. You really have made a difference to the lives of many children and their families.

Sue Murray,BLENNZ School, New Zealand

Well delivered. I like that even though this training was virtual it still felt very interactive and a safe place to ask questions and have discussions. I do feel like I have the knowledge and skills to begin TACPAC ‘properly’ now (or at least after a few more practice sessions on my niece). Thank you very much.

Emily Parham, Speech & Language Therapist, OXLEAS

The activities were brilliant for being able to practise the movements to the music in a supportive environment. There was no part of the course that I didn’t enjoy and from which I didn’t learn. Although I have used TACPAC before, I hadn’t considered the importance of unknown music without any connotations attached to it for the receiver. This now makes perfect sense and was a revelation!

Ashley Chambers, Portage Practitioner, Kent

Great working with you all

Dom Knight, Oxfordshire Web Services

I messaged my manager during the break to tell her how amazing the training course is; I didn’t expect it to go into as much detail as it did. I liked how the course went into detail about the function of the Limbic System in relation to behaviour and response. I now want to do more research into the physiological aspects of behaviour in Autism to work on positive behaviour support within our homes

Tracey Hamilton, Homes Manager , Albrighton Care