Building Preverbal Communication & Engagement: Triadic Gaze Intervention for Young Children with Disabilities and Their Families

During the first years of life, before a child’s first words, preverbal communication and engagement between children and their caregivers build an essential foundation for language and learning across domains. Many children with disabilities and their families struggle to connect early in life and need support developing early communication skills—and now there’s a comprehensive resource to help birth-to-three practitioners deliver that critical support to young children with disabilities and their families.

The product of more than three decades of research and clinical work, this accessible guidebook will help professionals harness the power of Triadic Gaze Intervention (TGI), an evidence-based strategy that supports the development of early communication behaviours—gaze, gestures, and vocalisations—in young children with disabilities. Through a straightforward protocol, practitioners will learn powerful techniques for helping caregivers engage young children during everyday routines and build their preverbal communication skills. In-depth practical guidance—enhanced with tip sheets, case examples, photos, and demonstration videos—make the protocol easy to learn and put into action with families and children.

A must for early interventionists, speech-language pathologists, occupational therapists, physical therapists, and other practitioners, this book is the key to helping young children with disabilities learn to successfully communicate, bond with their families, and engage with their world.

Readers will:

• Learn about the six elements of the authors’ PoWRRS-Connect protocol for implementing TGI: providing opportunity, waiting, recognising, responding, shaping, and connecting
• Use the protocol to help children make progress toward IFSP goals related to communication and engagement
• Tailor the protocol for individual children with a range of disabilities and needs, including motor, sensory, or social impairments
• Embed opportunities for communication and engagement into each family’s authentic routines and activities
• Facilitate stronger collaborative partnerships with caregivers
• Discover how to monitor small measures of progress in engagement and communication through the lens of TGI
• Learn from four parents of children with complex communication needs, who share their success stories with TGI and describe their children’s current communication methods and abilities

Practical materials: Easily implement the PoWRRS-Connect protocol in families’ daily routines with the downloads available online, including handouts for caregivers (available in English and Spanish), a communication checklist for assessment, and 19 brief demonstration videos.

Download File

Table of Contents

About the Video Clips and Downloads

About the Authors

Preface

Foreword Susan R. Sandall, Ph.D.

Acknowledgments

Section I Understanding Early Communication Development and Triadic Gaze Intervention

Chapter 1 The Child–Adult Dance and the Gift of Engagement and Communication

Chapter 2 When the Dance Is Interrupted: Young Children With Disabilities and Intervention

Chapter 3 How Triadic Gaze Intervention Evolved in the Context of Early Intervention

Section II Implementing Triadic Gaze Intervention

Chapter 4 Introduction to Triadic Gaze Intervention: What, Who, Where, When, and Why

Chapter 5 Integrating Triadic Gaze Intervention Into Practice: Determining the Appropriateness of TGI for Children and Families

Chapter 6 The Essential Elements of PoWRRS-Connect: Delivery Guidelines

Chapter 7 Putting PoWRRS-Connect into Action With Families

Chapter 8 Tips for Tailoring Triadic Gaze Intervention and PoWRRS-Connect With Families

Chapter 9 Monitoring Progress

Section III Following the Triadic Gaze Intervention Journey With Children and Families

Chapter 10 Triadic Gaze Intervention and Beyond: The Journey for Children and Families Continues

Appendices:

• Appendix A Triadic Gaze Intervention Research Program and Supporting Evidence
• Appendix B Checklist of Early Communication Behaviors
• Appendix C Video Exemplars of PoWRRS-Connect
• Appendix D Handouts for Families

Glossary

References

Index

"This book is an outstanding example of evidence-based practice that is accessible and extremely applicable for all practitioners serving clients with basic communication needs. The combination of background and research-based evidence along with the practical examples, instructions, case studies and videos makes this an excellent resource for establishing early communication and interaction foundations for children."
- Cynthia Cress, Associate Professor, Communication Disorders, University of Nebraska-Lincoln

"While the TGI protocol was being developed and refined, it was amazing to see the impact it had on therapists as well as the families they were working with. Therapists would come back from a workshop where they had learned about TGI, excited to have clear and concrete strategies to offer families...Above all, it was awe-inspiring to see children blossom once they realized they finally had clear signals their parents could recognize and respond to. To now have this protocol available in book form is a HUGE resource for the field."
- Jon Botten, CEO, Childhaven

"This is essential reading for any provider who works with children who communicate with preverbal behaviors. Lesley B. Olswang, Julie L. Feuerstein, & Gay Lloyd Pinder have provided an evidence-based, practical and inspiring guide to Triadic Gaze Intervention. This foundational key will open doors to successful engagement for families of young children who previously struggled to connect with others."
- Gay Burton, Program Director, Boyer Children's Clinic

"A wonderful and much-needed resource for all Early Intervention professionals. This gem provides a wealth of strategies and resources for coaching families in order to help them foster skills during naturally occurring routines that lay the often overlooked foundation for intentional communication."
- Merle Crawford, Board Certified Behavior Analyst, Co-Author of Early Intervention Every Day and Autism Intervention Every Day