ABSTRACT
The final goal of the language program is to teach your child to use complex sentences that are at least three words in length. As was the case with single words and two-word sentences, the first step is to encourage your child to say these longer sentences during a formal teaching session and then to use them at other times during the day. Before beginning this part of the program, your child should be producing two-word sentences easily within the teaching sessions and with increasing frequency during spontaneous comments throughout the day. If your child has not reached this level of productive language development, you should continue to teach two-word sentences and to expand his or her single-word vocabulary. Three- and four-word sentences should only be taught if two-word sentences are mastered. There is little to be gained from pushing too far beyond your child's current ability. On the contrary, your current success may be disrupted by demanding longer and more complex sentences than your child is able to produce at this time.
