I’m thrilled to share with you my conversation with Katja Piscitelli, also known as the Boho Speechie. Katja is a dedicated speech-language pathologist and the owner of Total Spectrum Speech, specializing in gestalt language processing (GLP). She’s shared some valuable insights and practical tips for supporting GLPs in classrooms, therapy practices, and at home. With her wealth of knowledge and experience, Katja is sure to inspire you with effective strategies and goal ideas that can make a difference in the lives of children with GLP. Don't miss this enlightening conversation!
Getting to Know Katja Piscitelli, SLP
Tara: Can you tell everyone a little bit about yourself and your background?
Katja: I'm a pediatric speech therapist who graduated in 2020 during COVID. I started with teletherapy in schools but always wanted to focus on autistic children. Early in my career, I felt like I wasn’t doing the right things until I discovered Gestalt language processing, which wasn’t taught in school but completely transformed my approach.
I now run a speech therapy clinic and focus on educating others about Gestalt language, AAC, and neurodiversity-affirming practices. I share content on social media as Boho Speechy, do speaking engagements, and offer resources and courses on these topics.
The Impact of Gestalt Language Processing
Tara: That's amazing! I had no idea you only graduated in 2020. The impact you've already made on the field, especially in how people approach autistic kids and Gestalt language processing, is incredible. Kudos to you for being such a go-getter!
Katja: Thanks! I've always learned by teaching, so I started sharing what I was learning on Instagram, even when I didn’t have much of a following. I’d create infographics as I learned new topics, and people were interested. I’m definitely not an expert, still learning along the way, but I’ve always shared as I go, even before feeling ready. It's been amazing connecting with so many people—social media is pretty cool for that!
Understanding Gestalt Language Processing
Tara: Yeah, I agree. As you said, gestalt language processing is your thing, can you explain what it is and kind of when you started learning about it?
Katja: I had an autism class in college, but it was outdated and didn’t emphasize learning from autistic people. That would have made it far more valuable. Most research on Gestalt language processing dates back to the 70s and 80s but lost traction as behavioral methods like ABA became more popular. It surged again in 2021 when Alexandria Zakos introduced it to social media, which was a light bulb moment for many therapists and parents.
Gestalt language processors learn language differently than analytic processors, who typically develop language by starting with single words and combining them into phrases. In contrast, GLPs learn through chunks of language or scripts, like lines from movies or songs. They often use delayed echolalia, mimicking these chunks before breaking them down into single words. Many autistic children are GLPs, so it's crucial to understand how they learn and adapt our methods to support their unique needs.
Real-Life Examples of Gestalts
Tara: I love how you explained that! Sometimes people find gestalt language processing overwhelming, but your examples make it understandable. I remember a three-year-old girl in my class who fell and said, “We all fall down,” referencing a nursery rhyme. Her use of that script wasn’t meaningless; I understood exactly what she meant. She hadn’t yet developed her language in a typical way, but using that chunk brought her joy and connection.
If you follow Katya on social media, you’ll find more relatable examples like that. They really help people grasp these concepts, don’t you think, Katya?
Katja: Absolutely! If you’ve supported autistic kids, you’ve likely seen them use gestalts. Sometimes, the meaning is clear, like with the girl who said, “We all fall down.” Other times, it’s less obvious. For instance, I work with a child who says “circus” whenever he feels overwhelmed. This stems from a visit to the circus, which was a sensory overload for him.
Even though “circus” is just a single word, it carries deep meaning for him, just like “we all fall down” does for that girl. Gestalts often hold more significance than typical word combinations because they reflect rich experiences and emotions. This depth makes it challenging for kids to move beyond them, as they encapsulate so much meaning.
The Emotional Connection in Language
Tara: Exactly! Gestalts are so accessible. I love your example of “circus” because it shows that gestalts can be just one word, not just full lines from songs or movies. My equivalent would be “casino”—too overwhelming!
Katja: Exactly! Gestalts are often emotionally charged, which is why they resonate with kids. To help a new phrase stick, model it with strong emotions—excitement, anger, etc. We all have our own gestalts for social situations, like casually saying, “Hey, how are you?” It’s something we rely on without even thinking about it, and that’s a gestalt in itself.
Practical Strategies for Supporting Gestalt Language Processors
Tara: I've never heard anyone mention this before. I love your tip about modeling gestalts or phrases with emotion—it’s such a great idea!
Katja: In a recent teletherapy session, a mom mentioned her child used a vague script to express that something was stuck. She wanted to replace it with clearer language, so we tried modeling “oh, it’s stuck” during the next instance. He didn’t seem to connect with it, so I suggested adding real emotion. When she modeled it with frustration—“ugh, it’s stuck”—he imitated her right away. Sometimes, it’s that simple; emotion can make a big difference for these kids.
Tara: It really comes down to relationships. Neurodiversity-affirming approaches prioritize connections and allow children to be themselves. In schools, I often felt I was battling against ABA methods that emphasized compliance over relationships. Your strategies can help educators overcome that by playing with the child, learning their gestalts, and modeling with emotion. Many of my listeners are special education teachers, so can you share three practical activities they can implement with gestalt language processors?
Katja: It's not so much about the specific activities; it’s more about engaging in what the child enjoys. If they love playing with vehicles, that’s the activity to use, as it will help model meaningful language. Marge Blanc describes gestalt as a “soundtrack to an experience,” so provide language relevant to what they care about. Activities that get them moving, like obstacle courses or sensory experiments with baking soda and vinegar, are also great. In schools, push-in support is often more effective because it allows for real-time language modeling in peer settings.
Emphasizing Interests Over Specific Activities
Tara: That's awesome! People often ask how to get kids to play with different toys or stop certain behaviors, but it's more nuanced than that. I appreciate that you emphasized it’s not about the specific activity. I've introduced new toys thinking my students would love them, only for them to walk away. That’s my issue, not theirs. We need to set aside our pride and follow their interests. If they want to make sharks out of Play-Doh, that's what we'll do every time. I'll show my paraprofessionals our routine so they can match it. Great advice!
Katja: Expanding play isn't my primary goal, but if you're looking to do so, Alexandria Zachos from Meaningful Speech has a helpful method called “three, two, one.” Introduce three activities: two that the child loves and one that's new or a new way to play. For example, instead of just lining up letters, let them “swim” in a bucket of water. This small change can bring a whole new world of language to the same activity.
Understanding Language Development Stages
When it comes to goals, understanding the Natural Language Acquisition (NLA) stages is essential. NLA, coined by Marge Blanc, outlines four stages of language development for Gestalt language processors. Stage one is primarily characterized by echolalia, where kids use delayed echolalia or gestalts to communicate. Our goal in this stage is to expand their variety of gestalts.
For instance, a goal might be for a child to produce ten new gestalts, focusing on different functions like suggesting (“let's go outside”), commenting (“it's so cool”), expressing joy (“this is fun”), or protesting (“I don't like it”). I aim to help them acquire a variety of gestalts across these functions, emphasizing and modeling them throughout their day.
Tara: I want to add that when you model phrases like “let's go outside,” it’s more effective than asking, “Do you want to go outside?” Repeating back what they say can lead to back-and-forth conversations, but teaching them useful phrases allows them to communicate more effectively in various situations.
Katja: Exactly! For stage one support, beyond affirming what they say, we should model language in their words. If a child falls, instead of asking, “Are you okay?” say something like, “Ouch, that hurt!” This provides them with meaningful language to imitate. It’s important to use emotion and even musical intonation, as many of these kids respond well to that.
In therapy, I focus on feeding them what they might want to say, helping them build a repertoire of gestalts. The goal is to expand their chunks of language. Once they have a variety, they can progress to stage two, where they start to mix and match phrases. For example, “let's go outside” might become “let's go inside.” They aren’t creating their own grammar yet, but they’re getting more adept at adapting language to fit different contexts.
Progressing Through Language Stages
Tara: If a student loves the song “Mommy Finger” and changes it to “Duck Finger” while using finger puppets, is that an example of stage two?
Katja: Yes, that's a perfect example! Changing words in a song is often how kids first demonstrate stage two. Any alteration to the original gestalt counts as stage two, whether it's changing a song or modifying how they say a phrase, like “come on.”
For many gestalt processors, songs are their main form of language. I often introduce more relevant songs to help them communicate, such as “put on your shoe” during dressing. This encourages flexibility in their gestalts.
Goals for stage two focus on increasing mixed and matched utterances. Once a child uses about 50% stage two utterances, they usually progress to stage three, where they begin breaking down language into single words. Stage three involves recognizing these words as building blocks for grammar and can happen quickly.
In stage three, goals often include isolating single words and forming two- or three-word combinations. It's like a game of “I Spy,” where they reference things in their environment, such as “plants” or “big green plants.” The overall aim is to help kids reach stage four, where they can create more complex sentences and express themselves freely. The time it takes to reach this stage varies for each child, and not all gestalt language processors will get there.
Tara: Your examples are great! What you describe as stage three aligns with typical speech therapy, where we focus on naming nouns and combining verbs with nouns. There’s a place for that, but it’s not where we should start. I've learned that kids don't process questions the same way, so beginning there isn’t effective.
Katja: Exactly! Many gestalt language processors in stage one get goals for WH questions and conversational turn-taking, but we can’t expect them to master those higher-level skills until they reach stage four. Before then, they might just memorize questions and scripted answers without true understanding. While some safety questions can be useful, we need to focus on expanding their gestalts first.
Tara: I completely agree. I remember my early days as a speech therapist in a classroom with autistic kids. One kindergartner, who was in ABA therapy, had learned scripted responses but lacked real understanding. When I asked how he was after falling down the stairs, he responded, “I’m great,” simply because that was his learned answer. He was clearly not great, as he had tears in his eyes. This shows the importance of recognizing the initial stage of language development and understanding that having scripted answers doesn’t mean they can use them flexibly or comprehend their meaning.
Katja: We need to remember that a gestalt isn't truly meaningful unless it's naturally acquired. We can't explicitly teach these phrases, as drilling them in often leads to stagnation in their language development. Instead, we should model what we think the child might want to say, treating it as an offering rather than a demand. If it resonates with them, they might incorporate it into their language; if not, we can try again later with something different. Many gestalt processors become stuck on rote phrases that limit their language use to simple requests, hindering their ability to see language as a fun and self-motivated tool.
Conclusion
Tara: That's a perfect wrap-up! I know our listeners will want to learn more about gestalt language processing from you. What resources do you have for those interested?
Katja: You can find me on Instagram and Facebook as Bohospeechy, and my website, bohospeechy.net, has all my gestalt language processing resources. I'm moving most of my GLP content to my site, including a bilingual parent handbook with ten easy steps to support your child at home, which is also useful for therapists new to GLP. I have a teacher version for those working with new students.
I offer shorter, accessible courses, like my two-and-a-half-hour grammar course for GLPs. I'm developing more courses focused on the earlier stages of GLP as well. I'm also co-hosting the Great Language Partner podcast with Nicole from Connection Speech Pathology, who provides excellent examples for parents on identifying and supporting GLPs.
Katja’s website
Boho Speechie IG
Great Language Partner Podcast
Marge Blanc's Natural Language Acquisition Book
Meaningful Speech – Alexandria Zachos
Listen to the podcast: Episode #93
Watch the interview:
Read more about Gestalt Language Processors
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