Join Laura Mize, M.S., CCC-SLP of teachmetotalk.com as she discusses effective strategies for helping late talking toddlers begin to talk. When there are no other developmental  red flags ( meaning a child is socially connected to other people, has an adequate attention span when you try to interact with or play with him, plays with a variety of toys, and understands language well enough to consistently follow directions), here's the method I use... TEACH IMITATION! But don't start with words! Begin with actions...Introduce gestures... Analyze nonverbal actions a child might imitate... Get noisy with play sounds...Try automatic speech...Teach FUNCTIONAL single words...Move on to phrases... AND discover how to introduce the following traditional speech therapy techniques (modeling, offering choices, withholding, and sabotage) in the correct sequence to maximize success with late talking toddlers. Listen to the show for this hierarchy... it works!! Therapists - get CE credit for this course at teachmetotalk.com - podcast #381 - coming soon! Resources mentioned in this show are Building Verbal Imitation in Toddlers (a therapy manual for SLPs and other therapists who work in early intervention) Steps to Building Verbal Imitation in Toddlers (6 hour course on DVD with ASHA CEUs available) and Early Speech-Language Development: Taking Theory to the Floor (12 hours on DVD with ASHA CEUs available). See teachmetotalk.com for details.