Communicative Temptation
A communicative action is successful when the learner’s message is understood by the partner. In general, success is reflected when a person obtains what he or she wants to receive or accomplish. Although the partner may decide not to do what the learner requires him or her to do, success is obtained when the partner acknowledges the learner’s communicative act. By experiencing success, communicative responses are shaped and become less ambiguous. Throughout interaction and communication, new forms and functions may arise. Communication forms are often abstractions of an interactive action. Amy Wetherby, Ph.D., CCC-SLP 
Things to do....(Wetherby and Prizant)
- Eat a desired food item in front of the child without offering any to the child.
- Activate a wind-up toy, let it run down and hand it to the child.
- Give the child four blocks to drop in a box, one at a time (or some other action that the child will repeat) and then give the child a small animal figure to drop in the box.
- Look through a few books or magazines with the child.
- Open a jar of bubbles, blow bubbles, and then close the jar tightly and give the closed jar to the child.
- Initiate a familiar and an unfamiliar social game with the child until the child expresses pleasure; then stop the game and wait.
- Blow up a balloon and slowly deflate it: then hand the deflated balloon to the child or hold the deflated balloon up to your mouth and wait.
- Hold a food item or toy that the child dislikes out near the child to offer it.
- Place a desired food item or toy in a clear container that the child cannot open while the child is watching; then put the container in fron of the child and wait.
- Place the child's hands in a cold, wet or sticky substance, such as Jello, pudding, or paste.
- Roll a ball to the child; after the child returns the ball three times, immediately roll a different toy to the child.
- Engage the child in putting together a puzzle. After the child has put in three pieces, offer the child a piece that does not fit.
- Engage the child in an activity with a substance that can be easily spilled (or dropped, broken, torn, etc.); suddenly spill some of the substance on the table or floor in front of the child and wait.
- Put an object that makes noise in an opque container or bag and shake the container/bag; hold up the container/bag and wait.
- Give the child the materials for an activity of interest that necessitates use of an instrument for completion (piece of paper to draw on or cut; bowl of pudding or soup); hold the instrument out of the child's reach and wait.
- Hide a stuffed animal under the table. Knock, and then bring out the animal. Have the animal greet the child the first three times. Do nothing when bringing out the animal the fourth time.
When doing any of the above, make it fun for the child and you!
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