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Introducing Self Talk

laurie597


If you know a child with executive functioning difficulties, you have likely heard of the role of self-talk in building and using effective strategies.


Self-talk is that voice in your head that:

  • talks you through difficult or novel tasks

  • reminds you when something is similar to something you've faced in the past

  • keeps you going, shifting plans as needed

  • promotes cognitive, behavioral and emotional regulation


Self-talk is linked to reading comprehension as well as our ability to generalize new skills in different settings. Unfortunately, self-talk doesn't come easily to all learners. The good news is that self-talk can be taught and fostered with support.


One way I like to introduce the concept of self-talk is through knot-tying experiences. When you first learned to tie your shoes, you probably learned a little verbal sequence involving bunny ears or a rabbit going around a tree. You likely repeated those phrases over and over until the shoe-tying became automatic. That's exactly what we want to see happening when learning new strategies! The concept becomes obvious when learning a new kind of knot.


Start with a bowline knot mnemonic such as the one in this video. Internet personality, Nelson Dellis, also has a video demonstrating 5 different knots with mnemonic phrases for each knot (NOTE there is some censored language in this video, and may not be appropriate for all audiences). Try it for yourself! Pick a knot you think you can use, and try the suggested self-talk phrases.


You can also try out other knots without the suggested self-talk phrases and reflect on how that goes. Is it indeed easier with the mnemonic phrases? You can also try this with other string/yarn experiences such as finger knitting, learning to crochet, making friendship bracelets, and more! Once that concept of self-talk is established, you have set the stage for practicing self-talk in other settings.


Laurie



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