Declarative language and questions – A CPS/RDI view

The CPS – collaborative problem solving approach's mantra is kids do well if they can and not 'kids do well if they want to'. Kids on the whole would prefer to be successful and adaptive. These kids are lacking crucial cognitive skills needed to help them be more flexible and adaptive – skills which would include executive functions, language processing, social skills, emotional regulation skills, and cognitive flexibility etc.

The way to learn how to teach these lagging skills is to ask how we teach  kids on the autistic spectrum these skills. The traditional ABA – applied behavior analysis approach focuses more on compensating kids for their missing skills rather than helping kids develop authentic communication and life skills ,  which is the goal of the RDI – Relationship Development intervention approach .

One of the ways RDI teaches skills is to use Declarative language with kids.

 Here is  an excerpt  from an  article by Linda Murphy  'Using declarative language with children on the Autistic spectrum '   . The whole article is worth reading.

'Declarative language, plain and simple, is stating out loud what one knows or thinks in the form of a comment. It may be used to share an opinion (I love spaghetti!); make a prediction (I think we are going to the movies tomorrow.); announce / celebrate (We had a great time today!); observe (I notice that your friend wants a turn.); reflect on past experience (Last time this stopped working we checked the batteries.); or problem solve (We need tape to fix it.). Declarative language does not require a verbal response. Rather, it invites experience-sharing, and provides an ideal social framework for later conversational interactions.'

'Unfortunately, however, when people talk to children with ASD they frequently use imperative language, which is in the form of questions or commands that require a particular response. For example, "What color is that?"; "What is your name?"; "Say: block;" and "Look at me", are all imperatives. The problem with this type of language is that it does not teach children how to become authentic communication partners, because its circumscribed nature does not invite experience-sharing, which is the basis for interactive language use. Indeed, when people primarily use imperative language with a child, he or she learns, incorrectly, that communication consists of right and wrong answers and questions and directive. It also teaches that the main purpose of communication is instrumental; that is, to "get" something from another person. In truth, authentic communication is primarily about experience-sharing. We communicate with others to share memories, gather information, learn about one another and the world, seek different opinions, and share emotions. While it is true that we sometimes need to communicate in order to "get" something, if children with ASD are to learn how to socially communicate with others, they need a linguistic environment that is rooted in declarative language input.'

The CPS approach teaches skills indirectly when care givers solve problems with kids in a collaborative way. Problem solving requires skills such as perspective taking, using hindsight and foresight, language processing , articulating concerns, being flexible , brainstorming solutions, consequential thinking etc . Successful cps relies on the caregiver's ability to ask the kid questions, to probe and drill down for information that will give them  a clear and accurate picture of the child's concerns. 

CPS holds that  Questions are the key to thinking, problem solving and communication

If the RDI approach is encouraging us to avoid asking questions and rather use ' declarative language it would seem that CPS and RDI differ when it comes to questions.

How can we reconcile the 2 approaches?

Declarative language gives kids a point of reference, some information to reflect on , a springboard to use ,so that the kid can respond and share some information , or an experience . Instead of asking questions, we should precede them with declarative language – first make an observation and then follow with a question.  

The ' empathy stage'  = the information gathering stage about the kid's concerns  in the cps process  starts with a neutral and specific observation ..  ' I have noticed that when you are watching TV and we need to go and have a bath , you are not so happy about it , what's up ? We first give information and then the question. When we use reflective listening and then follow with a question we provide information on which our question is based. This gives the kid a clear idea of what we are talking about and puts him in a position to share his input.

The type of questions used in CPS are not the imperative type, seeking the ' right answer ' from the kid , but rather an attempt to gather information about the kid's concerns, perspectives , and perceptions.  It is more about the kid's authentic thinking .

So in a nutshell , we use both Declarative language and information gathering/sharing questions in the CPS process.

Questions - the key to thinking, problem solving and communication

Kids who have the ability to ask questions, feel free and comfortable to do so in an environment that encourages questions and relationship are more likely to be self determined. Questions are the basis of any communication and learning and crucial to the expression of a kid's autonomy , his competence and relationships with his world.

 A Social- Moral learning 

  Scenario:  Young kids are playing in a kindergarten. Boy 1 grabs the truck from   boy 2. Asking a question would be more appropriate.

Boy 1 – can I play with your truck ?                                                                                  Boy 2  -  No !                                                                                                                                        Boy 1 – why don't you want to let me play with your truck ?                                                           Boy2 – Because – I am scared you will break it , won't give it back when I want it , I        have nothing else to play with etc                                                                                Boy1 – If I will ………..etc , will you let me play with your truck ?

Questions are the basis of all communication. They also drive our thinking, exploration and problem solving , and meeting our needs.

In our desperate attempt to help kids get the ' right behaviors, skills and answers'  we end up promoting static intelligence - ABA -and not the dynamic intelligence - RDI -that kids need to mediate their social-moral and intellectual world. Instead of focusing on compliance and answers we should be teaching kids how to think critically and creatively -  and focus on helping them to ask questions. Questions are the keys to thinking and communication. Any dialog, conversation, negotiation, problem solving etc revolves around questions. Questions and curiosity also drive their learning.

In the CPS – collaborative problem solving process, we focus on questions, concerns, problems, unmet needs and not the solutions. Once we ask the right questions we are open to brainstorm many alternative solutions. People tend to place the emphasis on answers, so they come to the table and present their concerns in terms of answers and solutions. An answer or solution is just one of many possible solutions to a problem or concerns. This results in the dueling of solutions or negotiation, instead of problem solving.

There is a saying – a good question is half the answer. Questions will help us focus on defining the concerns and problems.

Traditional approaches to both social-moral and academic learning focus on how to motivate kids to give teachers and parents the behavior and answers the parents/teachers want.

Sometimes when we are walking with kids and taking in the surroundings, we don't want conversation but to highlight things we have noticed and help kids to reflect. Here we can use ' rhetorical questions' -  did you notice … did you see  …   etc or we may make short comments and pause – which is a nonverbal invitation for the kid to think or reflect about the comment.

Game :  End your communication with a question

In order to encourage the use of questions in dialog and conversations we can play a game with kids.  Conversation and discussion revolves around statements and questions , make sure you close your communication with a question .

When we drill down for kids  concerns in the CPS process we model asking questions –

1 the wh questions – why, who . with whom, over what, what, when, how etc 

2 can you tell me more , can you explain etc  

3 can you explain what you were thinking, feeling etc during the problem .
If kids have difficulty  ask yes/no questions and then ask for  elaboration.  
                                                                                  
  4 when ( under what conditions )  do/don't you have this problem  
                                         
 5 can you break down the activity into its different parts – what is difficult for you

B Questions are the foundation of academic learning

'Questions define tasks, express problems and delineate issues. Answers on the other hand, often signal a full stop in thought. Only when an answer generates a further question does thought continue its life as such.

This is why it is true that only students who have questions are really thinking and learning. It is possible to give students an examination on any subject by just asking them to list all of the questions that they have about a subject, including all questions generated by their first list of questions.

That we do not test students by asking them to list questions and explain their significance is again evidence of the privileged status we give to answers isolated from questions. That is, we ask questions only to get thought-stopping answers, not to generate further questions.'  -

from  critical thinking.org