TIPS For Families

Understanding the Relationship between Communication and Behavior

Written by: Andrea Nisley
University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension

Communication is the process of exchanging meaning between individuals – by talking or using body language, gestures (pointing, reaching, or giving), facial expressions, joint attention (sharing attention, directing the attention of another person, or following the attention of another person), and vocalizations (grunts and cries).  From infancy to teenage years, children use these ways to communicate to get materials, activities, attention or assistance from others.

There are many types of communication disorders – some involve difficulty in the area of receiving and understanding information while some include problems or delays in expressing and articulating information.  Children with communication delays often exhibit challenging behaviors when their needs are not met.  Because of the children’s limited communication skills, their caregivers misinterpret or fail to notice their communication attempts.

However as children learn to communicate better and caregivers learn to recognize and respond to children’s communication, these challenging behaviors often subside. Behaviors that indicate that a child might have communication problems include using a limited number of words, having difficulty understanding concepts in the environment, have difficulty following directions, and demonstrating frustration when trying to communicate.

Teachers and other caregivers can use several strategies to facilitate a child’s communication skills and help prevent challenging behavior.  These strategies include (1) reading the child’s body language, (2) providing the child with choices, (3) providing picture schedules to help the child move easily between activities, (4) segmenting multiple-step directions and providing cues so the child better understands the expectations, and (5) modeling communication skills.

When using these strategies, it is also essential to identify other strategies parents can naturally use to support the child’s communication skills and decrease challenging behaviors at home and in the community.

Click on the TIPS Feedback Form at the bottom of this page and let us know what strategies you used to support your child’s communication skills.