FM.G.48 PATS A PICTURE ON THE PAGE

It is natural to point to pictures as you talk about them. Your child will learn to do this too. To start with, he will pat the pictures, using his whole hand.

How to Assess

Assess as for FM.G.41, pointing to each picture as you talk about it.

Score plus if your child imitates your pointing by patting, or spontaneously pats. He should pat individual pictures, while looking at the page.

How to Teach

Point to each picture as you look at books with your child. If your child does not copy you, take his wrist and lightly guide him to pat the pictures. Give him plenty of opportunities to pat pictures without your help.

You can ask ‘Where’s … ?’ or ‘Show me … ‘, to encourage your child to point, but do not expect him to make a correct choice between alternatives until he has reached this level in the Receptive Language Sequences.

Remembering and Extending

You can gradually refine your child’s patting into pointing as you continue with this sequence and Receptive Language exercises requiring the child to point. See FM.B.28 (pokes at holes in a pegboard) for ways to encourage pointing.