RL.E.79 ANSWERS OR DEMONSTRATES: ‘WHAT DO YOU DO WHEN YOU’RE COLD/ TIRED/HUNGRY?’

In this activity, we are concerned with bodily sensations. Those listed above are just a selection – you could also include ‘hot’, ‘sick’ or ‘wet’. Emotional states such as ‘happy’, ‘sad’ and ‘angry’ are assessed and taught in RL.E.82.

The child who is talking can simply answer such questions, or tell her feelings without any questions being asked. The child who is not talking can learn gestures which communicate her understanding of the words, and her feelings or needs, to others.

How to Assess

Method: Ask your child each question in turn:

  1. ‘What do you do when you’re cold?’
  2. ‘What do you do when you’re tired?’
  3. ‘What do you do when you’re hungry?’

To score plus your child should make an appropriate response to each of the questions.

  • Your child has responded appropriately to ‘What do you do when you’re cold?’ if:
  1. She answers verbally and logically, for example: ‘Put jumper on’, ‘jumper’, ‘Find radiator’ or ‘shiver’. Any logical response can be accepted – as long as you are sure your child has understood the question; or
  2. She makes an appropriate gesture, such as shivering.
  • Your child has responded appropriately to ‘What do you do when you’re tired?’ if:
  1. She answers verbally, for example: ‘Go to bed’, ‘sleep’, ‘rest’; or
  2. She makes a gesture which mimes sleeping.
  • Your child has responded appropriately to ‘What do you do when you’re hungry?’ if:
  1. She answers verbally, for example: ‘Eat hamburger’, ‘eat’, ‘dinner’; or
  2. She makes a gesture which mimes eating.

How to Teach

If your child is talking, teach this skill as part of your normal conversation with your child, making the most of situations where your child really is cold, tired or hungry. If your child is not talking you can also involve these concepts in everyday life. But you might consider some more structured teaching as well.

Decide on the gesture that you will teach your child to express each word, and teach through demonstration. Always use a word or phrase as well, which describes what you are doing.

You could play a game with Dolly too. Put a variety of props on the table – some clothes or blankets, spoons or toy food items, a little bed. Say: ‘Dolly’s cold. What will she do?’ If your child does not respond, help her by giving her more information. Dolly’s cold. Look, she’s shivering. She needs a . . .”

Playtime and Round-the-house Activities

Talk about what the cat does when she’s tired, what the chooks need when they’re hungry, how we can help Teddy when he’s cold. Suggest role-play games in which your child plays Mother or Father and her/his puppets or dollies express how they feel. Interpret her requests for specific items in terms of the feelings that underlie them –if she asks for a biscuit, say ‘Oh, you’re feeling hungry’.

Remembering and Extending

At the beginning of this item, we suggest some other terms that you could teach your child. You are sure to think of others. In time, you will be able to expect a response to more general questions, such as ‘How are you feeling?’