The Stages of Gestalt Language Development describe how children who use Gestalt Language Processing move from using whole phrases (echolalia) to creating flexible, self-generated language. Understanding these stages helps families recognise progress and feel confident supporting their child’s communication development.
Stage 1 – Echolalia
At this stage, children use whole phrases or “scripts”, also called gestalts.
Examples may include:
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“You’ll be okay”
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“Run like the wind, Bullseye”
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“Let it go!”
These phrases often carry emotional meaning, rather than their literal meaning. For example, a child may say “You’ll be okay” when they want comfort, because they first heard this phrase when they were upset and being reassured.
This stage is often called delayed echolalia, as phrases are stored and repeated later in meaningful situations.
Stage 2 – Mitigation
During this stage, children begin to break scripts into smaller parts.
For example:
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“It’s time for your bath” may become
“It’s time for…” + “bath time”
Children start to mix and match these chunks, creating new combinations using familiar language pieces. This is an important step forward in language development.
Stage 3 – Single Words and Two-Word Combinations
At this stage, words begin to separate out from longer phrases.
For example:
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“I want chippy” becomes
“I” + “want” + “chippy”
Children start creating simple combinations such as:
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“More chippy”
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“Want banana”
This stage shows growing control over individual words.
Stages 4–6 – Grammar Development
Children gradually move toward:
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Flexible grammar
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Self-generated sentences
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More independent language use
Early grammar “errors”, such as “Me now go home”, are actually positive signs. They show the child is starting to understand how language works and is experimenting with sentence structure.
A Reassuring Note for Families
Parents sometimes worry that their child is regressing, especially when language sounds less scripted or more “incorrect.” In reality, these changes often mean the child is moving forward.
Language development through Gestalt Language Processing takes time and effort. While progress can feel slow, the work children and families put in is meaningful, and many families see long-term benefits as language becomes more flexible and functional.
Understanding the Stages of Gestalt Language Development can help families see that progress is happening, even when language sounds different or changes over time.