what is gestalt language processing

Gestalt Language Processing (GLP) is a form of language development that starts with whole memorized phrases and progresses to single words. It is a style of language acquisition that is different from the more common analytic language acquisition, which starts with single words and progresses to phrases and sentences. In GLP, the child learns the meaning of individual words through phrases or "chunks" that include that word, as opposed to the word itself. For example, a child may learn the phrase "I want to go" before learning the individual words "I," "want," "to," and "go". GLP is also known as Natural Language Acquisition and was first described by linguist Ann Peters and taken up by SLP scientist Barry Prizant and colleagues in the 1970s. Gestalt Language Processors may hear a caregiver say a phrase like "Wow, thats a fast red car!" and repeat that phrase every time they see a car, despite its color. GLP can be confusing and difficult to navigate due to its indirect and non-literal nature, especially for those who have trouble communicating in the first place. However, speech therapy intervention for gestalt language is most effective when language is targeted in the most natural and engaging contexts as possible.