August 13, 2026
I See a Bird!
The Power of Verbal Routines
Last week one of my little autistic friends wanted to blow bubbles on his porch. During our time together I was modeling language from Natural Language Acquisition Model (NLA) Stage 5. “Look at all those bubbles! I popped it!” My friend imitated and then used “those” and “popped” independently.
Earlier in treatment I introduced the verbal routine of “I see” with a variety of different vocabulary. This has become a favorite activity while taking family walks in the neighborhood.
He decided that morning on his porch to play the verbal routine. We went back and forth with what we saw in his backyard. At first, it was simple: “I see a bird”, “I see a tree” but then my little friend said, “I see a tall tree blocking away the sun. “ Wow! My heart was filled with gratitude for how far we have journeyed together.
When I met him two years ago he was not talking. I am grateful for the NLA model that provided a way of assessing my friend’s progress over time. It continues to give me direction and is a way to measure incremental progress. It has changed how I see my youngest autistic friends who are not talking yet. The journey is winding, incremental and slower than what we want but as long as we are moving forward progress is being made.
Celebrate the wins. Know that it takes time.
Gradually, then suddenly, words are heard, shared and celebrated.
“I see” progress in my little autistic friends every day. What a gift and a privilege to do this work.