#178: What If Too Many Questions Are Quieting Your AAC Learners?

In this episode, we're talking about something so many of us were taught to do with the best of intentions, but that can quietly work against us: prompting. Because when nearly every interaction becomes a question, a direction, or a cue, communication can actually shrink instead of grow. I'll walk you through what happens when a child learns that communication only ever shows up after an adult prompts them, and how that can lead to waiting, shorter responses, or disengaging altogether. This conversation explores the difference between testing and communicating, why processing time matters so much, and the simple, doable shifts that help authentic communication flourish in real preschool classrooms and homes. We'll talk about:  ● what prompt dependence actually is  ● why constant prompting can feel exhausting for autistic children  ● the difference between testing a skill and true communication ● why so many of our interactions quietly become tests  ● what happens for AAC users under constant prompting  ● five simple shifts that invite communication instead of demanding it Because communication is something we build together, not something we pull out of children. In This Episode, You'll Learn What prompt dependence is and how it develops Why what looks like a lack of communication may actually be communication fatigue The difference between testing what a child knows and genuine communication Why autistic children may wait, give the shortest response, or disengage How constant prompting adds pressure for AAC users Why processing time matters and what happens when we interrupt it How following a child's interests creates more communication than prompting does What it means to model language without expecting imitation Key Takeaways Prompts are not the problem, but prompting should not become the whole interaction Communication is not the same thing as testing Silence is often a child processing, not refusing Comments reduce pressure in a way questions cannot Children learn language through thousands of models, not through being quizzed Connection creates communication opportunities more effectively than prompts The goal is not perfect responses, it is authentic communication When we reduce pressure, we often get more communication, not less Try This Notice the balance of questions versus comments in your interactions this week Comment more and question less during one daily routine, like snack or play After you say something, pause and wait, counting to ten before adding anything Follow the child's interests and join their world instead of redirecting them Model words and phrases on the AAC device without requiring imitation Create an opportunity to communicate, like a clear container or two snack choices, then wait Replace "What do you want?" with setting up the moment and letting the child lead Related Resources & Links 💚 Preschool Autism Summit💚 AAC What Most Educators Miss 💚 Autism Little Learners Membership When we stop pulling for responses and start building moments worth communicating about, something shifts. The pressure lifts, the child relaxes, and communication starts to grow on its own terms. And once you start seeing it that way, it changes the way you show up in every interaction.