What do you do during the "Look/Pause" step of Incidental Teaching?

During the "Look/Pause" step of Incidental Teaching, the primary focus is to wait for the child's initiation of communication. This step is essential because it encourages natural communication opportunities in a child’s environment. By pausing and looking, the adult gives the child the chance to express their needs or thoughts spontaneously, fostering a more authentic interaction rather than prompting them directly.

This step is grounded in the idea that learning is most effective when it is initiated by the child, as it allows them to take an active role in their communication development. It relies on the principle of responsiveness, where the adult's attentiveness to the child's behavior invites communication, making the interaction more engaging and meaningful for the child.

Setting up the environment and interrupting the child’s activity do not facilitate this natural exchange, and prompting verbal responses would contradict the aim of inciting spontaneous initiation from the child. Thus, waiting for the child’s initiative is critical for promoting effective communication in a naturalistic setting.