Q18 what like? questions for adjectives present/past (move copula)

Intervention outline

Download a Copy of This Intervention Plan

You will need:

  • Scissors
  • Cloud shape – ensure what is written at left end and like is at the right end – you are going to cut shape in half
  • Oval/diamond shapes
  • Descriptive stimulus pictures
  • Character toys/small figures

App settings: not yet possible.

Intervention steps:

  1. Lay out the oval + diamond + cloud sentence template on the table.

  2. Ask the child to describe something. Use ‘what like?’ adjectives of size, shape, age, weight.

As they describe, create the sentence, e.g. “Superman is strong.”  Remind the child that the oval = who/what and the cloud = what like? Check by asking comprehension questions.

Now explain you are going to show them how to ask a question to find out what the character is like when they don’t know/can’t see.

3. Turn over the cloud shape to reveal what like on the back.

4. Explain, that when asking a question,

a). the question word has to go at the front of the sentence. So, pick up the cloud and cut it up the middle (so ‘what’ is written on left half and ‘like’ on the right half). Move the ‘what’ half of cloud to the front of the sentence – leave ‘like’ half at the end.

 b) A diamond needs to go second, so move the diamond into second position.

 

5. Help the child to imitate this question.

6. Show how the 2 parts of the cloud come back together to form the answer shape ‘strong’ and the diamond moves back into position for the statement.

7. Repeat with multiple Subject + Adjective examples. Take turns to create/answer questions about what all the characters are like.

Give explicit feedback on errors, e.g. if the child uses 2 diamonds as in: “What is Superman is like?” Say/show: “I heard ‘What is Superman is like?’ You used 2 diamonds. Which diamond do we need?” If the child produces an error with no diamond e.g., “What Superman like?”, say “I didn’t hear a diamond. Remember a diamond needs to go second”. If they don’t move the diamond e.g., “What Superman is like?”, remind them that the diamond needs to go second.

Model and support to correct production.