Presuming Competence

In honor of continuing to celebrate Autism Acceptance Month, I’d like to reiterate one of the most critical elements of how I practice: presuming competence.

“Presuming competence” is one of the most important, valuable elements of working with any child.

For neurodivergent children, especially Autistic children, it is essential. Many children may not demonstrate understanding or express themselves in the same ways as neurotypical peers, but that does not mean understanding isn’t there.

At CB Speech Therapy LLC, we are passionate about providing neuroaffirming, in-home speech-language therapy for children throughout New Jersey. Presuming competence is at the core of that.

Let’s dive in on how we can understand that better.

What It Means

Presuming competence means we honor the individual and their abilities. It means recognizing that communication is not limited to speech. It means believing that just because a person is not speaking (or not speaking in expected ways), it does not mean they do not understand.

It means believing in ALL of the capabilities of an individual, especially the ones not visible to us yet.

What Does That Look & Sound Like?

Things we DO:

• We do believe in an individual’s abilities—even before we see them consistently.

• We do give time and space for responses in any form (speech, AAC, gestures, body language).

• We do include the individual in conversations, decisions, and interactions at every stage.

Things we DO NOT do:

• We do not talk down to anyone.

• We do not talk about someone in the room as if they are not present or do not understand.

• We do not rely on baby talk or simplified language that does not match their age or experiences.
  
  

Examples IRL:

🗣️ Example 1: Speaking Child (Gestalt Language Processor)

A child uses scripts like:

“Let’s go guys!” or “Time to blast off!” during play.

Instead of assuming they are “just scripting” or not understanding:

• You respond meaningfully:

  • “You’re ready to go! Let’s go fast!”

• You model flexible language:

  • “Let’s go to the park” or “Go car!”

• You treat their language as intentional communication, not something to ignore or redirect immediately.

This supports their natural language development process while honoring their communication.

🗣️ Example 2: Speaking Child (Limited Expressive Language)

A child uses single words like “juice” or “go,” but seems to understand more than they can say.

Instead of limiting language to one-word models only:

• You continue using rich, meaningful language:

  • “You want more juice! It’s cold and yummy.”

• You expand without pressure:

  •  “Go? You want to go outside!”

• You assume understanding of routines, directions, and conversation.

• You are not simplifying your language, you are supporting growth while respecting comprehension.
  

💬 Example 3: Nonspeaking Child (AAC User or Emerging Communicator)

A child does not use spoken words but communicates through gestures, vocalizations, or AAC.

Instead of assuming limited understanding:

• You speak directly to them:

  • “I see you looking at the swing. Maybe you want to go!”

• You model AAC without requiring imitation:

  • Model “go”, “on”, or “more” while speaking to the child

• You pause and wait, allowing time for a response.

• You include them in conversations:

  • “We’re talking about what to play. I wonder what you might choose to play with today!”

You are giving full access to communication while respecting their processing and expression.

Why This Matters

When we presume competence:

• communication opportunities increase

• children are given access to richer language

• confidence & autonomy grow

• frustration often decrease

Most importantly, children feel respected, included, and understood.

They are empowered to learn. 

This is what we’re about at CB Speech Therapy. Interested in learning more & how that can benefit your child specifically? Schedule a free consultation today. Call, text, or use the contact form on our website.

Evidence Basis:

* American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) Practice Portal – Autism

  [https://www.asha.org/practice-portal/clinical-topics/autism/](https://www.asha.org/practice-portal/clinical-topics/autism/)

* American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) – Augmentative & Alternative Communication (AAC)

  [https://www.asha.org/practice-portal/professional-issues/augmentative-and-alternative-communication/](https://www.asha.org/practice-portal/professional-issues/augmentative-and-alternative-communication/)

* Communication First

  [https://communicationfirst.org](https://communicationfirst.org)