“Whadya Say?”

A simple phrase helps a reticent child engage.

Learning Seeds Engagement Strategies

Comic Strip by Cynthia Yuan Cheng

Challenging Moment: A child can be intimidated by or avoidant of a peer’s social gestures, even when they are friendly. When the peer speaks to them, they might look to a familiar adult for safety, and become dependent on that adult to aid peer interactions.

A Strategy to Try: “Whadya Say?”

Rather than inserting yourself in an intermediary role by repeating what the peer said, prompt the child to respond with the short phrase, “Whadya say?” (“What did you say?”).

What Happens: A simple phrase creates engagement. When your child asks “Whadya say?”, peers will have a natural tendency to lean in, slow and simplify their language, and repeat the key words with emphasis. The child will be actively and directly interacting with a peer rather than relying on an adult.