This is a strategy to support kids who struggle with impulsivity and have a difficult time staying focused on something from start to finish. They are easily distracted and tend to respond to anything they find stimulating instead of holding their focus on what they are doing. Word mirroring is a trick from the world of improvisational comedy that can help a lot with this issue.

To word mirror, teach your child to consciously think about the words that someone else is saying at the very instant that they are hearing the words. They should actually say the words to themselves in their head, but not speak them out loud. When you try it, you’ll notice that you’re a split second behind the person speaking, but you can really keep up with what they’re saying, and it keeps your attention. It’s difficult to get distracted when you are word mirroring.

When kids are listening for content in school, or the steps for directions, word mirroring can help them stay on top of what is expected of them. Not only will they be paying closer attention, but the process of repeating the words silently in their heads reaches another portion of the brain, and that improves the likelihood of remembering.