He may not know how special it is to you. This way he has a reason to speak. His motivation is the key here. Make sure everyone is calling an object or action by the same name. Be aware of how you speak.
Many people run their words together, or speak without enthusiasm.
With both eye contact and speech, enjoy yourself as you help him. Your sense of ease as you try to teach these skills is the biggest piece of the puzzle. No push, just enjoy being with him. There's a link on the left side of the page if you want to know more about this program. The main thing we do more than any other program I've ever heard of is we focus on the emotions of the people working with the child.