Ch 1 language theory and language development

Language Disorders in Children

© 2011 Pearson Education, Inc.All rights reserved.

Chapter 1

Language Theory and Language Development

Language Disorders in Children, 1eJoan N. Kaderavek

© 2011 Pearson Education, Inc.All Rights Reserved.

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Introduction You can learn to be a clinical decision maker! Let’s think about four possible children you might be working

with A fourth grade student is having difficulty comprehending his

reading especially in science and geography. He is very social and gets along well with his peers.

A sixth grade student who has been diagnosed with a learning disability does not appear to understand when other students are using sarcasm; he takes their statements literally. This situation is causing problems at school.

A two-year-old has 50+ words but almost all of the words are nouns. He is not combining words into two-word combinations.

An eighth grade student is getting poor grades in writing composition. His teacher says his writing is “immature” and that he does not write with enough complexity.



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Chapter Overview Questions

What are the differences between a language disorder, a language difference, and a language delay?

What are the three levels of communication described within the speech chain?

What are six different theories influencing language development as described in this chapter?

What are five different communication subdomains? What is the most important communication characteristic

associated with each subdomain? How do practitioners use information regarding the

subdomains to guide clinical interventions?



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Definitions Language is a complex and dynamic system of conventional

symbols used for thought and language.

Speech is the articulation and the rate of speech sounds and quality of an individual’s voice.

Communication, includes symbolic and nonsymbolic information (i.e., facial expressions, body language, gestures, etc.).

A language disorder…

may be evident in the process of hearing, language, speech, or in a combination of all three processes.

is impaired comprehension and/or use of spoken, written, and/or other symbol systems.

can represent a deficit in receptive language, expressive language, or a combined expressive-receptive deficit.



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Background Information Children with speech and language disorders make up

1.79% of the total school population.

Late Talker

Language difference

Descriptive-developmental framework



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The Speech Chain Model

See Figure 1.1 on page 5

Level 1- the acoustic level of communicative function Level 2 - the internal physical/motor system required for

communication Level 3 - the linguistic component of communication

*The linguistic component is the focus of this book.



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Theories of Language Development

Behaviorism Cognitive Nativist Neurobiological Research and Neural Maturation Social Interaction Theory Vygotsky’s Sociocultural Information-Processing Systems/Ecological Approach



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Behaviorism Theory

Learning occurs when an environmental stimulus triggers a response or behavior

Increasing the frequency of positive behaviors and decreasing or altering negative behaviors

B.F. Skinner



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Cognitive Theory

Jean Piaget

Sequence of progressively more sophisticated cognitive skills, from primitive thinking to advanced cognitive ability.

Proposes specific cognitive achievements are fundamental to linguistic development.

Linkages exist between children’s motor ability, play behavior, and language development.



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Nativist Theory

Noam Chomsky Language Acquisition Device (LAD)

Innate ability to learn language, a biological brain mechanism

children need only minimal language exposure to prime the LAD.

Deemphasizes contribution of child’s environment Biological base for language learning Helps explain innate human ability to develop

sophisticated language systems. Extends and clarifies the children’s language-learning

ability and drive to communicate.



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Neurobiological Research and Neural Maturation

An accumulating body of science Relationship between language and brain

development in young children.

Brain development facilitates language performance AND child’s learning changes the brain

The brain becomes less capable of reorganizing and adapting to new environmental input at people age.

Brain plasticity decreases with age.

Highlights the need for very early intervention for children with developmental delays and sensory impairment.



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Social Interaction Theory

Based on principle that communication interaction plays a central role in children’s acquisition of language.

Children’s language development is strongly tied to: Children’s appreciation of others’ communicative

intentions Sensitivity to joint visual attention Desire to imitate others’ behaviors and speech.

Important concepts: Infant-directed talk (motherese) Coordinating attention (pointing) Parent-child communication routines (scripts)



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Vygotsky’s Sociocultural Theory

Cognitive development is socially mediated A child’s interactions with others influence his or her

cognitive understandings.

Initially a child and a more capable partner solve problems together, but eventually the child internalizes the process and is able to carry out the function independently.

Language plays a critical role in shaping learning and thought.

Private speech plays a role in cognitive development Private speech occurs when children speak aloud as

they are engaged in play.



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Information-Processing Theories (Connectionism)

An individual’s cognitive ability to process information is completed by a large number of very simple processing elements similar to computer software.

For example: Phonological processing connections are a likely cause

of reading disability prompts practitioners to focus on building linkages between letter names and letter sounds in intervention programs for struggling readers.

Cognitive-processing components--attention, memory, and transfer of information--affect the communication skills of individuals with intellectual disability.



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Systems/Ecological Approach

An individual’s family, community, and culture shape his or her functioning throughout the life span.

Human behavior and development must be viewed as occurring within complex systems.

Functional or life-skill goals linking aspects of language use, form, and function and is particularly useful for older students or adults with cognitive impairments.



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The Domains of Language

See Figure 1.5 on page 24 Form

Syntax Morphology Phonology

Content Sematics

Use Pragmatics



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The Components of Language

Morphology The structure of words and the construction of word

forms. Syntax

The order and combination of words to form sentences Relationships among the elements within a sentence.

Phonology The sound system of a language Rules that govern the sound combinations.

Semantics The system that governs the meanings of words and

sentences. Pragmatics

The system that combines the above language components in functional and socially appropriate communication.



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The Five Communication Subdomains

1. Early Pragmatics2. Vocabulary3. Early Word Combinations4. Morphosyntax

5. Discourse



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Subdomain 1: Early Pragmatic Skills

Prelinguistic communication Joint visual attention (JVA) - between 10 and 12 months

One of the first interactive communication acts Early Development

8 and 15 months - Request objects or activities, refusal, comments

16 and 23 months - Requesting information, answering questions, acknowledging a response.

Early Discourse Skills – begins in preschool and continues Initiating a conversation Taking turns during a conversational exchange Maintaining ongoing topic Conversational topic switching Making conversational repairs Code switching



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Clinical Implications for Communication Subdomain 1 Underlie all later communication

First aspect of communication that is considered during observational process

If the practitioner identifies a weakness in the individual’s ability in early pragmatic functions; Communication Subdomain 1 becomes the focus of intervention.



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Subdomain 2: Vocabulary Development Vocabulary development

Begins towards the end of the first year of life and continues to develop throughout one’s life.

First words typically produced between 10 and 16 months.

By two years, children typically produce 200-500 words and understand many more words than they produce

Semantics deficits are characteristic of many language disorders including:

– developmental delay– autism spectrum disorder– hearing impairment – specific language impairment.



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Clinical Implications for Communication Subdomain 2

At early stages in vocabulary development, practitioners consider whether children’s word usage reflects a variety of semantic categories.

The interventionist may train caregivers to facilitate a variety of semantic forms.

Successful vocabulary interventions should integrate new word meaning with familiar words, provide repeated, meaningful, and contextual

opportunities to learn new words, provide explicit and implicit learning opportunities, aim for fluent and automatic understanding and use

of new words, and teach students to be more independent word learners.



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Subdomain 3:

Multiple Word Combinations

Once an individual produces approximately 50 individual words, word combinations begin to emerge.

At this early word combination level, children are not governed by adult syntax rules and do not use morphological forms.

Children create combinations of words by: naming objects or people of interest stating the actions objects or people perform describing the object’s or person’s characteristics describing who owns or possesses the object.



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Once a child is able to demonstrate early pragmatic skills and has more than 50 single words practitioners engage children in early play activities to facilitate multiple word combinations.

A child’s parents and/or caretakers are trained to facilitate semantic combinations.

For older individuals with significant communication impairments, practitioners may incorporate an alternative communication approach (AAC).



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Subdomain 4: Morphosyntax Development

Children’s utterances begin to demonstrate characteristics of syntax and morphological development (i.e., language form).

Occurs between 24 and 36 months for children developing typically.

Examples:

present progressive ing verb plural s

By age 5, children’s sentences evidence complex syntax including the use of embedded phrases and clauses.



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Once an individual demonstrates the ability to use foundational pragmatic functions and produces multiword combinations using a variety of semantic categories practitioners typically evaluate a speaker’s use of morphosyntax using the framework developed by Brown (1973).

Used in language analysis

Demonstrated in students’ ability to read difficult texts

and write at the level required for school success.



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SUBDOMAIN 5: Advanced Pragmatic & Discourse Development

Between the ages of 3 and 7 children’s developing pragmatic/discourse skills include the ability to use language to:

reason and to reflect on past experiences predict events, express empathy maintain status and interactions with peers use and understand sarcasm and politeness forms code switch in order

Students also have to learn to modify discourse styles for different situations. Some forms of discourse are called narratives.

Narrative forms



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Skilled practitioners track children’s abilities to use vocabulary, produce sentences, and use advanced language within sophisticated discourse genres.

Observe student: in the classroom with peers producing narratives

Discourse analysis

Focus on intervention for students in peer-groups, etc.



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Think Like a Clinician!Use what you’ve learned in Chapter 1 to identify

the Subdomain of each student described below:1. A sixth grade student who has been diagnosed with a

learning disability does not appear to understand when other students are using sarcasm; he takes their statements literally. This situation is causing problems at school.

2. A two-year-old has 50+ words but almost all of the words are nouns. He is not combining words into two-word combinations.

3. An eighth grade student is getting poor grades in writing composition. His teacher says his writing is “immature” and that he does not write with enough complexity.

4. An eighth grade student is getting poor grades in writing composition. His teacher says his writing is “immature” and that he does not write with enough complexity.

Ch 1 language theory and language development

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