Hostname: page-component-78c5997874-mlc7c Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-19T03:50:53.410Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

An Invited Article Facilitating linguistic skills in children with specific language impairment

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  28 November 2008

Laurence B. Leonard
Laurence B. Leonard*
Affiliation:
Purdue University
*
Laurence B. Leonard, Audiology & Speech Sciences, Heavilon Hall, Purdue University, W. Lafayette, IN 47907
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

This paper presents a critical review of studies designed to teach language production skills to children with specific language impairment. The evidence reviewed suggests that a number of training approaches are effective, often resulting in gains that exceed the rate seen in normal development. Close analysis of children’s post-treatment usage reveals that these gains go beyond rote learning, and may even result in response classes that are different from those seen in the adult linguistic system. The chief limitations in these training studies are that children seem to make use of the target linguistic form only in untrained utterances that share certain topographical features with the utterances used in training, and that there is little evidence that children’s use of the target form will extend to speaking situations that bear little resemblance to the training/testing situation.

Type
Articles
Information
Applied Psycholinguistics , Volume 2 , Issue 2 , May 1981 , pp. 89 - 118
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1981

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

REFERENCES

Aram, D., & Nation, J.Preschool language disorders and subsequent language and academic difficulties. Journal of Communication Disorders. 1980, 13, 159–170.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Bandura, A., & Harris, M.Modifications of syntactic style. Journal of Experimental Child Psychology. 1966, 4, 341–352.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Barbeito, C. A comparison of two methods for teaching prepositions to language handicapped preschool children. Unpublished doctoral dissertation, University of Denver, 1972.Google Scholar
Bereiter, C., & Engelmann, S.Teaching disadvantaged children in the preschool. Englewood Cliffs, N.J.: Prentice-Hall, 1966.Google Scholar
Blank, M.Teaching learning in the preschool: A dialogue approach. Columbus, Oh.: Charles E. Merrill, 1973.Google Scholar
Bloom, L., Lifter, K., & Hafitz, J.Semantics of verbs and the development of verb inflection in child language. Language. 1980, 56, 386–412.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Bouillion, K. The comparative efficacy of nondirective group play therapy with preschool speech or language delayed children. Unpublished doctoral dissertation, Texas Tech University, 1973.Google Scholar
Boyd, R.Language intervention for grade one children. Language, Speech and Hearing Services in Schools. 1980, 11, 30–40.Google Scholar
Brown, R.A first language: The early stages. Cambridge, Ma.: Harvard University press, 1973.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Brown, R., & Bellugi, U.Three processes in the child’s acquisition of Syntax. Harvard Educational Review. 1964, 34, 133–151.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Bruno-Golden, B. Relaxation training used to enhance listening skills and productive oral comprehension for a language delayed child. Unpublished doctoral dissertation, Boston University, 1978.Google Scholar
Carr, M. Conversational therapy for adolescents with marginal to severe language disorders. In Burns, M. & Andrews, J. (Eds.) Current trends in the treatment of language disorders. Evanston, Ill.: Institute for Continuing Professional Education, 1980.Google Scholar
Cazden, C. Environmental assistance to the child’s acquisition of grammar. Unpublished doctoral dissertation, Harvard University, 1965.Google Scholar
Connell, P.Topic comment analysis of disordered child language. Unpublished paper, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, 1980a.Google Scholar
Connell, P.An experimental analysis of expansion training. Unpublished paper, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, 1980b.Google Scholar
Connell, P.Gardner-Gletty, D., Dejewski, J., & Parks-Reinick, L.Response to Courtright and Courtright. Journal of Speech and Hearing Research, 1981, 24, 146–148.Google Scholar
Cooper, J., & Griffiths, P. Treatment and prognosis. In Wyke, M. (Ed.) Developmental dysphasia. London: Academic Press, 1978.Google Scholar
Cooper, J., Moodley, M., & Reynell, J.Helping language development. New York: St. Martin’s Press, 1978.Google Scholar
Cooper, J., Moodley, M., & Reynell, J.The Developmental Language Programme: Results from a five year study. British Journal of Disorders of Communication, 1979, 14, 57–69.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Courtright, J., & Courtright, I.Imitative modeling as a theoretical base for instructing language-disordered children. Journal of Speech and Hearing Research, 1976, 19, 655–663.Google Scholar
Courtright, J., Imitative modeling as a language intervention strategy: The effects of two mediating variables. Journal of Speech and Hearing Research, 1979, 22, 389–402.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Courtright, J., Some comments on validity, tautology and methodology: A reply to Connell et al. Journal of Speech and Hearing Research, 1981, 24, 148–150.Google Scholar
Cousins, A. Grammatical morpheme development in an aphasic child: Some problems with the normative model. Paper presented at the Boston University Conference on Language Development, Boston, 1979.Google Scholar
Craig, H., & Koenigsknecht, R. A group remediation program for children with atypical syntax utilizing operant and programmed procedures. Paper presented to American Speech-Language-Hearing Association, Detroit, 1973.Google Scholar
Crystal, D., Fletcher, P., & Garman, P.The grammatical analysis of language disability. London: Edward Arnold, 1976.Google Scholar
Culatta, B., & Horn, D. A program for achieving generalization of grammatical rules to spontaneous discourse. Paper presented to American Speech-Language-Hearing Association, Atlanta, 1979.Google Scholar
Dukes, P. An exploratory study of the comparative effectiveness of two language intervention programs in teaching normal and language deviant preschool children. Unpublished doctoral dissertation, Kent State University, 1974.Google Scholar
Dunn, L. & Smith, J.Peabody Language Development Kit, Level #P. Circle Pines, Minn.: American Guidance Service, 1968.Google Scholar
Evesham, M.Teaching language skills to children. British Journal of Disorders of Communication, 1977, 12, 23–29.Google Scholar
Foley, M., Schwartz, D., & Shamow, N.The use of verbal instructions and a fading procedure for training temporal relations to a language impaired child. Working Papers in Experimental Speech Pathology and Audiology, 1976, 5, 32–40.Google Scholar
Friedman, P., & Friedman, K.Accounting for individual differences when comparing the effectiveness of remedial language teaching methods. Applied Psycholinguistics, 1980, 1, 151–170.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Fygetakis, L., & Gray, B.Programmed conditioning of linguistic competence. Behavior Research and Therapy, 1970, 8, 153–163.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Gottsleben, R., Tyack, D., & Buschini, G.Three case studies in language training: Applied linguistics. Journal of Speech and Hearing Disorders, 1974, 39, 213–224.Google Scholar
Gray, B., & Fygetakis, L.The development of language as a function of programmed conditioning. Behavior Research and Therapy, 1968, 6, 455–460.Google Scholar
Gray, B., & Ryan, B.A language program for the nonlanguage child. Champaign, Ill.: Research Press, 1973.Google Scholar
Hall, P., & Tomblin, J.A follow-up study of children with articulation and language disorders. Journal of Speech and Hearing Disorders, 1978, 43, 227–241.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Hegde, M.An experimental-clinical analysis of grammatical and behavioral distinctions between verbal auxiliary and copula. Journal of Speech and Hearing Research, 1980, 23, 864–877.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Hegde, M., & Gierut, J.The operant training and generalization of pronouns and a verb form in a language delayed child. Journal of Communication Disorders, 1979, 12, 23–34.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Hegde, M., Noll, M., & Pecora, R.A study of some factors affecting generalization of language training. Journal of Speech and Hearing Disorders, 1979, 44, 301–320.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Hester, P., & Hendrickson, J.Training functional expressive language: The acquisition and generalization of five-element syntactic responses. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 1977, 10, 316.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Johnston, J., & Schery, T. The use of grammatical morphemes by children with communication disorders. In Morehead, D. & Morehead, A. (Eds.) Normal and deficient child language. Baltimore, Md.: University Park Press, 1976.Google Scholar
Kerschensteiner, M., & Huber, W.Grammatical impairment in developmental aphasia. Cortex, 1975, 11, 264–282.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Kirk, S., McCarthy, J., & Kirk, W.The Illinois test of psycholinguistic abilities (Revised Edition). Urbana, Ill.: University of Illinois Press, 1968.Google Scholar
Koenigsknecht, R., & Lee, L.The assessment of grammatical development in children and the clinical presentation of grammatical structure to children with language problems. United States Office of Education final report. Evanston, Ill.: Northwestern University Press, 1974.Google Scholar
Lasky, H., & Rosenbaum, R.Developing conversational skills in a language impaired child through television modeling. Working Papers in Experimental Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology. 1979, 8, 62–71.Google Scholar
Lee, L.Developmental sentence analysis. Evanston, Ill.: Northwestern University Press, 1974.Google Scholar
Lee, L., Koenigsknecht, R., & Mulhern, S.Interactive language development teaching. Evanston, Ill.: Northwestern University Press, 1975.Google Scholar
Leonard, L.A preliminary view of generalization in language training. Journal of Speech and Hearing Disorders. 1974, 39, 429–436.Google Scholar
Leonard, L. A.Developmental considerations in the management of language disabled children. Journal of Learning Disabilities. 1975, 8, 232–237.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Leonard, L. A.Language impairment in children. Merrill-Palmer Quarterly, 1979, 25, 205–232.Google Scholar
Leonard, L. A. Semantic considerations in early language training. In Ruder, K. & Smith, M. (Eds.) Developmental language intervention. Baltimore, Md.: University Park Press, in press.Google Scholar
Leonard, L., & Schwartz, R. Factors influencing lexical acquisition in children with specific language disability. Paper presented to Society for Research in Child Development, Boston, 1981.Google Scholar
Morehead, D., & Ingram, D.The development of base syntax in normal and linguistically deviant children. Journal of Speech and Hearing Research, 1973, 16, 330–352.Google Scholar
Mulac, A., & Tomlinson, C.Generalization of an operant remediation program for syntax with language-delayed children. Journal of Communication Disorders, 1977, 10, 231–244.Google Scholar
Nelson, K.Structure and strategy in learning to talk. Monographs for the Society for Research in Child Development. 1973, 38, 1–2, serial no. 149.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Nelson, K. E.Facilitating children’s syntax acquisition. Developmental Psychology, 1977, 13, 101–107.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Paluszek, S., & Feintuch, F.Comparing imitation and comprehension training in two language impaired children. Working Papers in Experimental Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology. 1979, 8, 72–91.Google Scholar
Reynell, J.Reynell developmental language scales. Windsor, England: NFER Publishing Company, 1969.Google Scholar
Rosenwinkel, P., Kleinert, J., & Robbins, R. Remediation of severe speech and language disorders: A prespeech-sensorimotor developmental model. In Burns, M. & Andrews, J. (Eds.) Current trends in the treatment of language disorders. Evanston, Ill.: Institute for Continuing Professional Education, 1980.Google Scholar
Ruder, K., Smith, M., & Hermann, P.Effect of verbal imitation and comprehension on verbal production of lexical items. Asha Monographs, 1974, 18, 15–29.Google Scholar
Tiegerman, E., & Gursky, R. Semantic constituents: The effects of the position of added elements on linguistic complexity. Paper presented to Americal Speech-Language-Hearing Association, Houston, 1976.Google Scholar
Weiner, P.The perceptual level functioning of dysphasic children: A follow-up study. Journal of Speech and Hearing Research, 1972, 15, 423–438.Google Scholar
Weiner, P.A language-delayed child at adolescence. Journal of Speech and Hearing Disorders, 1974, 39, 202–212.Google Scholar
Weller, C.Training approaches on syntactic skills of language-deviant children. Journal of Learning Disabilities, 1979, 12, 46–55.Google Scholar
Whitehurst, G., Novak, G., & Zorn, G.Delayed speech studied in the home. Developmental Psychology, 1972, 7, 169–177.Google Scholar
Wilcox, M., & Leonard, L.Experimental acquisition of wh-questions in language-disordered children. Journal of Speech and Hearing Research, 1978, 21, 220–239.Google Scholar
Winitz, H.Problem solving and the delaying of speech as strategies in the teaching of language. Asha, 1973, 10, 583–586.Google Scholar
Winitz, H.A reconsideration of comprehension and production in language training. Allied Health and Behavioral Sciences. 1978, 1, 272–315.Google Scholar
Zwitman, D., & Sonderman, J.A syntax program designed to present base linguistic structures to language-disordered children. Journal of Communication Disorders, 1979, 12, 323–337.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed