Developmental Language Disorder is a commonly used term to signal that a child or student is struggling to master Essential skills related to language. The Essential Skills discussed on the previous page are a good introduction to early-emerging language skills that are essential for speaking, reading, writing and understanding language. let’s look at the list using the framework shown below:
language disorder: a framework of Essential skills
Phonological awareness
Vocabulary / Semantics
Morphology and Syntax
Narrative
The text below re-iterates some of the concepts discussed on page one. when obtaining a language sample, be sure to analyze the (written) same by looking at each of the components above: is the child showing successful development in
Phonological awareness and articulation?
Vocabulary?
Sentences
Narrative?
Phonological awareness. Children have to differentiate environmental sounds from human sounds; have to differentiate human sounds made by carers speaking the child’s heritage language, from teh sounds produced when peopel speak in non-familiar language; and have to master a few words or phrases.
Vocabulary/ semantics. The words or phrases that the young language-learner masters help set the stage for meaning (semantics). Spoken words have meaning and power. Words allow humans to communicate with each other. but, in order to remain connected with important carers, and in order to get one’s needs met, children have to learn to use the right word for the right situation. Not using the right word will not necessarily get you what you want or need. Children expand their understanding of words when they can talk about objects, actions, and people, even when these latter are not visible. Words can be matched to what’s visible (people, objects, actions) and can also be matched to representations of people, actions, and people (e.g. when speaking about a photo, when speaking about paintings or fine line drawings)
Words represent objects, actions, and people, even when those objects, actions, and people are not visible. words can be matched to objects, photos, and drawings of people. This connection- from sounds to meaning to communication- serves as the foundation for language
Sentences and morpho-syntax. Language does not evolve successfully until the learner truly masters phonological awareness and articulation. by fully grasping the sounds of their heritge language and by mastering production of those sonds, they can expand their vocabulary. they can differentiate words from each other within the word stream, and can start to use morphemes to produce grammatically correct sentences. Morphemes and syntax are the skills that underlie sentence-level language competence.
Narrative and Discourse. not discussed on the first page, Narrative is the next level of language learning and can become fully expressed when the child has mastered sentence-level language. in narrative, the skill is to string together sentences into a logical order to convey meaning that cannot be conveyed at teh sentence level alone.
Curricular goals and objectives for phonological awareness and vocabulary:
Learning is easiest when the child starts out by learning familiar nouns and verbs, such as the nouns and verbs of the home and classroom life. The usefulness of the words to the student should dictate what words to teach. The teacher working with the student may need to create a vocabulary list specific to the child, and not rely on a standardized list of words or phrases designed for use by more advanced learners. Start with words that are short and familiar. Then work towards phrases that are familiar. Then, work on phrases that are longer and can be combined with each other.
One very useful skill for children at this level of language is to learn that a picture or a photo of an object can be used to replace the experience of actually seeing the object, and can replace having to speak. Children can learn to use familiar words and link those words to photos (of familiar people, familiar objects, familiar activities). If articulation is challenging, then teaching the child to point at or touch a choice of objects or photos (or fine line drawings) can be used to augment their language learning experience.
To summarize, children at the word and phrases stage of learning, the learner has to master:
Single word approximations and single words (Baw/ Bottle; Mi/ Milk)
Phrases that act as a single unit (I want; Go Outside; Daddy Up)
Words and phrases are useful across settings—The same words and phrases can be used in different settings and situations
Words and phrases can be combined in novel ways. I want/ I no want. Daddy go/ Daddy no go. I want milk, juice, go outside (and, I no want—-)
Words and phrases are useful to identify categories of meaning (the word ‘ball’ refers to all balls, not just the ball that the child has at home)
Pictures can be used to improve communication, especially for children and youth who struggle to produce speech sounds
practice tips for the language learner
When you understand the components of language, it’s not hard to figure out how to speak with the student and how to build ‘next steps’ so that the child’s language skills can improve. here is a simple hierarchy that you can use when speaking with students who are still mastering the essential skills of language:
Speak in a complete sentence
Speak in a complete sentence that is only one clause in length
Speak in phrases, and emphasize the key words
Speak in single words
Speak in single words and use picture/visual supports
Using the above ‘staged’ manner teaches the child to listen to language that might be above their level today- and then focus on simplified language so that they understand what you said to them initially. By using a systematic approach such as this,