Comparison of Test of Early Language Development (TELD) scores of developmentally-delayed three- to six-year-olds (N=85) with other language and cognition measures indicated that TELD scores documented language delays, correlating strongly with other language measures, but failed to accurately classify subjects clinically classified as…

This study examined the relationship between mothers' and fathers' attitudes toward deafness and the communication skills of their preschool hearing-impaired children (n=30). Significant correlations were found between fathers' scores on the Attitude to Deafness Scale and the language comprehension scores of their children. (Author/DB)

This study compared picture-naming ability of 66 children (ages 4:3 to 9:7), half with expressive-only language deficits (SLI-exp) and half with receptive and expressive language (SLI-mix) deficits, with 66 children with no language impairment.Specific language impairment (SLI) children made more errors than controls and SLI-exp children made more…

A mother recounts her experiences teaching receptive language to her 3-year-old cerebral palsied, mentally retarded daughter. A chart outlines the objectives in language acquisition, the indication(s) of achievement, and date of achievement. (PHR)

Learning to read is a complex process and a number of factors affect a child's success in beginning reading. This complexity increases when a child's home language differs from that of the school and when the child comes from a home with limited economic resources. This article discusses factors that have been shown to contribute to children's…

Purpose: To scale language milestones in a group of 527 children to provide an instrument for screening language development. Procedure: The questionnaire regarding these milestones was completed by parental report. It was evaluated whether the scaled milestones satisfied the assumptions of the Mokken item response model. Results: The scalability…

The monograph describes a systematic attempt to develop language behavior in a nonverbal autistic 4.5-year-old boy who was essentially unresponsive to environmental stimuli of any kind. The 45-session intervention focused on teaching him to attend, increasing his responsiveness to people, effecting discriminative responses to a variety of…

The study examined whether differences existed between experimental and control groups in maternal language and children's receptive language five years after a home-based intervention program. Mothers were interviewed and asked to tell stories to their children. The Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test was administered to the children, with the…

Two experiments showed that: 5- and 6-year-old listeners have difficulties with spatial reference if it includes "left" and "right"; and 7-year-olds understand this limitation on the comprehension skill of younger children and make appropriate allowances by using more landmarks instead. (CB)

Presents data that challenge the view that the omission of functional categories by children with specific language impairment is a manifestation of the same immaturity characterizing the grammar of young children without impairment. Data include atypically high omissions or even almost total absence of determiners in the speech productions of a…

A follow-up study examined cognitive and motor development in 52 children prenatally exposed to cocaine (ages 48-64 months) and 52 typical children. Results found that the children who were prenatally exposed to cocaine continued to exhibit problems in expressive and receptive language areas. (Contains references.) (Author/CR)

A study examined cognitive and motor development in 56 toddlers prenatally exposed to cocaine (ages 12-27 months) and 56 typical toddlers. Infants prenatally exposed to cocaine experienced developmental problems in expressive and receptive language areas. In addition, there was a possible relationship between cocaine exposure and subsequent…

The profiles and developmental trajectories of adaptive behavior were cross-sectionally examined in 80 children with Down syndrome ages 1 to 11.5 years using the Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scales. Profile findings indicated a significant weakness in communication relative to daily living and socialization skills. Within communication itself,…

Designed to accompany a slide and tape package, this booklet outlines the role parents can take in children's language development. Following an introduction which familiarizes parents with the concepts of receptive language (comprehension of spoken language) and expressive language (the information a person is trying to communicate and the form…

Linguistic and cognitive profiles were examined in 18 children with autism and 18 children with fragile X syndrome (mean ages = 34 months). State-of-the-art diagnostic procedures for autism symptom identification were administered. Eight children with fragile X met criteria for autism. Comparison of linguistic and cognitive profiles (autism,…