Language Development and Assessment

Acknowledgments.- Series Editor’s Note.- 1 Introduction and Definition of Language.- Communication and language.- Definition of language.- 2 Prelanguage.- Concepts.- Development of object recognition.- Situational understanding.- Development from situational understanding to symbolic understanding.- 3 Normal Development of Verbal Language.- Early phrase patterns.- The first object labels.- Word combinations.- Noun-verb stage.- Stage of three or more concepts and simple sentences.- Use of past and future tenses.- Intellectual use of language.- 4 Developmental Language Delays and Deviations.- Problems of attention and listening.- Developmental language delay.- Deviant language development.- Verbal language, peripheral.- 5 Assessment of the Stages in Prelanguage Development.- Aims.- The starting-point.- Arrangement of room.- The stages in prelanguage development.- Assessment of symbolic understanding.- 6 Assessment of the Stages in Verbal Language Development.- The first verbal label.- Selection of common objects in response to naming.- Word combinations.- Noun-verb stage.- Relating three or more ‘operative’ words, and use of simple sentences.- Assessment of higher levels of language understanding and use.- Conclusion.- 7 Assessment of Difficult Children.- Very shy, withdrawn children.- Restless, hyperactive children.- Self-determined non-cooperating children.- Children with severe motor difficulties.- 8 The Question of Referring Children for Ongoing Help.- Consideration of age.- Degree of language handicap.- Type of language handicap.- Conclusion.- 9 Case Studies.- A deaf child: Mark.- A blind child: David.- A mentally handicapped child: Ruth.- A child with cerebral palsy: Karen.- A child with developmental language handicap: James.- Plotting progress.- 10 RemedialMeasures.- Theoretical basis.- The setting.- Assessments.- Results.- Relation to degree of handicap and associated handicaps.- Discussion and practical implications.- Conclusion.- Appendix I References.- Appendix II Reading List.- Appendix III Suggested List of Materials for Assessment.