Key Concepts on Developmental Language Disorder and Related Topics

Ocular Grammar and Deficits in Language Development

  • Ocular Grammar Characteristics

    • Ocular grammar refers to the omission of grammatical elements, which can include:
    • Auxiliary verbs
      • Examples:
        • The omission of "am" in "I am hungry," leading to "I hungry."
        • The omission of "is" in "she is tall," leading to "she tall."
        • The omission of "the" in phrases such as "I eating a donut," leading to "I eating donut."

  • Auxiliary Do Usage in Negatives and Questions

    • Children with Developmental Language Disorder (DLD) may struggle with forming questions and negatives.
    • Common errors include:
    • Simplified questions like "You like coffee?" without the auxiliary do, often seen as omitted entirely.
    • Negatives formulated incorrectly, such as "He don't do homework at the library" instead of the correct form "He doesn't do homework at the library."

  • Assessment Perspectives on DLD

    • When conducting assessments, particularly conversations and language tests, caregivers and clinicians should listen for these patterns as indicators of DLD.
    • Specific testing tools to note include the CELF-5 (Clinical Evaluation of Language Fundamentals - Fifth Edition) which assesses language competency in children:
    • Sentence Recalling:
      • DLD children often struggle with repeating sentences that contain auxiliary verbs or past tense forms.
    • Sentence Formulation:
      • DLD children frequently have difficulties constructing sentences that include auxiliary verbs or correct tense usage, especially for past forms.

  • Importance of Observation in Scoring

    • When assessing, it's essential to pay close attention to these grammatical errors or omissions as they are significant indicators of language abilities.
    • Scoring needs to reflect the subtle ways that DLD children deviate from typical language usage.

Upcoming Topics

  • Future Discussion Points:

    • The next session will address the role of morphosyntax in children with DLD.
    • Key syndromes and conditions to be discussed include:
    • Autism Spectrum Disorder
    • Down Syndrome
    • Williams Syndrome

  • Reading Preparation:

    • Students are encouraged to read ahead in the assigned materials, specifically focusing on the leveler book.
    • Highlight important sections and prepare questions about unclear studies or concepts.
    • Focus on understanding terms such as specificity," which may recur throughout the materials discussed.