Introduction to Language Disorders

Lecture 1: Introduction to Language Disorders (Chapter 1) Basics

  • Q: What is language?

    • A: A complex, dynamic system of conventional symbols used for thought and expression.

  • Q: What are the different ways language can be expressed?

    • A:

    • Orally

    • Through writing

    • Pictured symbols

    • Manually (sign language)

Language vs. Speech vs. Communication

  • Q: What is speech?

    • A: The articulation and fluency of speech sounds and the quality of voice.

  • Q: What is communication?

    • A: The exchange of symbolic and nonsymbolic information (e.g., gestures, facial expressions, body language).

  • Q: How is language different from speech?

    • A: Language is the system of symbols and rules; speech is the physical production of sounds.

Language Disorders

  • Q: What is a language disorder?

    • A: Impaired comprehension and/or use of spoken, written, and/or other symbol systems.

  • Q: What is receptive language?

    • A: The ability to understand and process language.

  • Q: What is expressive language?

    • A: The ability to express meaning through language.

  • Q: Are receptive skills usually stronger than expressive skills?

    • A: Yes, typically receptive skills are stronger.

Prevalence

  • Q: What percentage of school-aged students receive services for speech/language impairment?

    • A: Approximately 19%.

  • Q: What percentage of school-based SLPs serve students with language disorders?

    • A: About 90%.

  • Q: What percentage of school children have developmental language disorder (DLD)?

    • A: Approximately 7.5%.

Late Language Emergence (LLE)

  • Q: What is Late Language Emergence (LLE)?

    • A: A developmental language delay in children under age 3 with no other diagnosed disabilities.

  • Q: What percentage of children with LLE continue to have delays?

    • A: About 40%.

  • Q: How many children with LLE are later diagnosed with DLD?

    • A: About 20–40%.

Language Difference vs. Disorder

  • Q: What is a language difference?

    • A: A variation in language due to regional, social, cultural, or ethnic factors.

  • Q: Is a language difference a disorder?

    • A: No.

  • Q: Give an example of a dialect difference.

    • A: Soda vs. pop vs. Coke.

  • Q: Give an example of a cultural language difference.

    • A: Muslim women may not shake hands with men.

Fundamentals of Language

  • Q: What are the three areas of language?

    • A: Content, Form, and Use.

  • Q: What does semantics describe?

    • A: Meaning of language.

  • Q: What does phonology describe?

    • A: The sound system of a language.

  • Q: What does morphology describe?

    • A: The structure of words and word forms.

  • Q: What does syntax describe?

    • A: The order and combination of words in sentences.

  • Q: What does pragmatics describe?

    • A: Socially appropriate and functional language use.

Language Model

  • Q: Who developed the form-content-use model?

    • A: Lois Bloom and Margaret Lahey.

  • Q: Are form, content, and use independent of each other?

    • A: No, they are interdependent.

Lecture 2: Language Development Theory Review (Chapter 2)

Nature vs. Nurture

  • Q: What does the nature vs. nurture debate address?

    • A: Whether language is innate or learned from the environment.

Language Theories

  • Q: Who proposed the Behaviorist theory?

    • A: B.F. Skinner.

  • Q: What does the Behaviorist theory emphasize?

    • A: Language is learned through reinforcement and punishment.

  • Q: Who proposed the Constructivist theory?

    • A: Jean Piaget.

  • Q: What does the Constructivist theory emphasize?

    • A: Language develops through cognitive developmental stages.

  • Q: Who proposed the Social Interactionist theory?

    • A: Lev Vygotsky.

  • Q: What does the Social Interactionist theory emphasize?

    • A: Language is learned through social interaction.

  • Q: What is the Emergentist theory?

    • A: A modern theory combining nature and nurture using tools like brain imaging.

Stages of Language Development

  • Q: What is the Perlocutionary stage?

    • A: Birth–8 months; caregivers assign meaning to infant behaviors.

  • Q: What is the Illocutionary stage?

    • A: 9–12 months; infants intentionally communicate.

  • Q: What is the Locutionary stage?

    • A: 12+ months; first words used intentionally.

Expressive Language Development

  • Q: What are reflexive sounds?

    • A: Early sounds like crying and grunting.

  • Q: What is cooing?

    • A: Early vowel-like sounds.

  • Q: What is babbling?

    • A: Repetitive consonant-vowel combinations.

  • Q: What is jargon?

    • A: Speech-like intonation with nonsense words.

Subdomains of Communication

  • Q: What are early pragmatic skills?

    • A: Eye contact, turn-taking, joint attention.

  • Q: What pragmatic skills do toddlers develop?

    • A: Requesting, questioning, responding, and maintaining topics.

Vocabulary Development

  • Q: When do first words typically appear?

    • A: Between 10–16 months.

  • Q: What is the “vocabulary boom”?

    • A: Rapid vocabulary growth around age 2.

  • Q: About how many words does a 2-year-old produce?

    • A: Roughly 200–300 words.

Multiple Word Combinations

  • Q: What is an example of Agent + Action?

    • A: “Mommy go”

  • Q: What is an example of Action + Object?

    • A: “Eat cookie”

  • Q: What is an example of Attribute + Entity?

    • A: “Big ball”

Morphosyntax Development

  • Q: When do syntax and morphology emerge?

    • A: Around 24–26 months.

  • Q: What stages does morphosyntax development align with?

    • A: Brown’s Stages II–V+.

  • Q: Name some grammatical morphemes.

    • A: -ing, plural -s, past tense, possessive ’s, third person singular -s.

Advanced Pragmatics

  • Q: Why are pragmatic skills important in school?

    • A: They support social interaction, group learning, and academic success.

  • Q: What are examples of advanced pragmatic skills?

    • A: Negotiating opinions, validating others, maintaining discourse, responding to feedback.