Assessment of Language in Developmentally Disabled Infants and Preschoolers
Abstract
The language assessment of infants and developmentally delayed preschoolers requires a usable definition of language and a comprehensive understanding of language development. Language is a complex skill that has traditionally been viewed as consisting of four basic parts: phonology, semantics, syntax, and pragmatics. Phonology refers to the sound system of our language; semantics, to the meaning of words and word relations; syntax, to the grammatical rules for ordering words; and pragmatics, to communication, or the use of language in social contexts. Although language must always be viewed as an interactive system in which the whole is greater than the sum of the parts, the assessment process requires that the major components be examined separately. This approach is necessary for evaluating language development and for identifying specific deficit areas.
Keywords
Communicative Intention Language Intervention Language Disorder Language Assessment Intraindividual ComparisonPreview
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References
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