Maternal language environment of children with mental retardation

Maternal language directed towards children with mental retardation and children matched either for language ability or chronological age was compared in free-play and instruction situations. Results were consistent with the hypothesis that mothers of children with retardation match their verbal behavior to their children's language ability while at the same time adopting a more pervasive teaching role. Specifically, they were more directive, but only in free-play. When explicitly asked to instruct their child, they changed very little in comparison with control mothers, whose directive behavior altered to levels previously adopted in free-play by mothers of children with mental retardation.