Language enhancement in the developmentally delayed child through a cognitive/receptive mode

An approach to enhancing the language comprehension of young developmentally delayed children utilizing receptive language tasks presented in a cognitive, 'problem-solving' context is described. Over a 2 year period 16 language impaired and developmentally delayed children were provided with 8 weeks of concentrated instruction in five language areas: nouns, verbs, adjectives, prepositions and syntax. Instruction consisted of systematic verbal stimulation without overt attempts to elicit expressive language. Responses by the subjects were in the form of motor behaviours of picture/object identifications. Results indicated a marked increase in the number of stimuli to which these children could provide appropriate responses at the end of the 8 week instructional period. The gains were also maintained 3 months after termination of instruction and the learned material was considered to have become part of these children's verbal repertoire.