Show simple item record

dc.contributor.authorConti-Ramsden, Gina
dc.contributor.authorDurkin, K.
dc.date.accessioned2017-01-30T13:22:07Z
dc.date.available2017-01-30T13:22:07Z
dc.date.created2013-03-17T20:00:34Z
dc.date.issued2012
dc.identifier.citationConti-Ramsden, Gina and Durkin, Kevin. 2012. Language development and assessment in the preschool period. Neuropsychology Review. 22 (4): pp. 384-401.
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/30885
dc.identifier.doi10.1007/s11065-012-9208-z
dc.description.abstract

Most young children make significant progress in learning language during the first 4 years of life. Delays or differences in patterns of language acquisition are sensitive indicators of developmental problems. The dynamic, complex nature of language and the variability in the timing of its acquisition poses a number of challenges for the assessment of young children. This paper summarises the key developmental milestones of language development in the preschool years, providing a backdrop for understanding difficulties with language learning. Children with specific language impairment (SLI) are characterised illustrating the types of language difficulties they exhibit. Genetic evidence for language impairment suggests complex interactions among multiple genes of small effect. There are few consistent neurobiological abnormalities and currently there is no identified neurobiological signature for language difficulties. The assessment of young children’s language skills thus focuses on the evaluation of their performances in comparison to typically developing peers. Assessment of language abilities in preschool children should involve an evaluation of both expressive and receptive skills and should include an evaluation of more than one dimension of language. The use of a single measure of a language component, such as vocabulary, is considered inadequate for determining whether preschool children have typical language or language impairment. Available evidence supports the inclusion of measures of phonological short-term memory in the assessment of the language abilities of preschool children. Further study of genetic, neurobiological and early behavioural correlates of language impairments in preschool children is needed.

dc.publisherSpringer New York LLC
dc.subjectSpecific Language Impairment (SLI)
dc.subjectpreschool children
dc.subjectlanguage development
dc.subjectpsychometric instruments
dc.subjectlanguage assessment
dc.subjectphonological short term memory
dc.titleLanguage development and assessment in the preschool period
dc.typeJournal Article
dcterms.source.volume22
dcterms.source.startPage384
dcterms.source.endPage401
dcterms.source.issn1040-7308
dcterms.source.titleNeuropsychology Reviews
curtin.department
curtin.accessStatusFulltext not available


Files in this item

Thumbnail

This item appears in the following Collection(s)

Show simple item record