Communication Disorders

Language Disordersy

Language disorders consist of expressive, receptive, or mixed expressive–receptive impairments. A disorder in expressive language is the inability to effectively communicate one's thoughts verbally or in writing. A disorder in receptive language is the inability to comprehend spoken or written material. Children with a mixed receptive–expressive language disorder have difficulty not only expressing themselves, but also comprehending spoken or written material. It has been estimated that approximately 3% to 5% of children are diagnosed with an expressive language disorder and 3% of students are affected by a mixed expressive–receptive language impairment.

Language-Learning Disability

Approximately 40% to 60% of students with a learning disability have also been diagnosed with a language-learning disability. Students with language impairments struggle with academics because learning is demonstrated through a process of reading, writing, and speaking. Potential indicators of language impairment during preschool and kindergarten include difficulty listening to a story, difficulty following directions, immature speech, word-finding difficulties, and poor play skills. During the elementary school years, signs of a language disability include difficulty understanding text, misunderstanding directions, difficulty synthesizing words with more than one syllable, and poor social skills. In high school, adolescents with a language disability struggle with processing complex, higher-order verbal information. Specifically, note taking, written expression, test taking, and poor organizational skills are all areas that may be affected by a language disorder.

Assessment of Language

Based upon suggestions for assessment of a child's language skills, the following methodology and test batteries are recommended for school psychologists in uncovering any deficits a child may have in language:

• A developmental history obtained via a parental interview ascertains the child's milestones as well as academic and medical familial issues.
• Behavioral data in the form of observations in various contexts and rating scales such as the Behavior Assessment System for Children (BASC) yield valuable information regarding behavior in different settings.
• Assessment of a child's adaptive functioning across domains provides information regarding skills that the child has incorporated into his or her repertoire.
• Evaluation of a child's ability to effectively employ spoken language in a given social situation or context (pragmatic language) may be assessed.

The school psychologist may also administer intellectual tests such as the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-Fourth Edition (WISC-IV) to determine whether global cognitive abilities are associated with an impairment in language. However, it should not be the sole instrument used in the assessment process. Language tests typically adminis-tered by speech and language pathologists include the Clinical Evaluation of Language Fundamentals–3, the Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test-Revised, Test for Auditory Comprehension of Language-Revised, and the Test of Language Development.

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