Complex syntax production emerges shortly after the emergence of two-word combinations in oral language and continues to develop through the school-age years. This article defines a framework for the analysis of complex syntax in the spontaneous language of preschool- and early school-age children. The purpose of this article is to provide…

The article looks at syntactic deficiencies involving simple clause structures and grammatical morphology in young children. A framework for understanding the development of simple clause structures is presented followed by a discussion of the correlates of early syntactic development. Procedures to assess and remediate syntactic deficiencies are…

Evidence is offered that children with specific language impairment often have serial memory difficulties. Research on the difficulties such children have in rote counting and in learning nursery rhymes is reviewed. Implications of current research for assessment and intervention in mathematics and rhymes are discussed. (DB)

This article develops the concept of communicative participation as a means of analyzing the outcomes of language intervention with young children, including those with disabilities, in everyday contexts such as preschool. The construct's five interrelated layers are identified: (1) life-world participation, (2) participant structure, (3)…

The memory deficits associated with the dementia syndromes of Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, and Lewy body disease are outlined and related to the language impairments that have been observed in patients with these disorders. Assessment techniques are described, including commonly used individual tests and test batteries that assess memory and…

Discusses how treatment of memory disorders resulting from traumatic brain injury must extend beyond intervention strategies focusing on deficit reduction to embrace models centering on disability reduction. Disability oriented approaches that emphasize rehearsal and encoding strategies and the use of memory aids are described. (Author/CR)

Appropriate identification/assessment of limited English speaking students requires: (1) the use of both standardized and nonstandardized assessment instruments and techniques, and (2) the use of speech-language pathologists or interpreters who are proficient in the students' native language. (JDD)

The article examines the child's ability to produce complex sentences with sections on a structural framework for complex language (clausal and nonclausal complexity), a developmental perspective (coordination of clauses, subordination of nominal, adverbial, and relative clauses), and applied considerations (evaluating and teaching complex…

This article discusses (1) assessment of discourse through listening and reading to evaluate comprehension problems; (2) developmental aspects of the relationship between listening and reading comprehension skills; (3) problems with selecting text passages and methods of testing comprehension; and (4) the development of a set of passages and a…

This article discusses some specific outcome measures for social communication problems exhibited by school-age children. Measures are discussed relative to (1) a model for viewing abilities essential for social communication and (2) a framework for sampling these abilities across four different contexts. A case example applies these outcome…

Explains how many of the narratives told by children are mapped onto frameworks carried in long-term memory. Assessment methods that speech-language pathologists can use to determine whether a child can use narrative frameworks and how to explain the assessment results are discussed. (Author/CR)

This discussion of psychoeducational assessment of hearing-impaired students and the influence of language competence focuses on: the nature of the interaction between cognition and language, the nonpragmatic nature of traditional assessments, approaches to reducing intelligence test bias, pragmatic violations in intellectual assessment, and…

This article focuses on strategies children can use to foster their reading comprehension and develop metacognitive skills. The article discusses crucial aspects of reading comprehension, the authentic assessment of strategic reading, alternative methods of assessing reading strategies and metacognition, and promoting thinking with literacy…

This article views literacy as a broad-based set of abilities reflecting intelligence across many competencies, including language, musical, logical, kinesthetic, intrapersonal, interpersonal, linguistic, and spatial competencies. Described is a model of language competence which allows for assessment of those language skills bearing on academic…

Examines factors influencing research-practice gaps in the assessment and treatment of adults with neurologic communication disorders. Both researchers and clinicians are urged to learn alternative research strategies, build partnerships, and take advantage of new information technologies. Strategies are suggested for directly applying, adapting,…