Language
This page provides some background information regarding language skills and how we address them in the educational setting. Language skills include, but are not limited to:
- Phonemic and Phonological Awareness
- Receptive and Expressive Vocabulary skills
- Receptive and Expressive Language skills
- Phonology
- Morphology
- Syntax (grammar) skills
- Semantic skills (the rules that govern the meaning of words and word combinations)
- Pragmatic (social) Language skills
- Language Processing skills
Phonological and Phonemic Awareness
Phonological awareness refers to the child's conscious knowledge of individual sounds, that they make up words, and they can be manipulated and changed. Phonological awareness relates only to speech sounds, not to alphabet letters or sound-spellings, so it is not necessary for students to have alphabet knowledge in order to develop a basic phonological awareness of language.
Phonological awareness skills include:
- rhyming
- alliteration (initial sounds are all the same as in tongue twisters)
- differentiating words (children count the number of words in phrases and sentences and gain a better understanding of what a "word" is)
- differentiating syllables (claps are often used to help students determine the number of syllables in words)
- blending phonemes (children blend the individual sounds to create the whole word)
- segmenting by phoneme (children break the words apart into the individual phonemes)
Phonemic awareness refers to the connection of the phoneme to the graphic letter. Phonics requires students to know and match letters or letter patterns with sounds, learn the rules of spelling, and use this information to decode (read) and encode (write) words.
Receptive and Expressive Vocabulary
Receptive Vocabulary is the vocabulary that a child is able to understand. A child needs a solid basis of vocabulary development in order to learn new vocabulary, make connections to old vocabulary, and be able to use this vocabulary in verbal and written expression.
Expressive Vocabulary is the vocabulary that the child is able to use in spoken and written language. It is the outward demonstration of the learned receptive vocabulary. If the child has poor receptive vocabulary learning his/her expressive vocabulary skills will be limited.
Vocabulary learning is enhanced by learning new vocabulary with the following supports:
- making associations between the new word and what goes with it (attributes)
- learning it related to the category that it belongs to
- learning other words that mean the same thing (synonyms)
- learning the opposite of the new word (antonyms)
All language skills can be broken into receptive and expressive skills. Receptive language skills refer to the comprehension (or understanding) of various language skills. Expressive language skills refer to the output of the language skills. This could be through verbal or written expression.
In typical language development receptive language skills may be slightly more advanced than expressive language skills. A child gains an understanding of language before they are able to use it effectively. If, however, receptive language skills are not as advanced as expressive language skills this could indicate a weakness or problem in the language system.
Language skills are broken into several different areas: semantics, syntax, pragmatics, phonology, and morphology. Further explanation of each area is provided below.
Phonology
This is the area of language that contains the rules that govern the structure, distribution, and sequencing of speech sounds as they make syllables and words. A phoneme is the smallest unit of meaningful sound. Words are comprised of many phonemes blended together. The combination and sequence of phonemes is governed by phonological rules. This is different than the mechanical act of speech production. When addressing articulation errors we work on the production of specific phonemes as they are used in different locations within a word (initial, medial, and final).
This is the area of language that contains the rules that govern the structure, distribution, and sequencing of speech sounds as they make syllables and words. A phoneme is the smallest unit of meaningful sound. Words are comprised of many phonemes blended together. The combination and sequence of phonemes is governed by phonological rules. This is different than the mechanical act of speech production. When addressing articulation errors we work on the production of specific phonemes as they are used in different locations within a word (initial, medial, and final).
Morphology
Morphology deals with the internal organization of words. A morpheme is the smallest grammatical unit of meaning. It cannot be broken up or divided without changing the meaning or making a meaningless unit. For example "dog" is one morpheme. "d" and "og" are meaningless on their own. Most words in the English language are made up of one or two morphemes. Prefixes and suffixes are considered derivational morphemes, because they change the whole class of words.
Morphology deals with the internal organization of words. A morpheme is the smallest grammatical unit of meaning. It cannot be broken up or divided without changing the meaning or making a meaningless unit. For example "dog" is one morpheme. "d" and "og" are meaningless on their own. Most words in the English language are made up of one or two morphemes. Prefixes and suffixes are considered derivational morphemes, because they change the whole class of words.
Syntax
The rules of syntax govern the form or structure of sentences. This is also known as grammar. These rules govern the correct word order, sentence organization, relationships between words, word classes, and other sentence elements. Verb tenses, pluralization, correct pronoun usage, noun-verb agreement all fall within the rules of syntax. The syntactic rules specify which word combinations are acceptable, or grammatically correct, and which are not.
The rules of syntax govern the form or structure of sentences. This is also known as grammar. These rules govern the correct word order, sentence organization, relationships between words, word classes, and other sentence elements. Verb tenses, pluralization, correct pronoun usage, noun-verb agreement all fall within the rules of syntax. The syntactic rules specify which word combinations are acceptable, or grammatically correct, and which are not.
Semantics
Semantics are the rules that govern the meaning or content of words and word combinations. According to Robert E. Owens in Language Development: An Introduction, "Semantics is concerned with the relationship of language form to our perceptions of objects, events, and relationships or to cognition and thought." Word meaning is a part of semantics, but semantics refers to more. The meaning within sentences is more important than the individual word meaning. The sentence represents a meaning that is greater than the sum of the word meanings. The relationship between the words is represented through the sentence. That is why we remember the meaning of the sentence without remembering the entire sentence word for word.
Semantics are the rules that govern the meaning or content of words and word combinations. According to Robert E. Owens in Language Development: An Introduction, "Semantics is concerned with the relationship of language form to our perceptions of objects, events, and relationships or to cognition and thought." Word meaning is a part of semantics, but semantics refers to more. The meaning within sentences is more important than the individual word meaning. The sentence represents a meaning that is greater than the sum of the word meanings. The relationship between the words is represented through the sentence. That is why we remember the meaning of the sentence without remembering the entire sentence word for word.
Pragmatics
Pragmatics refers to the set of rules that relate to our use of language within the communicative context. These are the social language rules. Pragmatics is focused on the the way that language is used to communicate messages rather than the structure of the language. Some areas that are covered by pragmatic language include appropriately engaging in interactions, maintaining topics of conversation, interpreting and using nonverbal signals within a conversation, ending conversations appropriately, using manners, and determining the appropriateness of responses. Pragmatic language organizes all the other areas of language discussed.
Pragmatics refers to the set of rules that relate to our use of language within the communicative context. These are the social language rules. Pragmatics is focused on the the way that language is used to communicate messages rather than the structure of the language. Some areas that are covered by pragmatic language include appropriately engaging in interactions, maintaining topics of conversation, interpreting and using nonverbal signals within a conversation, ending conversations appropriately, using manners, and determining the appropriateness of responses. Pragmatic language organizes all the other areas of language discussed.
Language Processing
Language processing refers to the process and ability to interpret and attach meaning to information that is heard, and then formulate a verbal response. A person with a processing disorder has normal intelligence, normal hearing abilities, and has receptive and expressive language skills that are determined to be within the average range for his/her age. A child with ADD/ADHD will have some difficulties with processing skills, but the problem occurs at a different location within the brain. Word retrieval and memory also may influence processing abilities.
Processing is neurological activity not just a behavior. It is also an activity that occurs in a progression. First the sound signal is perceived by the outer ear. Then the sound waves travel through the middle and inner ear to the auditory nerve. The signal then travels from the auditory nerve through the brain stem to the upper cortex. In the upper cortex language information can be attached to the signal.
If the signal does not get to the cortex intact then there is a central auditory processing concern. If the signal gets the cortex intact and there is a problem attaching language and meaning to it then there is a language processing problem.
Central Auditory Processing problems can only be diagnosed by an Audiologist. Language Processing problems are diagnosed by a Speech Language Pathologist.
Direct therapy, strategies, and modifications can help the child with processing problems. Downloadable information is available regarding strategies on the "Helpful Tips and Practice Sheets" page of this website.
Information obtained from "The Source for Processing Disorders," by Gail J. Richards, c. 2001, LinguiSystems, Inc.
Language processing refers to the process and ability to interpret and attach meaning to information that is heard, and then formulate a verbal response. A person with a processing disorder has normal intelligence, normal hearing abilities, and has receptive and expressive language skills that are determined to be within the average range for his/her age. A child with ADD/ADHD will have some difficulties with processing skills, but the problem occurs at a different location within the brain. Word retrieval and memory also may influence processing abilities.
Processing is neurological activity not just a behavior. It is also an activity that occurs in a progression. First the sound signal is perceived by the outer ear. Then the sound waves travel through the middle and inner ear to the auditory nerve. The signal then travels from the auditory nerve through the brain stem to the upper cortex. In the upper cortex language information can be attached to the signal.
If the signal does not get to the cortex intact then there is a central auditory processing concern. If the signal gets the cortex intact and there is a problem attaching language and meaning to it then there is a language processing problem.
Central Auditory Processing problems can only be diagnosed by an Audiologist. Language Processing problems are diagnosed by a Speech Language Pathologist.
Direct therapy, strategies, and modifications can help the child with processing problems. Downloadable information is available regarding strategies on the "Helpful Tips and Practice Sheets" page of this website.
Information obtained from "The Source for Processing Disorders," by Gail J. Richards, c. 2001, LinguiSystems, Inc.