Verbal Analogical Reasoning in Children With Language-Learning Disabilities

1993 ◽  
Vol 36 (1) ◽  
pp. 76-82 ◽  
Author(s):  
Julie J. Masterson ◽  
Lea Helen Evans ◽  
Mark Aloia
Keyword(s):  
Learning Disabilities ◽  
Language Learning ◽  
Analogical Reasoning ◽  
Functional Relationship ◽  
Learning Disabled ◽  
School Age Children ◽  
Mental Age ◽  
Language Learning Disabilities ◽  
Verbal Analogies ◽  
Better Than

This study was designed to explore the influences of both cognitive and linguistic abilities on verbal analogy completion. School-age children classified as language-learning disabled were administered five types of verbal analogies: synonyms, antonyms, linear order, category membership, and functional relationship. The performance of the children with language-learning disabilities was compared with one group of normally developing children matched for mental age and another group matched for language age. Results indicated that the group matched for mental age performed better than the other two groups on all types of analogies. Although they had significantly higher mental ages, the children with language-learning disabilities did no better than the language-matched group on any analogy type except antonyms.

Diagnosing and Remediating Writing Problems of Gifted Students with Language Learning Disabilities

1985 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
pp. 25-43 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lenore Ganschow
Keyword(s):  
Learning Disabilities ◽  
Language Learning ◽  
Gifted Students ◽  
Learning Disabled ◽  
Sixth Grader ◽  
Language Learning Disabilities ◽  
Instructional Objectives ◽  
Writing Problems ◽  
The Individual

This article examines an approach to diagnosing and remediating writing problems of gifted students with language learning disabilities. Case studies of a third grader, sixth grader, and college student demonstrate differences in literacy problems among the gifted/learning disabled. An informal tool to diagnose writing problems is described and demonstrated with each case study. An instructional approach which takes into consideration developmental, remedial, and adaptive needs of the individual is examined, and three sample instructional objectives for writing are explored.

General Language Performance Measures in Spoken and Written Narrative and Expository Discourse of School-Age Children With Language Learning Disabilities

2000 ◽  
Vol 43 (2) ◽  
pp. 324-339 ◽  
Author(s):  
Cheryl M. Scott ◽  
Jennifer Windsor
Keyword(s):  
Learning Disabilities ◽  
Language Learning ◽  
Performance Measures ◽  
Language Impairment ◽  
School Age Children ◽  
School Age ◽  
Older Children ◽  
Language Performance ◽  
Lexical Diversity ◽  
Language Learning Disabilities

Language performance in naturalistic contexts can be characterized by general measures of productivity, fluency, lexical diversity, and grammatical complexity and accuracy. The use of such measures as indices of language impairment in older children is open to questions of method and interpretation. This study evaluated the extent to which 10 general language performance measures (GLPM) differentiated school-age children with language learning disabilities (LLD) from chronological-age (CA) and language-age (LA) peers. Children produced both spoken and written summaries of two educational videotapes that provided models of either narrative or expository (informational) discourse. Productivity measures, including total T-units, total words, and words per minute, were significantly lower for children with LLD than for CA children. Fluency (percent T-units with mazes) and lexical diversity (number of different words) measures were similar for all children. Grammatical complexity as measured by words per T-unit was significantly lower for LLD children. However, there was no difference among groups for clauses per T-unit. The only measure that distinguished children with LLD from both CA and LA peers was the extent of grammatical error. Effects of discourse genre and modality were consistent across groups. Compared to narratives, expository summaries were shorter, less fluent (spoken versions), more complex (words per T-unit), and more error prone. Written summaries were shorter and had more errors than spoken versions. For many LLD and LA children, expository writing was exceedingly difficult. Implications for accounts of language impairment in older children are discussed.

Linguistic Trade-Offs in School-Age Children With and Without Language Disorders

1992 ◽  
Vol 35 (5) ◽  
pp. 1064-1075 ◽  
Author(s):  
Julie J. Masterson ◽  
Alan G. Kamhi
Keyword(s):  
Learning Disabilities ◽  
Language Learning ◽  
Reading Disabilities ◽  
Language Disorders ◽  
Sentence Production ◽  
School Age Children ◽  
School Age ◽  
Language Learning Disabilities ◽  
Factors Influencing ◽  
Trade Offs

Factors influencing the occurrence of trade-off effects among linguistic components were examined. Several linguistic measures were used to represent syntactic and phonological production in order to determine whether interrelationship patterns would vary across measures. Linguistic interactions present in imitated speech were compared to those from spontaneous speech. Group effects were explored by comparing data from children with language-learning disabilities, children with reading disabilities, and normally developing children. Results indicated trade-offs between some linguistic measures and positive relationships among others. More trade-offs were present in imitated speech than in spontaneous utterances. In general, interrelationship patterns were similar across groups. Interpretation of these results in reference to current models of sentence production is offered.

The Performance of Children With Language-Learning Disabilities on Two Types of Cognitive Tasks

1993 ◽  
Vol 36 (5) ◽  
pp. 1026-1036 ◽  
Author(s):  
Julie J. Masterson
Keyword(s):  
Learning Disabilities ◽  
Language Learning ◽  
Task Analysis ◽  
Concept Formation ◽  
Cognitive Tasks ◽  
Matched Group ◽  
Geometric Figures ◽  
Mental Age ◽  
Language Learning Disabilities ◽  
Logic Puzzle

The performance of children with language-learning disabilities on two types of cognitive tasks was compared to that of two groups without language-learning disabilities, one matched for mental age and the other for language (vocabulary) age. The first task, Concept Formation, measured one’s ability to identify and state the rule for a concept about a set of colored geometric figures when shown instances and noninstances of the concept. The second task, Analysis Synthesis, required the identification and use of a solution key to solve an incomplete logic puzzle. Both tasks involved increases in complexity as additional items were administered. Results indicate that the children with language-learning disabilities performed at a level commensurate with the language-matched group on the Concept Formation task, and at a level commensurate with the mental-age matched group on the Analysis-Synthesis task. The implications of these findings for the nature of language-learning disabilities are discussed.

Analyzing the Potential Benefit of Microcomputer Use for Teaching Figurative Language

1992 ◽  
Vol 1 (2) ◽  
pp. 36-43 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marilyn A. Nippold ◽  
Ilsa E. Schwarz ◽  
Molly Lewis
Keyword(s):  
Language Learning ◽  
Children And Adolescents ◽  
Standardized Tests ◽  
Figurative Language ◽  
Language Intervention ◽  
School Age Children ◽  
Educational Materials ◽  
Language Learning Disabilities ◽  
Promising Application ◽  
Experience Difficulty

Microcomputers offer the potential for increasing the effectiveness of language intervention for school-age children and adolescents who have language-learning disabilities. One promising application is in the treatment of students who experience difficulty comprehending figurative expressions, an aspect of language that occurs frequently in both spoken and written contexts. Although software is available to teach figurative language to children and adolescents, it is our feeling that improvements are needed in the existing programs. Software should be reviewed carefully before it is used with students, just as standardized tests and other clinical and educational materials are routinely scrutinized before use. In this article, four microcomputer programs are described and evaluated. Suggestions are then offered for the development of new types of software to teach figurative language.

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