An exploratory study of verbal interaction between children with different profiles of DLD and their classroom teachers in educational dialogues

Abstract

Children with a history of developmental language disorder (DLD) entering school are a challenge for classroom teachers. Teachers are often not very familiar with DLD, and language difficulties in school age children are often not obvious in context-supported everyday language. However, their language is still vulnerable. The teachers’ way of talking with four children with DLD, two with predominantly production difficulties and stronger language comprehension and two with language comprehension difficulties were studied in two types of context, differing in their degree of structure. Variables for a quantitative analysis were number of words per minute and mean length of utterance (MLU) in words for both teachers and children, and the number of questions asked by the teacher. A qualitative analysis focused on identifying typical characteristics depending on context and the child’s type of difficulties. In both contexts the teachers talked more than the children, but the difference was smaller in the less structured context, mainly because the children talked more. The two children with predominantly production difficulties seemed to take advantage of the opportunities to take initiatives offered in the less structured context. The children with comprehension difficulties function better in the more structured context, where their comprehension difficulties were less obvious. Studies with more rigorous design analysing more aspects of teacher’s interactive behavior in different contexts and with children with different linguistic profiles are needed to provide teachers with information to raise their awareness of how to provide support adapted to the linguistic profiles of children with DLD.

Teachers’ Views of Children With Developmental Language Disorder in Greek Mainstream Schools

“…Research evidence about teachers' views on language difficulties, which mainly comes from English-speaking countries, shows that children with DLD may impose a challenge for their teachers in the classroom (Dockrell and Lindsay, 2001;Marshall et al, 2002;Mroz and Hall, 2003;Marshall and Lewis, 2014;Dockrell and Howell, 2015;Dockrell et al, 2017;Bruce and Hansson, 2019). Previous studies in the United Kingdom have also reported teachers' concerns about their knowledge of language difficulties (Marshall et al, 2010).…”

‘Where does Granny live?’ The role of test questions in conversational remembering between mothers and their children with developmental language disorder

“…Children with developmental language disorder (DLD) experience difficulties with comprehension and/or production of language, which can create barriers to everyday conversation with adults and peers (Bishop et al, 2016;Croteau et al, 2015). Poor language skills can place an increased burden on the conversation partner (CP) to direct and support the flow of talk (Bruce & Hansson, 2019;Perkins, 2007). Parents, in particular, have the potential to influence their child's communicative participation by employing conversation behaviours, such as questioning or commenting, which may limit or facilitate their child's use of language in interaction (Clark, 2018;Hoff, 2010;Nettelbladt, Hansson, & Nilholm, 2001).…”