One Size Does Not Fit All: Improving Clinical Practice in Older Children and Adolescents with Language and Learning Disorders

• Published in: Language, speech & hearing services in schools speech & hearing services in schools, 2014-04, Vol.45 (2), p.145-152
• Main Author: Scott, Cheryl M
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adolescents; Care and treatment; Child; Children; Children & youth; Comprehension; Delivery of Health Care - organization & administration; Delivery of Health Care - standards; Education; Education, Elementary; Educational research; Expository Writing; High School Graduates; Humans; Individualized Education Programs; Individualized Instruction; Intervention; Language; Language Development Disorders - therapy; Language disorders; Language Impairments; Language Therapy - methods; Language Therapy - standards; Learning; Learning Disabilities; Learning Disorders - therapy; Linguistics; Methods; Preschool Children; Quality Improvement - organization & administration; School Health Services - organization & administration; Science; Sentences; Speech Language Pathology; Teaching Methods; Teenagers; Verbs
• ISSN: 0161-1461; 1558-9129
• DOI: 10.1044/2014_LSHSS-14-0014

Purpose: In the lead article for this clinical forum, Kamhi (2014) suggests ways that current knowledge on instructional practices in learning and language can be applied to clinical practice in language disorders. I propose that Kamhi's suggestions are in need of fine-tuning for older children and adolescents with language disorders. A one-size-fits-all approach to language intervention across a broad age range is untenable due to unique needs and capabilities of this older population. Method: Three intervention goal priorities for older students are presented with supporting research: complex (multiclausal) sentences, verb structure, and expository text. Methodologies for teaching complex sentences are discussed next, including topics of content/form balance and treatment intensity. These goals and methods are designed to assist students with language disorders in the comprehension and production of complex language they encounter in school. Conclusion: Guidance for high-priority language intervention goals with older students comes from a consideration of language needs in academic settings and language weaknesses that persist in this population. Although current research offers support for these goals, less is known about methodological variables such as treatment intensity.