Sage Journals: Discover world-class research

Abstract

This study assessed the relationships among various language processing and production abilities of 32 learning disabled adolescents. Kendall rank correlation coefficients indicated that 1 chronological age correlated negatively with performance on three of the language tests, and 2 WISC Verbal IQs correlated positively with performance on all but one of the language processing subtests and with performance on two of the language production subtests: Performance on the various language processing subtests tended to correlate positively with each other and negatively with performance on language production subtests. Measures of the accuracy of responses on the language production subtests generally correlated positively with each other and negatively with measures of speed of retrieval. These findings suggest that the learning disabled adolescents had reached a performance plateau and that developmental factors no longer produced an increase in their language abilities. They also suggest the presence of at least two distinct language deficit syndromes within the learning disabled population. These are: 1 cognitive-linguistic processing deficits characterized by reductions in morphology and syntax and in the comprehension of linguistic concepts and 2 “dysnomia” characterized by verbal paraphasias and word finding and retrieval deficits.

Get full access to this article

View all access options for this article.

References

Baker, H.J. and Leland, B. : Detroit Tests of Learning Aptitude. Indianapolis: Bobbs-Merrill, 1959.

Bannatyne, A. : Language, Reading, and Learning Disabilities. Springfield, Ill.: Charles C Thomas, 1971.

Bloom, L : Talking, understanding, and thinking. In R.L. Schiefelbusch and L.L. Lloyd (Eds.): Language Perspectives - Acquisition, Retardation, and Intervention. Baltimore: Univ. Park Press, 1973.

Bousfield, W. , Cohen, B. , and Whitmarsh, G. : Associative clustering of words of different taxonomic frequencies of occurrence. Psychol. Rep., 1958, 4, 39–44.

de Renzi, E. and Vignolo. L.A. : The Token Test: A sensitive test to detect receptive disturbances in aphasics. Brain, 1962, 85, 665–678.

Durost, W. (Ed.): Metropolitan Achievement Tests. New York: Harcourt, Brace & World, 1961.

Eraser, C. , Bellugi, U. , and Brown, R. : Control of grammar in imitation, comprehension, and production. J. Verb. Learning Verb. Behav., 1963, 2, 121–135.

Goodglass, H. and Kaplan, E. : The Assessment of Aphasia and Related Disorders. Philadelphia: Lea & Febiger, 1972.

Guilford, J.P. : The Nature of Human Intelligence. New York: McGraw-Hill, 1967.

10.

Inhelder, B. , Sinclair, H. , and Bovet, M. : Learning and the Development of Cognition. Cambridge, Mass.: Harvard Univ. Press, 1974.

11.

Johnson, D.J. and Myklebust, R.H. : Learning Disabilities: Educational Principles and Practices. New York: Grune & Stratton, 1967.

12.

Kirk, S.A. , McCarthy, J.J. , and Kirk, W.D. : Illinois Test of Psycholinguistic Abilities, rev. ed. Urbana: Univ. of Illinois Press, 1968.

13.

Lapointe, C. : Token test performances by learning disabled and academically achieving adolescents. Brit. J. Dis. Commun., 1976.

14.

Lee, L.L. : Northwestern Syntax Screening Test. Evanston, III.: Northwestern Univ. Press, 1971.

15.

Luria, A.R. : Higher Cortical Functions in Man. New York: Basic Books, 1966.

16.

McGrady, H.J. and Olson, D.A. : Visual and auditory learning processes in normal children and children with learning disabilities. Exceptional Child., 1970, 36, 581–589.

17.

Myklebust, H.R. : Auditory Disorders in Children. New York: Grune & Stratton, 1954.

18.

Newcombe, F. and Marshall, J.C. : Immediate recall of sentences by subjects with unilateral cerebral lesions. Neuropsychologia, 1967, 5, 329–334.

19.

Orton, S. T. : Reading, Writing and Speech Problems in Children. New York: Norton, 1937.

20.

Piaget, J. and Inhelder, B. : The Psychology of the Child. New York: Basic Books, 1969.

21.

Schuell, H. : Minnesota Test for Differential Diagnosis of Aphasia. Minneapolis: Univ. of Minnesota Press, 1965.

22.

Shipley, E. , Smith, C. , and Gleitman, L. : A study in the acquisition of language: Free responses to commands. Language, 1969, 45, 322–342.

23.

Strauss, S.A. and Kephart, N.C. : Psychopathology and the Education of the Brain-Injured Child. New York: Grune & Stratton, 1955.

24.

Vogel, S.A. : Syntactic abilities in normal and dyslexic children. J. Learning Disabil., 1974, 7, 47–53.

25.

Webster, B. and Ingram, D. : The comprehension and production of the anaphonic pronouns he, she, him, her in normal and linguistically deviant children. Papers & Repts. on Child Lang. Develop., 1972, 4, 55–78.

26.

Wiig, E.H. and Roach, M.A. : Immediate recall of semantically varied “sentences” by learning-disabled adolescents. Percept. Motor Skills, 1975, 40, 119–125.

27.

Wiig, E.H. and Semel, E.M. : Comprehension of linguistic concepts requiring logical operations by learning disabled children. J. Speech Hearing Res., 1973, 16, 627–637.

28.

Wiig, E.H. and Semel, E.M. : Development of comprehension of logico-grammatical sentences by grade school children. Percept. Motor Skills, 1974, 38, 171–176. (a)

29.

Wiig, E.H. and Semel, E.M. : Logico-grammatical sentence comprehension by adolescents with learning disabilities. Percept. Motor Skills, 1974, 38, 1331–1334. (b)

30.

Wiig, E.H. and Semel, E.M. : Productive language abilities in learning disabled adolescents. J. Learning Disabil., 1975, 8, 578–586.

31.

Wiig, E.H. and Semel, E.M. : Language Disabilities in Children and Adolescents. Columbus, O.: Merrill, 1976.

32.

Wiig, E.H. , Semel, E.M. , and Crouse, M.A.B. : The use of morphology by high-risk and learning disabled children. J. Learning Disabil., 1973, 6, 457–465.

Relationships Among Language Processing and Production Abilities of Learning Disabled Adolescents

Abstract

Get full access to this article

References