Abstract
The author discusses a linguistic-functions approach to language intervention. Linguistic functions refer to the general social uses of language, such as requesting objects and activities, initiating social interactions, expressing personal feelings, describing aspects of the world, requesting information, and pretending. Normal infants acquire linguistic functions naturally; nonverbal mentally handicapped children acquire linguistics functions when they are taught sign language. From a linguistic-functions viewpoint, the spontaneous use of linguistic functions is the most appropriate goal of language instruction for nonverbal mentally handicapped children. The concept of a linguistic function is presented, and the evidence for the use of linguistic functions by normal infants and nonverbal children who are taught sign language is reviewed. The sequencing of linguistic functions for instruction is then discussed in detail. It is suggested that the teachable parts of the functions be sequenced in approximately the same order that they appear in the speech of normal infants, from the Expression of Desires, to Reference and Person Concepts, to Inquiry Skills, to Abstraction.
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