Children with language delays often manifest low rates of spontaneous expressive language, particularly in school. This pattern appears to develop as a means of coping with situations in which children with mild to moderate language delays believe they are unable to perform or may perform poorly. Interactive language training procedures are now being used to increase syntactic complexity, develop morphology, and train transformational rules in language delayed/disordered children. This article discusses several linguistic and nonlinguistic strategies in interactive language training which not only foster language acquisition but increase spontaneous language as well. As rates of self-initiated speech increase, it is probable that improvements in the content, use, and form of language will follow.
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