Pragmatics : The Meaning of Verbal Language in Learning Disabled and Nondisabled Boys

Abstract

The semantics usage of LD and non-LD boys in a social situation involving interaction with an adult and peers was analyzed to determine (a) if there were differences of meaning usage between LD and non-LD boys and (b) if LD and non-LD boys switched meaning usage relative to listener age. Employing a semantic feature model and transcripts of verbal language from a parent study, results indicated that overall, LD and non-LD boys were highly similar in meaning usage and showed internal consistency of meaning usage across interaction types. Usage switching occurred infrequently, mostly among non-LDs, and switching was only slightly complementary — LDs and non-LDs adapted usage of Possession meaning to listener age as if taking reciprocal roles. Findings suggest that although remediation in a few areas may help LD boys match non-LD peers' meaning usage and interact more effectively, further research is needed to clarify LD children's use of semantics. Described is a potentially useful application of the present analysis to semantics evaluation and the use of a pragmatics model for remediation. Research in other pragmatics areas is recommended in order to arrive at a differentiation between LD children's language and social deficits.

Get full access to this article

View all access options for this article.

References

Adolina

(1978). Syntactic maturity and vocabulary richness of learning disabled children at four age levels. Unpublished doctoral dissertation, University of Pittsburgh.

Boucher

C.R.

(1984). Pragmatics: The verbal language of learning disabled and nondisabled boys. Learning Disability Quarterly, 7 (3), 271–286.

Brown

(1973). A first language. New York: John Wiley & Sons.

Bruner

(1983). Child's talk. New York: W. W. Norton & Co.

Bryan

(1974). Peer popularity of learning disabled children. Journal of Learning Disabilities, 7, 261–268.

Bryan

T.H.

Bryan

J.H.

(1975). Understanding learning disabilities. Sherman Oaks, CA: Alfred Publishing.

Bryan

Donahue

Pearl

(1981). Learning disabled children's peer interactions during a small-group problem-solving task. Learning Disability Quarterly, 4 (1), 13–22.

Bryen

D.N.

(1982). Inquiries into child language. Boston: Allyn & Bacon.

Chafe

W.L.

(1970). Meaning and the structure of language. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.

10.

Ciani

A.J.

(1974). Syntactic maturity and vocabulary diversity in the oral language of first, second, and third grade school children. Unpublished doctoral dissertation, Indiana University.

11.

Fillmore

(1968). The case for case. In Bach

Harms

(Eds.), Universals in linguistic theory. New York: Holt, Rinehart & Winston.)

12.

Flagg

Soenksen

Schmits

(1979). An analysis of the social communication of LD and non-LD children. Paper presented at the National Association of School Psychologists, San Diego.

13.

Fox

S.E.

(1970). Syntactic maturity and vocabulary diversity in oral language of kindergarten and primary school children. Unpublished doctoral dissertation, Indiana University.

14.

Gleason

J.B.

(1973). Code-switching in children's language. In Moore

T.E.

(Ed.), Cognitive development and the acquisition of language (pp. 159–167). New York: Academic Press.)

15.

Hopper

Naremore

R.C.

(1973). Children's speech: A practical introduction to communication development. New York: Harper & Row.

16.

Keogh

B.K.

Tchir

Windeguth-Behn

(1974). Teachers' perceptions of educationally high-risk children. Journal of Learning Disabilities, 7, 367–374.

17.

Knight-Arest

(1981). Communicative effectiveness of learning disabled and normally achieving 10–13 year old boys. Unpublished doctoral dissertation, New York University.

18.

Lerner

J.W.

(1976). Children with learning disabilities (2nd ed.). Boston: Houghton Mifflin.

19.

Loban

(1963). The language of elementary school children. Champaign, IL: National Council of Teachers of English, Research Report No. 1.

20.

Owen

R.W.

Adams

P.A.

Forrest

Stolz

L.M.

Fisher

(1971). Learning disorders in children: Sibling studies. Monographs of the Society for Research in Child Development, 36, No. 144.

21.

Pearl

Cosden

(1982). Sizing up a situation: LD children's understanding of social interactions. Learning Disability Quarterly, 5, 371–373.

22.

Reid

D.K.

Hresko

W.P.

(1980). A developmental study of the relation between oral language and early reading in learning disabled and normally achieving children. Learning Disability Quarterly, 3, 54–61.

23.

Semel

E.M.

Wiig

E.H.

(1975). Comprehension of syntactic structures and critical verbal elements by children with learning disabilities. Journal of Learning Disabilities, 8, 53–58.

24.

Smith

C.R.

(1983). Learning disabilities. Boston: Little, Brown & Co.

25.

Soenksen

P.A.

Flagg

C.L.

Schmits

D.W.

(1981). Social communication in LD students: A pragmatic analysis. Journal of Learning Disabilities, 14 (5), 283–286.

26.

Strickland

R.G.

(1962). The language of elementary school children: Its relationship to the language of reading textbooks and the quality of reading of selected children. Bulletin of the School of Education, Indiana University, 38(4).

27.

Vogel

S.A.

(1983). A qualitative analysis of morphological ability in learning disabled and achieving children. Journal of Learning Disabilities, 16 (7), 416–420.