Language development in normal children and in disease - an interactional approach to typical language development and children with language impairment

Abstract

The aim of the present chapter is to give an account of an interactional perspective on language development of typical children as well as of children in disease, more specifically children with language impairment (LI). The chapter presents three important theoretical frameworks for child language development: nativism, connectionism, and interactionism. This is followed by an overview of the commonly accepted stepwise progression in the development of language in children and a presentation of the characteristics and etiology of LI. An interactional perspective is brought to the fore, particularly focusing on aspects of child-adult interaction in everyday and clinical contexts. It is claimed that language acquisition ought to comprise not only features of vocabulary and grammar development but also the subtleties of human social interaction. It is argued that to become and be perceived as a competent participant in social interaction requires the development of interactional skills such as learning and adapting to turn-taking patterns, acquiring an interactional behavior adequate for specific social activities, and participation frameworks. The opportunities for doing so are often more limited for children with LI than for children with typical language development, which in turn may have a negative effect on the developmental potential in children with LI.