The assessment of language in children with learning disabilities, hearing disabilities and in children with a mental retardation A. Desoete, M. Dhondt, M. Schittekatte, W. Kort, & E. Compaan

Introduction A lot of variance between and within individuals on language Within language: ≠ receptive vs. expressive ≠ form vs. content vs processing (working memory) Spec. lang. impair. (SLI) : prevalence 6-9% (Tombin et al.,1997). Comorbidity: 39% LD children has problems with language (Bilthoven et al. (2005), Rejno-Habte Selassie et al.,2005).

Research questions 1.Do children with LD have problems with language related skills? Is LD a language deficit? 2.Is there a homogeneous deficit in LD in all facets: receptive/ expressive, content/form and working memory? → compare with mental retardation → compare with hearing deficit

Method Subjects 42 (18 boys) LD = learning disabilities (23 DL, 15 DC, 4 DL+DC) 24 HD = hearing disabilities (transition & perception deficit) 33 MD = mental retardation: TIQ Instruments CELF-4 NL : 5-18 years/ 16 subtests ‧ receptive & expressive language ‧ The core profiles and 5 index scores (receptive language, expressive language, content index, form index and working memory index)

CELF-4 NL Receptive language index Following instructions Word category : receptive Semantic relationships Answering questions

CELF-4 NL Productive language index  Repetition of sentences  Production of sentences  Word category 2: expressive  Vocabulary  Naming objects

CELF-4 NL Language content index  Following instructions  Definition of words  Word category : Total  Active vocabulary  Text comprehension  Answering questions on an orally presented text

CELF-4 NL Language form index  Repetition of sentences  Production of sentences  Combining words to a sentence

CELF-4 NL Working memory index  Repetition of numbers  Repetition of series  Days, months, counting backwards

CELF-4 NL Speed of Naming

CELF-4 NL Core index: General language Receptive Language Index Expressive Language Index Language content index Language form index Working memory/ Executive funtioning

LD core deficit? Definition of words LD < HD

Receptive language

Expressive language Definition of words LD < HD Below average on word categories: what words go together

Content index Definition of words LD < HD

Form index Grammar, making sentences LD > HD

STM/ Working memory Digitspan forward LD < HD No ≠ digitspan backward No ≠ verbal fluency

Conclusion: LD ≠ language deficit on all aspects Definition of words STM : numbers Rapid naming Comprehension of texts Make sentenses

1.Mental retardation: deficit on all aspects of language 2.LD < Hearing disabilities Definition of words STM/Working memory (numbers) Rapid naming 3.Hearing disabilities < LD Comprehension of texts Building sentenses (grammar) EF?

Limitations Small sample size LD = combination of dyslexia and dyscalculia Language dependent Prevalence dyslexia : 1 % (China, Japan phonologically shallow orthographies) – 5% (Germandy) – 20% (Eng.speaking countries: phonologically deep orthographie) Dutch between phonologically deep and shallow orthographies

Implications What you test is what you get: Selection of test is important (bias!) Test receptive/ expressive, form/ content facets LD = ‘some’ language related prob lems – Important to assess language!

More information Supported by: FEDERATION OF BELGIAN REHABILITATION CENTRES