Children with Down syndrome: Implications of a contextual approach

Abstract

Earlier research on the development of children withDown syndrome is summarized from the standpoint of the developmentd[fJerence debate. While some progress is recognized, it is argued that this research has neglected to theorize the concept of context and has, therefor, to a large extent created a notion of a universal child with Down syndrome. Three such neglected contexts are discussed; (1) the controlled setting, (2) the life context ofthe children, and, (3) culture as a context ofdevelopment. With the point ofdeparture in the criticism of how these contexts have been theorized, it is argued that (1) it is d(fficult to search for specific weaknesses in children with Down syndrome, (2) little is known about what factors in the lifes of these children that are important to development, and, (3) since cultures structure development differently, the development of children with Down syndrome will consequently vary from culture to culture. An outline ofaframeworkfor the study ofthe development ofchildren with Down syndrome is proposed as well as its methodological implications. It is suggested that a partly new way ofspeaking about the development o/children with Down syndrome is needed.

Why ask questions? Contextual effects on grammatical structure in the language production of children with specific language impairment

“…Secondly, there is a need to conceptualize systematically the contexts which mediate language development (see Nilholm, 2001, for a similar argument concerning development in general). There is some evidence of which interactional styles faciliate language development, such as short utterances, salient prosodic features and conversational recasting (Camarata et al, 1994).…”