Supporting Adjective Learning by Children with DLD: Enhancing Metalinguistic Approaches

Abstract

Background: Adjectives are essential for communication, conceptual development, and academic success. However, they are semantically and syntactically complex and can be particularly challenging for children with Developmental Language Disorder. Surprisingly, language interventions have not typically focused on this important word class.Aims: 1) To provide a supportive and accessible primer on adjectives for practitioners; 2) to explore how the SHAPE CODINGTM system can be adapted to support adjective learning in DLD; and 3) to provide practical recommendations on how to support adjective learning in clinical practice and education.Methods/procedure: We synthesise linguistic and psychological research on adjective semantics, clinical insights into DLD, and pedagogical practice supporting this population.Main contribution: We address the lack of specific training in the nature and acquisition of adjectives for SLTs by providing an accessible primer. We provide an innovative, detailed, and practical guide to adapting an established metalinguistic intervention to support adjective learning. Conclusions/Implications: Without targeted support for adjective learning, the communicative potential of children with DLD is compromised. Our guide can be used across a range of therapeutic and educational contexts to enable SLTs and teaching staff to improve their understanding and practice in this area and, ultimately, to develop robust, effective interventions for children with DLD.

Supporting adjective learning across the curriculum by 5–7 year‐olds: Insights from psychological research

“…Section 4 demonstrates how research can be applied to enhance adjective learning in class across curriculum areas, together with recommended resources to support these ideas. Our work builds on foundations from Ricks and Alt (2016), who proposed to apply theoretical principles and experimental findings from research on adjective learning to support children who struggle with acquiring adjectives (see also Davies et al., in press). We expand this by harnessing the research findings to support a wider range of children starting out in formal education to reach a more sophisticated mastery of adjectives across a range of subjects.…”