Specific Language Impairment Research Group

- Contents -

• SLI
• People
• Current Projects
• Funding
• Contact
  

Specific Language Impairment (SLI)

There are many definitions of SLI in the literature. SLI is not a homogenous disorder but a term currently used to describe children with a range of profiles, all of which include marked language difficulties in the context of normal cognitive abilities (Botting and Conti-Ramsden, 2004). Some definitions are based on exclusion criteria e.g. children with SLIs are diagnosed as exhibiting a significant deficit in the production and/or comprehension of language that cannot be explained by general cognitive impairment, sensorimotor deficits, frank neurological disorder, psychiatric diagnosis, or a lack of exposure to language (Leonard, 1998; Wood, 2001). Other definitions of SLI are based on inclusion criteria. Lees and Urwin (1997) define SLI as a language profile which, although it may be associated with a history of hearing, learning, environmental and emotional difficulties, cannot be attributed to any of these alone, or even just the sum of these effects, and in which one or more of the following is also seen

• a close family history of specific language difficulty
• evidence of cerebral dysfunction
• mismatch between various subsystems of language in relation to other aspects of cognitive development
• a failure to catch up these differences with generalised language help

However, SLI has also been described as a hidden disability which can have an adverse effect on the child’s life (Ripley, Barrett and Fleming, 2001).

The development of language competency is arguably the cornerstone for a child’s ability to access the curriculum and develop their social competence (Lindsay and Dockrell, 2000). In addition to linguistic impairments, children with SLI have been reported to experience concurrent difficulties in the areas of academic, social and behavioural development. Because children with SLI frequently encounter difficulties with academic and social tasks, the development of self esteem could be particularly important in enabling these children to regulate their behaviour and to persevere in the face of challenging tasks (Jerome, Fujiki, Brinton and James, 2002).

Some recent studies have shown that SLI can have long-term implications (Johnson, Beitchman, Young, Escobar, Atkinson, Wilson, Brownlie, Douglas, Taback, Lam and Wang, 1999; Stothard, Snowling, Bishop, Chipchase & Kaplan, 1998; Clegg, Hollis, Mawhood and Rutter, 2005).

References

• Botting, N., and Conti-Ramsden, G. (2004). Characteristics of children with specific language impairment. In Verhoeven, L. and van Balkom, H. (2004) (Eds.) Classification of Developmental Language Disorders – Theoretical Issues and Clinical Implications. London: Erlbaum Associates.
  
  
• Clegg, J., Hollis, C., Mawhood, L. and Rutter, M. (2005). Developmental language disorders – a follow-up in later adult life. Cognitive, language and psychosocial outcomes. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, Vol. 46, Issue 2, 128-149.
  
  
• Jerome, A., Fujiki, M. Brinton, B. and James, S. (2002). Self-esteem in children with specific language impairment. Journal of Speech, Language and Hearing Research, Vol. 45, 700-714.
  
  
• Johnson, C, Beitchman, J., Young, A., Escobar, M., Atkinson, L. Wilson, B., Brownlie, E., Douglas, L., Taback, N. Lam, I. & Wang, M. (1999). Fourteen-year follow-up of children with and without speech/language impairments: speech/language stability and outcomes. Journal of Speech, Language and Hearing Research, Vol. 42, 744-760.
  
  
• Lees, J. and Urwin, S. (1997). Children with Language Disorders. London: Whurr Publishers.
  
  
• Leonard, L. (1998). Children with Specific Language Disorders. London: MIT Press.
  
  
• Lindsay, G. & Dockrell, J. (2000). The behaviour and self-esteem of children with specific speech and language difficulties. British Journal of Educational Psychology, Vol. 70, 583-601.
  
  
• Ripley, K., Barrett, J., and Fleming, P. (2001). Inclusion for Children with Speech and Language Impairments: Accessing the Curriculum and Promoting Personal and Social Development. London: David Fulton Publishers.
  
  
• Stothard, S., Snowling, M., Bishop, D., Chipchase, B. & Kaplan, C. (1998). Language-impaired preschoolers: a follow-up into adolescence. Journal of Speech, Language and Hearing Research, Vol. 41, 407-418.
  
  
• Wood, J. (2001). Working with children with language delay and specific language impairment (SLI). In Kersner, J. & Wright, M. (Eds). Speech and Language Therapy: The Decision Making Process When Working with Children. London: Fulton Publishers.

People

Name	Position	Department	E-mail
Rena Lyons	Senior Lecturer	Speech & Language Therapy
Dr. Stanislava Antonijevic Elliott	Lecturer	Speech & Language Therapy
Dr. Mark Elliott	Senior Lecturer	Psychology
Dr. Ian Stewart	Lecturer	Psychology
Ms. Caitriona Martyn	Doctoral Student	Psychology

Current Projects

Voice Onset Time and Phonological Processing in Reading Impaired Children

Researchers

Dr. Mark Elliott, Dr. Ian Stewart & Ms. Caitriona Martyn

Source of Funding

Embark Initiative (IRCSET)

Aims

This doctoral research aims to use experimental methods to investigate the relationship between phoneme detection, speech perception and reading ability in children with SLI. This will be achieved by varying key elements of elementary phonemes, notably the voice onset time (VOT). VOT denotes the time interval between the release of the consonant sound and the onset of the rhythmic vocal cord vibrations (voicing). Language problems may arise if the timing of VOTs is not precisely represented by the listener and in order to examine this hypothesis, synthesised VOTs will be varied in order to identify the optimal VOT for language impaired subjects. This research will then examine the overall contribution modified VOTs make to reading and speech performance. This aspect of the research aims to explore the value of artificial VOT adjustment in training corpora as a prospective remedy for impaired phonemic analysis. The research will commence with the administration of general tests of language and cognitive ability to children with SLI in the west of Ireland with a view to profiling the subgroups which exist under the umbrella term SLI.

The group is affiliated to the Applied Clinical Neurosciences Group of the National Centre for Biomedical Engineering Sciences.

Funding

• Millennium Funding (NUIG) - Rena Lyons
• Millennium Funding (NUIG) - Dr. Stanislava Antonijevic
• Embark Initiative (IRCSET) - Ms. Caitriona Martyn

Contact

Rena Lyons
Director, Department of Speech and Language Therapy
National University of Ireland, Galway
Ireland
Tel. +353-(0)91-492918
e-mail

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