Significant progress in child language intervention: an 11-year retrospective.
Five language-intervention themes from the 80s—AAC, observational learning, functional talk, self-control, and generalization—remain your go-to checklist today.
01Research in Context
What this study did
The authors looked back at 11 years of child language studies, from 1978 to 1988. They grouped the work into five big themes instead of running new experiments.
What they found
The five themes that kept showing up were: AAC tools, learning by watching others, teaching real-life language use, helping kids control their own talking, and making skills last in new places. These same themes still shape therapy plans today.
How this fits with other research
Koegel et al. (1992) gave an early test to one theme. They showed that naturalistic teaching cut problem behavior and boosted language better than table-top drills.
Giesbers et al. (2020) later ran a full RCT on the same idea. Their brief caregiver-plus-AAC package improved joint attention now and social talk four months later.
Luiselli (2000) picked up the story for autism only. That review added a sixth theme—family teamwork—showing the list keeps growing as we learn more.
Why it matters
You still plan sessions around these five themes. Pick AAC when speech is slow. Teach mands, comments, and questions kids really need. Let them watch peers talk. Build self-monitoring, then practice at recess, home, and the store. The 1991 map still saves you time.
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02At a glance
03Original abstract
This literature review summarizes knowledge gained from 151 articles on child language intervention published between 1978 and 1988. A general theoretical framework for viewing language development is offered as a basis for evaluating progress in the development of language intervention efforts. New developments and issues requiring further investigations are highlighted for five themes that characterize much of the language intervention research in recent years: (1) the development of augmentative and alternative communication systems, (2) the provision of language stimulation to take advantage of observational learning, (3) the teaching of various language functions, (4) the teaching of language as a means of environmental- and self-control, and (5) the study of different types of generalization processes.
Research in developmental disabilities, 1991 · doi:10.1016/0891-4222(91)90035-q