Language Disorders

Definition

Difficulty understanding/interpreting what one hears or reads

Observable Behavior

• Poor vocabulary and/or written language
• Difficulty with idiomatic language and double meaning of words, learning meaning of new words
• Very concrete thinker (i.e., literal interpretation of literature, etc.)
• Difficulty with abstractions, generalizations
• Difficulty with following events in a novel, seeing cause and effect
• Difficulty with subtleties of language (i.e. humor)
• When talking, difficulty organizing materials, flow of ideas poor or disjointed
• Does better on multiple choice test, poor on essay exams, needs extra time
• Difficulty with classification and categorization

Strategies for Success

• Use dictionary constantly; check confusion with another student
• Be careful in selection of courses; preview text before signing up for class
• Try studying with other members of the class
• Do several rough drafts
• Use a pre-reading routine for text reading
• Create concept maps of the material to be learned
• Use word processor with “spell check” software
• Use a tutor to review assignments with you