ASHA members who work in schools see children with developmental language disorder (DLD) almost every day. However, the vast majority of research done on DLD doesn’t discuss treatment, leaving clinicians to find their own solutions.

The latest forum in AJSLP addresses this research gap head-on, as experts provide their recommendations for best practices when treating children with DLD. Learn more about the forum, compiled by Guest Editors James W. Montgomery and Ronald B. Gillam, below.

Teaching Vocabulary

The forum opens with an introduction by the guest editors, where they explain the goals of the forum and let readers know what to expect in each article. Three articles in the forum highlight ways to teach vocabulary to children with DLD.

First, Gordon and colleagues share the results of a pilot study for a retrieval- and criterion-based word learning intervention that was largely effective. Later in the forum, Bedore et al. highlight a Spanish-language intervention that helped bilingual students who have increased likelihood of DLD develop a connection between language and literacy. Next, Camerata and colleagues show how clinicians can implement elements of naturalistic–developmental–behavioral interventions when working with students who have DLD.

Grammar and Syntactic Deficits in DLD

Finestack et al. focus on facilitating grammar development in children with DLD, condensing their findings into five evidence-based principles that clinicians can use. Elsewhere in the forum, Leonard and colleagues also highlight grammar issues, suggesting sources for the verb tense and agreement difficulties often observed in children with DLD.

Balthazar and Scott argue that clinicians should be targeting comprehension and production of complex sentences in real-life academic contexts when working with children with DLD. Next, Montgomery et al. suggest that a syntactic priming activity can enhance children’s syntactic knowledge—including sentence comprehension and production.

Later in the forum, Wang and colleagues highlight a program designed to prepare student clinicians to provide recast therapy targeting complex syntax. The forum ends with a tutorial from Ukrainetz that introduces speech-language pathologists (SLPs) to expository intervention and that guides SLPs on how to adopt these intervention techniques in the clinic.

Empowering Children With DLD

In their introduction, Montgomery and Gillam write “[a]s SLPs, we need to empower children with DLD to overcome linguistic challenges, achieve academic success, and unlock their full potential,” (Montgomery & Gillam, 2024, p. 528). With the resources in this forum, we hope you can do just that.

We’d like to thank Drs. Montgomery and Gillam, as well as all of the authors and reviewers, for their work bringing this forum to ASHA’s SLPs. You can hear more about the forum in their own words under the Related Videos heading.

We hope that it can help you provide the best care possible for children with DLD. You can read the entire forum in the latest issue of AJSLP, or explore the individual articles below!

Related Videos

Explore the Forum

Balthazar, C. H., & Scott, C. M. (2024). Sentences are key: Helping school-age children and adolescents build sentence skills needed for real language. American Journal of Speech-Language Pathology, 33(2), 564–579. https://doi.org/10.1044/2023_AJSLP-23-00038

Bedore, L. M., Peña, E. D., Shivabasappa, P., Perez, C., Vargas, A. G., Leachman, M., & Wang, J. (2024). An exploration of the nature of vocabulary change following language and literacy together intervention. American Journal of Speech-Language Pathology, 33(2), 611–626. https://doi.org/10.1044/2023_AJSLP-23-00042

Camarata, S., Stiles, S., & Birer, S. (2024). Naturalistic developmental behavioral interventions for developmental language disorder. American Journal of Speech-Language Pathology, 33(2), 627–641. https://doi.org/10.1044/2023_AJSLP-23-00116

Finestack, L. H., Ancel, E., Lee, H., Kuchler, K., & Kornelis, M. (2024). Five additional evidence-based principles to facilitate grammar development for children with developmental language disorder. American Journal of Speech-Language Pathology, 33(2), 552–563. https://doi.org/10.1044/2023_AJSLP-23-00049

Gordon, K. R., Storkel, H. L., Lowry, S. L., & Sultani, M. J. (2024). A word-learning intervention pilot study utilizing principles of retrieval- and criterion-based learning for children with developmental language disorder. American Journal of Speech-Language Pathology, 33(2), 530–551. https://doi.org/10.1044/2023_AJSLP-23-00037

Leonard, L. B., Deevy, P., Bredin-Oja, S. L., & Schroeder, M. L. (2024). Sources of misinterpretation in the input and their implications for language intervention with English-speaking children. American Journal of Speech-Language Pathology, 33(2), 598–610. https://doi.org/10.1044/2023_AJSLP-23-00016

Montgomery, J. W., & Gillam, R. B. (2024). Introduction to the forum: Intervention with children with developmental language disorder. American Journal of Speech-Language Pathology, 33(2), 527–529. https://doi.org/10.1044/2024_AJSLP-24-00046

Montgomery, J. W., Gillam, R. B., & Plante, E. (2024). Enhancing syntactic knowledge in school-age children with developmental language disorder: The promise of syntactic priming. American Journal of Speech-Language Pathology, 33(2), 580–597. https://doi.org/10.1044/2023_AJSLP-23-00079

Ukrainetz, T. A. (2024). Evidence-based expository intervention: A tutorial for speech-language pathologists. American Journal of Speech-Language Pathology, 33(2), 654–675. https://doi.org/10.1044/2023_AJSLP-23-00036

Wang, D., Curran, M., McGregor, K., & Owen Van Horne, A. (2024). Preparing student clinicians to provide recast therapy on complement clauses: A training program. American Journal of Speech-Language Pathology, 33(2), 642–653. https://doi.org/10.1044/2023_AJSLP-23-00244