Assessing Prelinguistic Communication in Children with Developmental Delay: Effects of Contextual Structure

Abstract

This study compared the prelinguistic communicative behaviors of a boy with developmental delay (aged three years and three months) during structured and low structured interactions with his teacher. Using a videotaped analysis procedure developed by Tait and Wood (1987) four variables (eye contact to the speaker, eye contact to the referent, initiation and turntaking) were investigated. The analysis showed that, in the low structured condition, there was a greater degree of engagement, as measured by increased eye contact overall. More particularly, in this condition there was a greater percentage of eye contact to the referent. In addition to this, the participant took a greater percentage of the conversational turns offered to him by the adult in the low structured condition, although there was no difference between the types of turns taken (vocal, gestural and eye contact). The implications of these results for assessment and intervention are discussed.