Quantity and quality of parental language input to late-talking toddlers during play

Abstract

This study compared the language behaviours of parents of toddlers with language delay (LD) and language ofparents of typically developing toddlers (LN). Results indicate that parents of children with a language delay and children with normal language produced comparable amounts of linguistic input, but differed on some qualitative measures. Parents of children with normal language used more responses, expansions and self-directed speech than parents of toddlers with language delay. Parents may adjust their conversational style to the communicative ability of their children. These results reinforce language behaviours taught in parent training programmes.