Poor Language Skills Research Articles

Working Memory, Attention Skills, and Language Proficiency in Children with Unilateral and Bilateral Cochlear Implants.

Previous studies observed that children with cochlear implants (CIs) have poor language, working memory, and attention skills. The ability to perform cognitive tasks, such as attention and memory, plays a crucial role in the academic achievement and everyday life of children with hearing impairment. This study aimed to evaluate and compare the effects of age at the time of implantation and bilateral hearing on cognitive skills, such as language development, working memory, and selective attention, among children with CIs. Language skills were assessed using the Test of Language Development-Primary: Fourth Edition (TOLD-P:4), working memory using the Visual-Aural Digit Span Test-Revised Form (VADS-R), and selective attention skills using the Stroop Test TBAG Form. A total of 58 participants, comprised of 21 children with early unilateral CIs (before 2 years), 18 children with late unilateral CIs (after 2 years), and 19 children with bilateral CIs, between the ages of 6 and 9 years, were included in the study. According to the age at the time of implantation and whether or not the participant was unilaterally or bilaterally implanted, the mean scores, percentage values, and resultant scores of the participants were calculated using the Mann-Whitney U test. The number of repeated backward digit spans for the VADS-R test, completion times, number of errors and corrections for the Stroop test, raw scores, scaled scores corresponding to raw scores at the relevant age, descriptive terms for the TOLD-P:4 test, and within-group comparisons for all tests were examined. There were significant differences in language, working memory, and attention skills between individuals with early and late unilateral cochlear implantation, whereas there were no significant differences in many subtests between individuals with early unilateral and bilateral cochlear implantation. These findings demonstrate the importance of early cochlear implantation and bilateral hearing on the development of cognitive processes, such as language development, selective attention, and memory skills, which are important factors that may contribute to children's academic performance and overall success.

Principals And 21st Century Leadership Challenges: A Phenemenological Study

This purpose of this paper is to share the findings of a study which was conducted to figure out the views of principals of Teacher Training Institutions (TTIs) about existing leadership practices that are aligned with the needs and demands of 21st century requirements. The study also explored challenges that Principals encounter in making their institutes according to the vision of 21st century. The study was qualitative in nature and within this paradigm a phenomenological approached was used to collect data from the principals of public sector Teacher Training Institutions (TTIs). At present 27 TTIs are working in different cities of Sindh. Ten Principals of TTIs, 5 males and 5 females were selected using purposive sampling techniques. For data collection individual interviews were conducted. Thematic approach was used for data analyses. The themes emerged were personal challenges and institutional challenges. The findings of the study suggested that principals encounter personal and institutional challenges that are hurdle for them to meet the requirements of 21st century. These challenges included lack of facilities and resources such as internet facility, frequent break downs of electricity, absence of working computers and Science labs. Other challenges included teacher educators’ poor English language skills, low capacity in using ICT tools and low personal commitment. The study recommends to develop the capacity of principals and teacher educators in educational technology and educational research. The study also recommends to renovate computer and science labs of TTIs.

‘Saviours’, ‘Business Partners’, or ‘Snobs’? How Jewish Inmates Perceived and Interacted with British Prisoners of War in the Nazi Camp Complex Blechhammer (Upper Silesia)

Between 1942 and 1945, Jewish inmates of a forced labour camp and later Auschwitz subcamp at Blechhammer (Blachownia Slaska, Upper Silesia) worked alongside British prisoners of war on the construction site of a giant synthetic fuel facility, the Oberschlesische Hydrierwerke. This paper examines the multifaceted forms of interaction between these two groups, who were situated at the opposite ends of a spectrum ranging from high survival rates to certain death. By reframing the Jewish inmates’ perceptions of the POWs, it seeks to shed new light on a controversial debate on the nature of the relationship between them and the British prisoners. The paper argues that important aspects have been missing from this debate, as the Jewish inmates were not sufficiently represented and not viewed as active protagonists. The relations between Jews and British POWs were not one-sided, but rather interdependent in complex ways. Both groups used these contacts to gain strategic information on the war and jointly contributed to the Allied resistance effort. The barter with British POWs played a crucial role in the collective and individual survival strategies of Jewish inmates, whereas the British increasingly depended on the Jewish inmates to procure basic foods, when German rations ceased to be allocated. An analysis of the effects of British aid-giving showed that the actual impact on the physical survival of the emaciated inmates was negligible. However, these gifts were commonly interpreted as humanitarian gestures by both sides. Altogether, the British were encouraging symbols of resistance against the Nazi regime in the eyes of the inmates. Negative experiences were rarely corroborated and were often linked to poor English language skills, or a stronger identification with other nationalities.

Survey of IP-based air-to-ground data link communication technologies

The main purpose of an air traffic management system is to provide air traffic services to an aircraft moving within the controlled airspace. Very high frequency (VHF) radio in continental regions, as well as high frequency (HF) radio and satellite communications in remote areas, are used today as the primary way of delivering air traffic services. The technical limitations and constraints associated with the current technology, such as line-of-sight requirement, vulnerability to interference, and limited coverage, cause degraded voice quality and discontinuity in service. At the same time, voice-based communication may affect flight safety due to poor language skills, call sign confusion, and failure to use standard phraseology. For this reason, text-based communication over a VHF data link (VDL) has been proposed as an alternative. However, it is predicted that VDL will be insufficient to support increasing air traffic and intensive data exchanges due to its lack of mobility support and limited resources to ensure service continuity. This paper surveys next-generation data link technologies based on the current state of the "industry standard" for aeronautical communication. These include Aeronautical Mobile Airport Communication System (AeroMACS), L-band Digital Aeronautical Communications System (LDACS), and Airborne New Advanced Satellite Techniques & Technologies in a System Integrated Approach (ANASTASIA). The paper also surveys IP-based text communication solutions over these next-generation data links. We analyze the efficiency of the proposed solutions with regard to service continuity and aeronautical application requirements. We conclude the survey by identifying open problems and future trends.

Difficulties Faced by Undergraduate Students in English Public Speaking at a Malaysian University

The ability to speak English in public with confidence is essential for university students; both for their studies and employment purposes after graduation. Nowadays, employers seek staff who can speak English confidently. This study, therefore, aims to explore difficulties and factors that hinder effective public speaking among undergraduate students at a Malaysian university. The study employed a qualitative method through face-to-face semi-structured interviews and gathered data from a purposive sample of 44 undergraduate students. The interview data were analyzed using an inductive-thematic analysis: identifying natural units of meaning, labeling, categorizing, and organizing them, constructing narratives, and interpreting the findings. The findings showed that undergraduate students face various difficulties concerning English public speaking due to poor language skills in terms of grammar, vocabulary, pronunciation, and fluency. Additionally, the findings revealed several factors that hinder public effective speaking among students, including dislike for English, nervousness, low self-esteem, lack of confidence, shyness, eye contact, gender differences as well as lack of idea, practice, and audience attention. These difficulties may result in students having a high level of anxiety during public speaking. This study offers valuable insights to educators in overcoming English speaking difficulties among undergraduates to enhance learning outcomes.

Coverage of English syllabus in secondary schools in Kenya: A comparative study in Nairobi City County, Kenya

Education delivers large, consistent returns in terms of income, and is the most important factor to ensure equality of opportunities. Having education in an area helps people think, feel, and behave in a way that contributes to their success, and improves not only their personal satisfaction but also their community. Worldwide, the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), in particular SDG4 calls for access to quality education and lifelong learning opportunities for all by 2030. A Syllabus is an important tool in a bid to acquire quality education. Firstly, it delineates the responsibilities of students and the instructors. It offers information about what should be discussed, what students are supposed to do, and how these results are evaluated. In the Kenyan Education system, all the learning processes depends crucially upon the mastery of the fundamental skills of English Language, which is vital not only for educational purpose but also for economic competitiveness. The government of Kenya has come up with policies that ensure that at the end of secondary school, students are able to communicate competitively using the English language. However, there has been a worrying concern from both employers and educationists that the employees and graduates, respectively, have poor English language skills. The aim of this study was to establish the existing gaps between stated government policies on the syllabus coverage in teaching of English in secondary schools in Kenya on one hand and on the other the actual school practices during the implementation of these policies. This study was based on structural functionalism theory by Durkheim. It adopted descriptive research design which was carried out in public secondary schools in Nairobi County. The study had a target population of 480 from 60 Schools which included: the heads of English department and teachers of English. The study employed purposive sampling where the schools’ Heads of English Department (HODs) and teachers of English were purposively sampled into 62 respondents composed of 8 HODs and 56 teachers. Questionnaires and observation checklists were used to collect data. The qualitative data was grouped into different categories depending on the responses given by the respondents. Those categories helped in establishing themes. Through the use of the statistical package for social sciences (SPSS) program, quantitative data was analyzed using descriptive statistics percentages, frequencies, and tables where appropriate. The Key finding in this study was that all the government policies on coverage of syllabus during teaching of English were not being fully implemented as required. The study recommended that teachers of English access regular professional development programs to enhance their teaching and acquire skills to enable them overcome some of the challenges they were facing during the coverage of the English syllabus during teaching; The Kenya National Examination council (KNEC) is to come up with an oral exam and a listening exam to help students achieve communication competence in English.

The unanticipated side effects of an attachment intervention: Parents ask higher quality questions.

Research suggests foster children are at risk for poor language skills. One intervention, attachment and biobehavioral catch-up (ABC), was shown to successfully improve not only young foster children's attachment to their parents, but also their receptive vocabulary skills (Bernard et al., 2017; Raby et al., 2019). Given that language acquisition is intricately linked to parents' sensitive interactions with their children, we ask whether the ABC intervention also improves the quality of parents' talk addressed to children. We test whether the ABC intervention results in more conversational turns between parents and their children. Crucially, we also look within these conversational turns, assessing the number and types of questions that parents ask children. Results suggest that parents who received the ABC intervention do not have more conversational turns or ask higher numbers of questions, compared to parents who received the control intervention. Rather, parents in the ABC group ask a higher proportion of child-led and restatement questions, and a lower proportion of parent-led and pedagogical questions, compared to the control. Additionally, the higher proportion of child-led questions were related to higher parental sensitivity scores. Together, these results suggest that an intervention originally designed to improve children's socioemotional outcomes had positive benefits for the quality of conversations between parents and children. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

Cause for Concern? The Relationship Between Language Skills in Toddlers and Later Reading Skills in School

AbstractThe purpose of this longitudinal study is to investigate the association between poor language skills in toddlers and later reading skills. In contrast to earlier research, the present study used an authentic assessment of language skills conducted by staff in early childhood education and care as a tool for early identification. The participants were 515 Norwegian monolingual toddlers who were assessed when they were 33 months, 7 years, and 10 years. The results showed a small correlation between language skills identified at 33 months and later reading skills. The toddlers with the 10% poorest language skills were overrepresented in the 10% with the poorest decoding skills in 2nd grade and reading comprehension in 5th grade. Furthermore, 67.3% of toddlers with poor language skills attained below-average reading scores in 5th grade. These findings support the importance of paying attention to children in the lowest 10%, even at the age of 33 months. Furthermore, the results show that authentic assessments in the early years conducted by staff in early childhood education and care can make an important contribution to identifying toddlers in need of extra language stimulation in early childhood education.

Challenges Experienced by EFL Learners in the Context of the ESP Course at Qassim University, Saudi Arabia

This study summarizes difficulties associated with studying a course entitled "English Language 01, with a university code (ENG 101) as a general university requirement course for non-specialist students taught to various departments at Qassim University. ENG 101, is a university preparatory course with an overall objective that goes beyond improving student English language skills, which remained a challenge for some students. Despite the clarity of its objectives, achieving these goals is difficult for some students, especially those who joined colleges with poor language skills. Thus, their problems go back to previous stages where traditional teaching methods were prevalent. Concerning data collection required for investigating problems associated with the present study, the researchers used a qualitative data collection technique that involves gathering and processing numerical data to conduct statistical analysis. Data analysis showed several significant findings, writing and listening respectively emerge as the most formidable talent, as evidenced by a great number of "Not Good At" responses, with the majority of participants experiencing difficulty with these two essential skills.

The effectiveness of language nursing intervention on mental health in children with poor language skills.

Mental health issues in adulthood often start in childhood, so it's important to identify these issues early and find ways to manage them. To our knowledge, no study was found that evaluated the long-term effects of language nursing intervention on mental health in children with poor language skills. This study, therefore, aimed to evaluate the long-term impact of a language nursing intervention on the mental health of children with poor language skills. We estimated poor language skills prevalence in 3-4-year-old children who were planning to enter kindergartens in Hunan, China. After selecting these children, we divided them into two experimental and control groups. The experimental group received a nursing intervention related to language skills for eight months. After eight months, the language skills of both groups were re-evaluated. Then, in the follow-up evaluation, the mental health of these children was evaluated at the ages of 9-10 years. Univariate and multivariate regression models adjusted with sampling weights were used to estimate the correlation of mental health and risk factors. The language skills of the experimental group increased significantly compared to before the protocol (from 87.4±10.87 to 98.08±7.13; p = 0.001). At the end of the eight-month nursing intervention, the language skills of the experimental group were significantly higher than the control group (98.08±7.13 in experimental group and 87.51±9.59 in control group; p = 0.001). In multivariate analysis, single-parent family and not participating in the nursing protocol related to language skills at the age of 3-4 years were related to high symptoms of depression, anxiety and stress symptoms (single-parent family: for depression symptoms, OR = 1.28, 95% CI = 0.88-1.42; for stress symptoms, OR = 1.31, 95% CI = 0.79-2.74 and for anxiety symptoms, OR = 1.42, 95% CI = 0.97-2.44; not participating in the nursing protocol related to language skills at the age of 3-4 years: for depression symptoms, OR = 2.98, 95% CI = 1.80-5.19; for stress symptoms, OR = 1.88, 95% CI = 1.23-2.01 and for anxiety symptoms, OR = 2.67, 95% CI = 1.51-3.77; p<0.05). The current study showed the effectiveness of this intervention on both language skills and mental health of children with poor language skills.

Assessing Intelligence in Deaf and Hard of Hearing: A Narrative Review

Abstract People with deafness or hard of hearing (DHH) are mistaken to be less intelligent, due to their poor spoken language skills. In the past, the expression “deaf-and-dumb” denoted that there was no difference between mentally challenged people and those who are deaf. This false impression was caused by earlier verbally heavy intelligence quotient tests, which were later fully corrected or fixed with the invention and usage of a large number of nonverbal or performance-based intelligence tests. This narrative review, which is based on secondary sources including 76 published studies in indexed journals, textbooks, book chapters, and doctoral dissertations that can be accessed online, is solely concerned with a systematic compilation of tools or tests for measuring intelligence in people who are DHH. This compilation, created following PRISMA principles, is presented and discussed in terms of themes, timelines, and format of the publications along with their implications for contemporary clinical practice and directions for future research.

Evaluating Parents' Concerns, Needs, and Levels of Satisfaction with the Services Provided for ASD Children in Saudi Arabia.

Supporting children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and their parents is vital in improving their children's abilities and their parents' ability to care for them. Thus, parents' perceptions of and levels of satisfaction with the services provided for their children must be assessed. This study aimed to understand parents' perceptions of and satisfaction with the speech-language services (SLS) provided for ASD children in different health facilities in Saudi Arabia. This cross-sectional study included 109 parents of ASD children. The survey included five sections dealing with (1) general information about the child; (2) assessment of the child's ASD characteristics (including their age when diagnosed, when they first noticed symptoms, and their speech, language, and communication abilities); (3) the reasons for enrollment in SLS sessions; (4) questions about SLS; and (5) parents' perceptions of SLS, satisfaction with the service, descriptions of their children's progress, and the respect and support they received. Parents' satisfaction levels were significantly higher when they had easy access to SLS, sufficient information and support, proper training in applying therapy exercises at home, and perceived respect and support from speech and language pathologists (SLPs). The reasons for discontinuing SLS included high session costs, the need for initial behavioral sessions, the lack of qualified SLPs, the end of the sessions, the lack of improvement, the nonavailability of specialized centers, and parents' dependence on home training only. They also sought opportunities for work and education, continuous and intensive SLS sessions, reduced costs, centers for adults with ASD, and accessible schools. Parents' main concerns were their children's poor speech and language skills, independence, and social acceptance. The study highlighted the importance of understanding parents' experiences with SLS, identifying the factors that enhance SLS use by ASD children, and improving parents' satisfaction with such services.

Factors Affecting Completion of Graduate Studies in Public Universities: A Case Study of University of Kabianga, Kenya

The study examined the factors affecting completion of graduate studies in public universities in Kenya. Stakeholders have been in dilemma on what really contributes to graduate students graduating after stipulated programme time. This study therefore sought to determine the factors affecting completion of graduate studies in public universities a case study of University of Kabianga, Kenya. Specifically it examined student, supervisor and institutional factors role in completion of graduate studies. The study findings are very important in informing and suggesting actions to address the delays. The study used descriptive research design. The target population was 303 and a sample of 33% was randomly selected to respond to questionnaires. A total of 100 questionnaires were distributed but 64 questionnaires were returned comprising a response rate of about 64% which is an acceptable rate and was therefore considered adequate to carry out the analysis and make conclusions. Descriptive statistics in form of frequencies, percentages, means and standard deviation was used to analyze the data and results presented in tables. The study established that financial constraints, job related assignment and duties, students’ own commitment, academic and research environment, lack of motivation, post-marriage domestic responsibilities, poor guidance in topic selection, inability to use modern tools of communication, imposing of research topics by supervisors, lack of preparation and poor language skills affect postgraduate students completion of their studies on time. The recommendation of the study is for the students, supervisors and institution to address the challenges identified in order to improve graduate studies completion on stipulated programme time.

Teaching of English Language Expressive Skills and Communicative Competence. A comparative Study of Secondary Schools in Nairobi City County, Kenya.

Language is important for communication to take place. In order for different countries in the world to communicate, there is a need for a common language. One of the internationally accepted languages of communication is English. Thus, the government of Kenya has come up with policies that ensure that at the end of secondary school, students are able to communicate competitively using the English language. However, there has been a worrying concern from both employers and educationists that the employees and graduates, respectively, have poor English language skills. The aim of this study was to establish the existing gaps between stated government policies on the teaching of English in secondary schools in Kenya on one hand and on the other the actual school practices during the implementation of these policies. This study was based on structural functionalism theory by Durkheim. It adopteddescriptive research design which was carried out in public secondary schools in Nairobi County. The study had a target population of 480 from 60 Schools which included: the heads of English department and teachers of English. The study employed purposive sampling where the schools’ Heads of English Department (HODs) and teachers of English were purposively sampled into 62 respondents composed of 8 HODs and 56 teachers. Questionnaires and observation checklists were used to collect data. To assess the validity of instruments, the results of the pilot study conducted were analyzed and used to modify and remove ambiguous items on the instruments used in the study. Its reliability was established using the test-retest method. Data was analyzed both qualitatively and quantitatively. The qualitative data was grouped into different categories depending on the responses given by the respondents. Those categories helped in establishing themes. Through the use of the statistical package for social sciences (SPSS) program, quantitative data was analyzed using descriptive statistics percentages, frequencies, and tables where appropriate. The Key finding in this study was that all the government policies on teaching of English were not being fully implemented as required. The study recommended: that teachers of English access regular professional development programs to enhance their teaching and acquire skills to enable them overcome some of the challenges they were facing during teaching; The Kenya National Examination council (KNEC) to come up with an oral exam and a listening exam to help students achieve communication competence in English.

TEACHERS’ PERCEPTION ON THE IMPACT OF USING FIRST LANGUAGE TOWARDS ENGLISH CLASSROOM

The investigation of teachers' viewpoints on non-native English-speaking students is the main topic of this study. Nevertheless, there is still uncertainty regarding the efficacy of implementing first language instruction in English classrooms. The purpose of this study is to better understand the viewpoints of instructors on the usage of native tongues in English classrooms. The research methodology included qualitative data collection, with the objective of acquiring a broad spectrum of information. The English teachers at Santi Witya Serong School in South Thailand are the study's participants. The findings shows that teacher was sometimes using Thai language as an instruction in English classroom but most of the instruction is on English as their targeted language. The results demonstrate that teachers noted that first language implementation increased students' desire to learn English, gave them a chance to better understand challenging concepts in the language, and inspired them to ask bold questions that clarify linguistic elements. In an English-speaking classroom, student interaction and communication can become quite difficult, particularly when there is a tendency for the students to have poor English language skills. Using the first language in the target language classroom can increase students' enthusiasm and eagerness to study regardless of their background level and can be seen as a sign of respect for those who still require help learning English. It is noteworthy that although having a classroom where all of the language used is English is good for the students, it is also vital to pay attention to the state of the students.

Abstract 18334: Altered in-vivo Placental Microstructure Predicts Adverse Neurodevelopmental Outcomes in Toddlers With Congenital Heart Disease

Introduction: Pregnancies complicated by fetal congenital heart disease (CHD) are at risk for disrupted placenta function; placental insufficiency, in turn, is a risk factor that may adversely impact offspring neurodevelopment. However, the relationship between altered in-vivo placenta function and infant neurobehavioral outcomes in CHD is unknown. Hypothesis: We hypothesized that altered in-vivo placenta microstructural diffusion in CHD would be associated with impaired infant neurodevelopment. Methods: We prospectively recruited women with pregnancies complicated by CHD diagnosis and low-risk pregnancies. Women underwent an MRI on a GE 1.5T scanner at 20-39 gestational weeks. T2w sequence and pulsed gradient spin echo were acquired for placenta volume and diffusion kurtosis measures. Bayley-III and Infant-Toddler Social and Emotional Assessment were completed at around 18 months. Generalized estimating equation was used to examine the association between placenta measures and infant outcomes, adjusting for potential confounders. Results: We enrolled 236 mother/baby dyads (111 CHD; 125 controls) who underwent 394 MRIs (175 CHD; 219 controls). Forty-seven had single-ventricle (SV) CHD and 64 had two-ventricle (2V) CHD. In CHD, 32 subjects died, and 71 infants had neurodevelopment testing at a mean age of 20 months. Placenta diffusion coefficient (dki_d), reflecting tissue cellularity, was higher in CHD vs controls (p=0.009). In CHD, placenta diffusional kurtosis (dki_k), reflecting tissue heterogeneity, was lower in neonates who died pre-operatively vs those who survived (p=0.05). Compared to 2V CHD, pregnancies with SV fetuses had lower placenta dki_k and trending higher placenta dki_d. In CHD, higher placenta dki_d was associated with poorer language skills (p=0.05) while lower placenta dki_k was associated with higher behavioral dysregulation (p=0.03). Conclusions: We report for the first time disturbances in placenta microstructural diffusion in CHD. We also demonstrate that altered placenta diffusion was associated with impaired language and behavioral dysregulation in CHD toddlers. These data suggest that altered placenta microstructure may be an important biomarker for later neurodevelopmental dysfunction in CHD.

White matter abnormalities mediate the association between masticatory dysfunction and cognition among older adults.

Masticatory parameters, such as reduced number of teeth and posterior contacts, have been shown to be associated with reduced cognitive status. The underlying mechanisms that affect these associations, are however, not well understood. The study aims to investigate the association between masticatory dysfunction and cognition and explore the mediating effect of brain structure. In this cross-sectional study, 45 older adults with subjective masticatory dysfunction (mean age 72.3 ± 4.0 years) were included. Mini-Mental State Examination score <25, brain trauma, neurological disease, neurodegenerative disorders, depression or poor Swedish language skills were criteria for exclusion. Cognitive functions (executive function and episodic memory) and masticatory dysfunction defined by functional occluding status (FOS; the number of occluding units and number of remaining teeth) were analysed with partial correlation models. Structural magnetic resonance imaging was performed on 28 feasible participants. Multiple regression analyses were performed to evaluate the predictive value of brain structure and white matter hypointensities (WM-hypo) on cognitive functions. A mediation analysis was applied to assess significant predictor/s of the association between FOS and cognition. Both episodic memory and executive functions were positively correlated with FOS. WM-hypo predicted cognitive status (executive function, p ≤ .01). WM-hypo mediated 66.6% (p = 0.06) of the association between FOS and executive functions. Associations between FOS and cognitive functions are reported, where FOS, a potential modifiable risk factor, was related to both episodic memory and executive functions. The mediating effect of WM-hypo on the association between FOS and executive functions highlights the impact of the vascularisation of the brain on the link between mastication and cognition. The present study provides increased knowledge that bridges the gap between masticatory dysfunction and cognition.

A STUDY ON IMPROVING THE ANXIETY, STRESS AND DEPRESSION LEVEL AMONG PSYCHOSOMATIC PATIENTS THROUGH COGNITIVE LANGUAGE THERAPY

The psychosomatic condition affects the hippocampus, temporal role, and parietal lobes of the brain. People with Psychosomatic condition displays poor language skills, higher level of cognitive dysfunction, Memory disorders, Anxiety level, Depression, and stress level. Cognitive language therapy aids learners towards the improvement of anxiety, depression, and stress levels. The sampling method employed in the study is the purposive sampling method. DASS 21 was used to analyze the stress, anxiety, and depression levels before and after the intervention. Cognitive language therapy activities like chunking, embroidery, and identifying errors were given to the learners to reduce the impact of stress, anxiety, and depression among individuals with the psychosomatic condition. The paired t-test in SPSS was performed and from the study findings, it is concluded that the participants displayed a low to medium range of depression after the intervention of cognitive language therapy. Through paired samples test, the significance value for all three pairs (Depression, anxiety, and stress) is 0.000, which is lesser than 0.05. Hence, there is a considerable improvement in depression, anxiety, and stress levels among the participants with the psychosomatic condition as a result of cognitive language therapy intervention.

Behavioural Profile, Linguistic skills, Adaptive Behaviours and Intellectual Functioning of School aged Children with History of Early Language Delay

Introduction: Language is a fundamental skill and a foundation stone for multiple cognitive and socio-emotional aspects of development. Considering that well-developed language abilities enable children to negotiate the social-relational demands of school life and provide the foundational knowledge upon which academic skills are built, there is a higher chance of scholastic difficulties, social and, behavioural and emotional maladjustments resulting in poor mental health in those who have language delay.&#x0D; Methods: An ambispective study conducted at a tertiary centre after taking ethical approval from the institutional review board. Children with isolated early language delay were reassessed at school age for intelligence quotient, language development, adaptive behaviours and behavioural issues.&#x0D; Results: out of 57 children, persistence of poor language skills was seen in 65%, mean IQ score was 90 ( ± 17. 067) and mean VABS score was 94 ( ± 15). 61.4% children had significant behavioural issues. On interview, most worrisome issue reported by children was ‘being teased by friends’ due to poor language skills. Additionally, lower social competence level was noted in children who had poor language skills.&#x0D; Conclusions: persistence of language, cognitive and behavioural dysfunctions in children with seemingly benign ‘speech and language delay’ at an early age, emphasizes the importance of comprehensive reassessment of these children at school age for early recognition and management.

Treatment of and Attitudes Towards ‘Other’ Languages in Modern Russia: Evidence from Metalinguistic Discourse

Russian Federation, being de jure and de facto linguistically diverse multilingual country, can be described, at the same time, as being under a strong influence of monolingual language ideology, with Russian totally domineering in most public spheres. Minority languages and especially languages of migrants lack official recognition and support, and their speakers often have to face prejudices and negative stereotypes. The paper aims at revealing language ideology prevailing in modern Russia through analysis of attitudes to languages other than Russian as they are expressed in discourse about language, i.e. metadiscourse. When approaching it, it is important to distinguish state discourse (manifestation of official language policy) and public discourse (collective attitudes towards certain sublanguages and their users expressed more or less directly). The analysis shows that over the past two decades, official language ideology in Russia has shifted from guaranteeing linguistic equality and diversity to having an emphasis on unity and purity and giving support to the Russian language. This reorientation is realized through status planning, corpus planning, and acquisition planning. At the level of public discourse, analysis of collective attitudes towards the languages used by non-native speakers demonstrates that a significant part of the Russian-speaking population express negative attitudes towards non-native speakers and their poor Russian language skills, which once again confirms that there is dominant monolingualism and purism in public discourse. However, language practices in Russia are gradually becoming more diverse which can become a challenge for monolingualism and purism in future.