The article "Linguistic Foundations of Clinical Language Teaching: Grammar" by Phil J. Connell proposes a significant shift in the theoretical orientation of clinical language testing and teaching from a linguistic-external to a linguistic-internal model. This change incorporates an innate view of language acquisition into clinical methods, potentially leading to more effective diagnosis and teaching approaches.
Here are some key takeaways from the research that practitioners can implement to improve their skills:
- Internal Linguistic Model: Transitioning to an internal linguistic model means recognizing that language acquisition is primarily driven by innate processes rather than external cognitive factors. This shift can help clinicians develop more targeted and effective assessment and teaching methods.
- Intermediate Grammar: Understand that a child's language should be viewed as an intermediate grammar, which lies between innate universal grammar and the adult grammar they are exposed to. This perspective can help in creating more nuanced and effective teaching strategies.
- Parameter Setting: The concept of parameter setting in generative linguistics can be applied to clinical practice. This involves helping children reset parameters in their grammar to align more closely with the target language. For instance, teaching children to use overt pronominals in specific contexts can help them transition from a Null Subject grammar to a Non Null Subject grammar.
- Trigger Input Management: Instead of focusing solely on missing elements in a child's language, manage input to highlight trigger information that can reset grammatical parameters. This method can be more effective in helping children adopt the correct grammatical structures.
Adopting these insights can revolutionize the way language disorders are diagnosed and treated, leading to more meaningful clinical outcomes. For practitioners looking to delve deeper into this approach, further research and practical application of these theories are encouraged.
To read the original research paper, please follow this link: Linguistic Foundations of Clinical Language Teaching: Grammar / Fondement linguistique de l'enseignement clinique du langage: la grammaire.
