Abstract

Specific Language Impairment (SLI) involves marked difficulties with language in children whose IQs fall in the normal range and in the absence of hearing impairment or neurological damage. A growing body of evidence indicates that children with SLI experience problems in social and educational development. Rather less is known about how these children fare as they reach adolescence and early adulthood. This talk summarizes findings from a series of studies of social and educational outcomes in adolescents with a history of SLI , conducted in collaboration with Conti-Ramsden’s longitudinal Manchester Language Study. Uses of the new media (especially, computer-based) are included because these are becoming a primary mode of communicating and working for contemporary young people. In each context, young people with SLI do experience disadvantage, and on average, they lag behind typically developing peers. Yet some young people with SLI achieve positive outcomes. The talk examines variability in performance, possible explanations and implications for the educational needs of this population.

PROFILE: Kevin Durkin completed a PhD in developmental psycholinguistics at the Faculty of Education, Cambridge, and has subsequently worked in the Departments of Psychology at the University of Kent, University of Western Australia and (currently) University of Strathclyde. He specialises in social and communicative development, with particular interests in language and media use in young people.