Cognition and Language

Characteristics
Chapter 3

Levels of Intelligence
IQ

levels of students with ld range from

90-93
IQ measures dependent on verbal skills
Gifted learning disabled
Intelligence when measured by a
standardized IQ test should represent a
sum total of all the abilities of an
individual

Multiple Intelligences

Interpersonal
Intrapersonal
Logico-mathematical
Naturalistic
Bodily-Kinesthetic
Linguistic
Musical/Rhythmic
Visual-Spacial
Naturalistic
Spiritual

Attention
Time

on task
Focus of attention
Distractibility
Selective attention

Teaching Tips for Attention

Use numerous cues to keep students on task

point to number three on your paper
Visually monitor students eye contact with the
assigned task
Keep external distractions to a minimum. Draw
shades if necessary. Use background music in your
class to cover the routine classroom noise
Use a colored marker to code the instructions on
each worksheet for student
Use a self-monitoring sheet for paying attention

Memory
Short-term

memory
Long-term memory
Working memory
Encoding
Storage
Retrieval

Principle for Improving Memory

Get a clear, meaningful encoding of the

material to be learned
Have a purposeful intention to learn
Organize and elaborate information to make
connections
Overlearning (providing added practice) aids
retention
Use mnemonic and other memory devices

Mnemonic Keyword Method

Help! A
PARASITE

Radio
Cemetery

Memory Devices

Conceptual Understanding: explanation that

enables the learner to see the significance of the
information (e.g, why are arteries thick and
elastic)
Rehearsal: saying the item to be memorized
Mnemonic Method: (see handout on keyword,
acronyms, acrostics)
Flash Cards: start with set of 5
Clustering: grouping information
Note: go to study skills overheads

Definition of Language
Any

code employing signs, symbols, or

gestures used for communicating ideas
meaningfully between human beings.
Social tool to communicate meanings,
feelings, and intentions.
Language comprises of receptive skills
(understanding) and expressive skills (use)
and includes both written and oral forms.

Language Components & Skills

Form

Phonology
Morphology
Syntax
Content

Semantics
Use

Pragmatics

Functionalist Language Theory

Pragmatics
Syntax
Phonology

Morphology
Semantics

Formal Language Assessment

Standardized instruments used to compare a

students performance with pre-established
criteria.
Clinical Evaluation of Language Fundamentals,
Peabody Picture Voc. Test

Screening Tests
Provides general overview in particular area can norm
referenced.

Diagnostic Tests
Measure one or more specific language components.

Phonology

Study and use of individual sound units in a

language and the rules by which they are
combined and recombined to create larger
language units.
Phonemes are the unit of sound such as /s/
or /b/ , they do not convey meaning.
Phonemes alter meaning of words when
combined (e.g., sat to bat).

Definitions
Phoneme:

a speech sound. The

smallest unit of language and has no
inherent meaning.
Phonemic Awareness: ability to hear
and manipulate the sounds in spoken
words, and the understanding that
spoken words and syllables are made
up of sequences of speech sounds.

Phonemic Awareness

The ability to hear and manipulate the sounds

in spoken words.
The understanding that spoken words and
syllables are made up of sequences of
speech sounds.
Essential to learning to read in an alphabetic
writing system: letters represent sounds or
phonemes and without phonemic awareness,
phonic makes little sense.

Phonemic Awareness is
Important because:

It requires readers to notice how letters

represent sounds. It primes readers for print.
It gives readers way to approach sounding
out and reading new words.
It helps readers understand the alphabetic
principle (that the letters in words are
systematically represented by sounds.

What is a Phoneme?
Different

linguistic units: large to small

The smallest unit of sound in our
language that makes a difference to its
meaning.
Dog /d/ /o/ /g/
Sun /s/ /u/ /n/
Man /m/ /a/ /n/

Syntax
Study

of the rules by which words are

organized into phrases or sentences in
a particular language.
Referred to as the grammar of the
language and allows for more complex
expression of thoughts and ideas by
making references to past and future
events.

Syntactic Deficits
Lack

the length or syntactic complexity

(e.g., Where Daddy go?).
Problems comprehending sentences
that express relationship between direct
or indirect objects.
Difficulty with wh questions.

Informal Tests of Syntax

Expressive

syntax: analyzing students

spontaneous speech, recording
conversation.
Sentence repetition: teacher states a
sentence and student repeats it.

Semantics
The

larger meaning component of

language.
More than single words, includes
complex use of vocabulary, including
structures such as word categories,
word relationships, synonyms,
antonyms, figurative language,
ambiguities, and absurdities.

Semantic Deficits

Limited vocabulary especially in adjectives,

adverbs, prepositions, or pronouns.
Longer response time in selecting vocabulary
words.
Fail to perceive subtle changes in word
meaning: incomplete understanding and
misinterpretations.
Figurative language problems.

Informal Tests of Semantics

Logical relationships, cause-and-effect, and

verbal problem solving are difficult to assess.
Verbal opposites: SRA picture cards of 40 pairs
of opposites. Student sorts them into
opposites.
Word categories: Teacher says a word and
student says as many words in the same
category.
Semantic relationships: analyzing spontaneous
speech while playing or interacting with friends.

Pragmatics
Knowledge

and ability to use language

functionally in social or interactive
situations.
Integrates all the other language skills,
but also requires knowledge and use of
rule governing the use of language in
social context.

Pragmatic Deficits
Problems

understanding indirect
requests (e.g., may say yes when
asked Must you play the piano?).
May enter conversations in a socially
unacceptable fashion or fail to take
turns talking.
Difficulty staying on topic.

Informal Test of Pragmatics

Analyze

spontaneous speech through

videotape.
Transcribe tape see figure 6.3
Classify pragmatic function
Measure inappropriate loudness, talking
at inappropriate times, interrupting the
speaker, and using indirect requests.

Strategies for Increasing

Language Comprehension

Establish eye contact and cue student to

listen.
Ask student to repeat directions.
Classroom arrangement to reduce
distractions.
Use familiar vocabulary when presenting new
concept.
Present new concept in as many modalities.
Teach memory strategies (e.g., visual imagery,
clustering and grouping information).

Strategies for Increasing

Language Production

React to the content of students message,

then correct syntax error.
Teach language in various settings.
Act as a good language model, have students
imitate what they hear.
Comment or elaborate on students ideas to
provide more information.
Use storytelling, role playing, or charades to
improve verbal expression.
Use structured language programs that provide
adequate practice.

Preschool and Kindergarten

Difficulty with readiness skills: counting,

naming colors, naming the days of the week,
and using scissors.
Unable to follow simple directions, follow a
story line, or enjoy listening to stories.
May exhibit immature-sounding speech, word
finding difficulties, and inability to name
common objects.

Elementary Students

Limited ability to identify sounds, analyzing

and synthesizing sound sequences and
segmenting words.
Problems with temporal and spatial concepts
(e.g., before-after, some, few).
Word finding (retrieval) difficulties exist.
Problems sounding out and blending sounds.
Problems with expressive and oral language.

Secondary Students

Tend to be passive learners and lack

metacognitive skills.
Problems gaining information from class
lectures and textbooks, completing
homework, following classroom rules,
demonstrating command of knowledge
through test taking, expressing thoughts in
writing, participating in classroom
discussions, and passing competency exams.

Framework for Analysis of Writing

Errors
IV
Irregularities that are
syntactically
inappropriate but
comprehensible

I
Irregularities that are
syntactically correct
and comprehensible

III
Irregularities that are
syntactically
inappropriate and
incomprehensible

II
Irregularities that are
syntactically correct but
incomprehensible

How many phonemes are in these words??

Spy

Gray

Pie

Lay

Rice

Plane

Train

Four

Steal

Grow

Late

Groan

An

Two

Cart

Smile

Pay

Ice

Art

Rain

Ache

Stew

Flake

And