Communication Development and Disorders in African American Children: Research, Assessment, and Intervention

Fourteen articles (based on papers presented at the 1994 Memphis Research Symposium on Communication Disorders in African American Children and Youth) address the communication development of children who speak African American English. Contributors discuss disorders that frequently occur among African American children and assessment alternatives such as language probing, criterion-referenced assessment, complex syntax analysis, ethnographic interviews/observations, and use of oral narratives. Coverage includes research-based information on syntax, vocabulary development, narrative skills and naturalistic approaches, and examples of culturally sensitive procedures to evaluate speech and language abilities. Emphasis is on the importance of placing definitions of "normal" and "disordered" communication within the context of each child's home environment and language background. Annotation c. by Book News, Inc., Portland, Or.