Narrative production in English speaking children aged 5-7 years with typical language development and developmental language disorder: Development of a reference data set.

Abstract

Purpose: We explored the development of expressive narrative using Peter and the Cat. We aimed to support clinicians to capture information about functional language use by providing a reference data set to support goal setting and therapy planning.

Method: We tested 129 typically developing English speaking children from ages 5-7 and 91 children with developmental language disorder at each age point. We assessed narrative macrostructure, microstructural elements, and linguistic features.

Result: For both groups, the age-effect for macrostructure total score was statistically significant. For microstructure, the typically developing group showed a significant increase in their inclusion of all microstructure elements. The developmental language disorder group showed significant improvement on only adverbials of manner. Between group analysis showed typically developing children scored higher than the developmental language disorder group on the macrostructure total score and significantly different in adverbials of time, adjectives, and coordinating and subordinating conjunctions.

Conclusion: Clinicians can use the tables to guide interpretation of Peter and the Cat data and planning goals with children, families, and teachers. For children with developmental langauge disorder, macrostructure should be targeted in intervention, along with microstructure and linguistic features. The provision of this reference data set to inform goal planning should support clinicians to implement programmes adapted to individual needs.