Typical Development 12 – 18 years (high school)

Question 1

4 Links between language & literacy- High school

Answer 1

Ø Self-directed learning; researching, self selection of subject matter
Ø High level language use
Ø Minimal assistance available
Ø Listening and using literacy to learn about language

Question 2

Language & Literacy Expectations in Early & Mid-Adolescence

Answer 2

Early adolescence (10-14 years): Developing oral and written language skills for academic and personal-social purposes
Mid-adolescence (14-16 years): Oral and written language skills are used for academic, personal-social and vocational aims

Question 3

Summary of metalinguistic abilities in adolescence and adulthood

Answer 3

• Analyses sentences at various levels
• Understands various forms of figurative language (idioms, metaphors, proverbs etc)
• Creates humour through lexical ambiguity
• Judges correctness/explains source of error

Question 4

Language – Narrative

Answer 4

Writes/uses persuasive text/oral persuasion
Characterised by fewer unresolved problems, less extraneous detail, more overt marking of changes in time and place, more introduction (information on setting and character), greater concern for character motivation and internal reactions, more complex episode structure, closer adherence to story grammar structure

Question 5

Speech – Motor

Answer 5

• Older child acquires independent control of articulators
• still significant increase in adult-like speech in late teenage years
• Children’s speech generally slower than adults (14-16 yr olds speak more slowly than 20-22 yr olds)
• Speech rate changes from 3.6 sylls/sec in 5 yr olds to 5.5 sylls/sec in young adults

Question 6

Fluency and Feeding

Answer 6

• Fluency
- No Pauses, fillers, and repetitions
• Feeding
- Adult-like feeding skills and preferences in place

Question 7

Speech - Prosody & Phonology

Answer 7

• Adult-like comprehension and production of prosody still developing up to age of 12 years and beyond
  • “Adult phonological system” in place – usually acquired by age 5-6 years (Grunwell, 1987)