James Madison University Wordmark

Child and Adolescent Language Lab (CALL)

Focus of Lab

Research currently being conducted in the CALL is concerned with better understanding normal and disordered language of children and adolescents. Adolescent language is a particularly important part of the research activities. Adolescents with language impairment regularly have difficulties in their interpersonal relationships with important people in their lives - peers, teachers, parents. The perceptions of adolescents with specific language impairment, compared to those of their typically achieving peer, about what are the more and less important communication skills for different communicative contexts have the potential to guide intervention. Difficulties with verbs are common characteristics of children with language impairment and one that persists throughout childhood. What is not well known is whether the verb difficulties continue into and through adolescence. If they do, then it is possible that the difficulties are a clinical marker of specific language impairment. Characterization of verb use of adolescents with language impairment is another current focus of research in the CALL.

Personnel

  • Dr. Vicki Reed, Director
  • Ms Rachel Mulheren, Ph.D, Student, Research Assistant
  • Ms. Meghan Price, Graduate Assistant
  • Ms. Becky Jones, Graduate Assistant
  • Mr. Alex Epstein, Graduate Assistant

Current Projects

  • Language-impaired adolescents’ perceptions about the relative importance of selected of communication skills for interactions with peers and teachers
  • Verb use patterns of younger and older adolescents with specific language impairment