The relationship between language and social competence in high‐risk preschoolers
| Date | 12 July 2013 |
| Pages | 232-244 |
| Published date | 12 July 2013 |
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1108/AMHID-03-2013-0019 |
| Author | Maria Tzouriadou,George Barbas,Constantinos Vouyoukas,Eleni Anagnostopoulou |
| Subject Matter | Education,Health & social care |
The relationship between language and
social competence in high-risk
preschoolers
Maria Tzouriadou, George Barbas, Constantinos Vouyoukas and Eleni Anagnostopoulou
Maria Tzouriadou is a
Professor,George Barbas is an
Assistant Professor,
Constantinos Vouyoukas is a
Lecturer and Eleni
Anagnostopoulou is in Special
education – Early intervention,
all based at the Faculty of
Preschool Education Sciences,
Department of Psychology and
Special Education, Aristotle
University of Thessaloniki,
Thessaloniki, Greece.
Abstract
Purpose – This research study aims to examine: whether preschoolers at risk form a homogenous or
a heterogeneous group of high-risk children; and in case preschoolers form a heterogeneous group, what
are the distinctive characteristics of specific language impairment and mild intellectual disabilities groups
in language acquisition and social competence that make differential early intervention necessary.
Design/methodology/approach – A total of 143 Greek preschoolers aged 4.5 through 5.5 participated in
the study. Among them, according to DTLA-P:3, 42 with mild intellectual disabilities and 41 with specific
language impairments were detected. A total of 60 typically developed children were also detected.
Children’s categorization to the above groups was verified by the L-a-T-oLanguage Competence Test
Level I, which was used to estimate intra-individual differences in language competence. To assess peer
relations, a peer relation checklist was developed and standardized.
Findings – The findings of this study support the approach of the two distinct groups of high-risk
preschoolers in terms of their language and social characteristics.
Originality/value – Research findings highlight the different educational needs of high-risk preschoolers,
which make necessary the differential use of preschool curricula.
Keywords High-risk preschoolers, Pre-school education, Mild intellectual disabilities,
Specific language impairments, Peer relations, Early intervention, Education, Disabilities, Language
Paper type Research paper
Introduction
School readiness is a prerequisite for attaining formal school education. It is defined as the
minimum developmental level, which allows a child to adequately respond to school demands
(Carlton and Winsler, 1999). School readiness is determined by the child’s competence in
cognitive, language, motor and socio-emotional skills, as well as by the quality of the provided
learning opportunities (Ramey et al., 1984; Hart and Risley, 1995; Scarpati and Silver, 1999).
Competence allows a child to cope successfully with social demands and to actively participate
in peer group activities.
However, at the age of six – the age of official school entry in Greece as in most countries – not
all children necessarily acquire school readiness at the same pace. There are individual
differences, traceable already by the time children attend kindergarten. High-risk children are
among those who do not acquire school readiness. Indications of high risk are more evident
among children with developmental disabilities, children from deprived or minority backgrounds
and among children at risk for specific developmental disorders (Sadock and Sadock, 2009).
Two approaches can be used to detect high-risk children. The first approach is the
responsiveness to intervention/instruction approach (RTI), which regards all high-risk children
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ADVANCES IN MENTAL HEALTH AND INTELLECTUAL DISABILITIES
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VOL. 7 NO. 4 2013, pp. 232-244, CEmerald Group Publishing Limited, ISSN 2044-1282 DOI 10.1108/AMHID-03-2013-00 19
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