Examination of Metalinguistic Skills in 3- to 8-Year Old Children with Low Language Abilities

Abstract

The current study examined the metalinguistic skills of children aged 3- to 8-years of age with low language abilities. The study aimed to determine if children with low language demonstrate weaknesses on metalinguistic tasks compared to typically developing peers. The study participants completed a battery of metalinguistic tasks to examine the their language knowledge and ability to process semantic, syntactic, and morphologic features of language. Overall, t-tests revealed that children who present with low language also demonstrate decreased metalinguistic skills when compared to peers of the same age. Additionally, results indicated that performance increased with age, and varied between tasks. Results aid in understanding language development and can be used to guide future interventions.