Chapter one

Language abilities in adolescence

Watch the video below:

This chapter aims to develop participants’ skills in observing and analysing adolescents’ talking or expressive language. In this chapter, video clips show young people engaged in an expository discourse task where they explain how to do and take part in an activity. Each young person is asked to explain how to play their favourite game or sport.

This task is based on the work of Marilyn Nippold, a researcher in the USA who is an expert in the field of adolescent language. Expository discourse tasks are designed to elicit more complex language than usually found in everyday conversation.

In this chapter you will learn how to analyse young people’s talking or expressive language. Participants will listen to, observe and analyse the talking or language the young person uses in their explanation. The video clips are accompanied by learning tasks to complete, with detailed feedback and notes.

Choose your level:

Learning outcome:

To be able to observe and describe the speech, language and communication behaviours that adolescents and young people with communication difficulties may show.

Learning outcome:

To be able to identify and analyse the speech, language and communication that adolescents and young people with communication difficulties may show, using an expository discourse approach.