What Is Developmental Language Disorder?
Understanding a Common but Often Overlooked Language Difficulty
Language is central to nearly everything we do. We use it to express our thoughts, understand information, build relationships, ask questions, and make sense of the world around us. For children, language also forms the foundation of learning, influencing everything from classroom discussions and reading comprehension to written expression and problem-solving.
But what happens when developing these essential language skills becomes unusually difficult?
Developmental Language Disorder (DLD) is a neurodevelopmental condition that affects a person's ability to learn, understand, and use language. These difficulties are not explained by a known medical condition, hearing loss, or insufficient exposure to language.
DLD is more common than many people realize. According to the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD), approximately one in fourteen kindergarten children has DLD. Despite its prevalence, the disorder often goes unrecognized or misunderstood.
One reason DLD can be difficult to identify is that language challenges do not always look the same. Some children struggle to express their ideas, find the right words, or construct sentences. Others may speak comfortably but have considerable difficulty understanding directions, interpreting complex language, or following conversations. Many experience difficulties with both understanding and expressing language.
These challenges can affect much more than everyday communication. Because language plays such an important role in education, children with DLD may experience difficulties with vocabulary development, reading comprehension, writing, classroom participation, and social relationships.
DLD is not a reflection of a child's intelligence, effort, or willingness to learn. Nor is it caused by speaking more than one language. It is a developmental condition that can continue into adulthood, although its characteristics and impact may change over time.
Understanding DLD begins with recognizing that language difficulties are not always immediately visible, but their impact on learning and daily life can be significant.
In this section, we will explore the fundamental characteristics of developmental language disorder, explain how language understanding and expression work, examine what current research tells us, and establish a foundation for recognizing and supporting individuals with DLD.
Before we can effectively support children with language difficulties, we must first understand the essential role language plays in learning—and what happens when its development does not follow the expected path.
“Understanding the Research: What the NIH Tells Us About DLD.”
“Receptive vs. Expressive Language: Understanding Two Essential Parts of Communication.”
Research Spotlight: Understanding Receptive and Expressive Language Difficulties
American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA)
Understanding language and expressing language are closely connected processes, but they are not identical. A child may experience difficulty understanding spoken information, expressing thoughts and ideas, or both.
The American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) explains that spoken language disorders can affect several areas of language development, including vocabulary, sentence structure, grammar, sound patterns, and the social use of language.
These difficulties may influence how students understand classroom directions, participate in discussions, explain their thinking, comprehend written material, and communicate with others.
Importantly, language difficulties do not always appear in the same way. Some children may communicate comfortably in everyday conversations but struggle when academic language becomes more complex. Others may understand information but have difficulty finding words, organizing ideas, or expressing themselves clearly.
ASHA emphasizes the importance of comprehensive assessment that considers a child's individual language abilities, educational needs, and communication experiences.
For educators and families, understanding the distinction between receptive and expressive language is an important step toward recognizing why a child may struggle with certain learning tasks.
The essential takeaway is that a child's ability to speak does not automatically tell us how well that child understands language—and difficulty expressing an idea does not necessarily mean the child lacks understanding.
Original Resource: ASHA — Spoken Language Disorders
For additional reading:
Spoken Language Disorders
American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) · Practice Portal
An authoritative, research-informed professional resource covering receptive, expressive, and mixed language difficulties, their assessment, and intervention.
Receptive Language
Understanding language
Listening, understanding vocabulary, following directions, interpreting sentences, understanding questions.
Expressive Language
Communicating language
Finding words, forming sentences, expressing ideas, retelling stories, explaining thinking.
