Chapter 10 Learners with Communication Disorders
10.1 Multiple-Choice Questions
1) Communication requires
A) language.
B) encoding and decoding.
C) speech.
D) listening and speaking.
Praxis: I.A.
CEC: CC2K1
2) Requesting objects, rejecting interactions, sharing ideas, and seeking social interaction
are examples of
A) communicative function.
B) communication.
C) language.
D) expressive language.
Praxis: I.C.
CEC: CC2K1
3) The communication of ideas through an arbitrary system of symbols used according to
certain rules that determine meaning is
A) speech.
B) language.
C) communication.
D) phonology.
Praxis: I.C.
CEC: CC2K1
4) Encoding, or sending messages, is referred to as
A) expressive language.
B) receptive language.
C) discourse.
D) communication.
Praxis: I.C.
CEC: CC2K1
5) Decoding, or understanding messages, is referred to as
A) communication.
B) expressive language.
C) discourse.
D) receptive language.
Praxis: I.C.
CEC: CC2K1
6) The neuromuscular activity of forming and sequencing the sounds of oral language is
called
A) communication.
B) discourse.
C) speech.
D) phonology.
Praxis: I.C.
CEC: CC2K1
7) “Phonology” refers to linguistic rules governing
A) construction of sentences.
B) sound combinations.
C) patterns of language use.
D) construction of word forms.
Praxis: I.C.
CEC: CC2K1
8) The meanings and concepts people attach to words and sentences are referred to as
A) morphology.
B) pragmatics.
C) syntax.
D) semantics.
Praxis: I.C.
CEC: CC2K1
9) A language disorder that involves problems with functional and socially appropriate
communication is
A) communication.
B) semantics.
C) speech.
D) pragmatics.
Praxis: I.C.
CEC: CC2K2
10) Janice has a speech disorder which causes her to speak extremely slowly. This is a
disorder of
A) articulation.
B) language.
C) voice.
D) fluency.
Praxis: I.C.
CEC: CC2K2
11) All of the following are examples of speech disorders EXCEPT
A) semantic disorder.
B) articulation disorder.
C) fluency disorder.
D) voice disorder.
Praxis: I.C.
CEC: CC2K1
12) It is difficult to estimate the prevalence of communication disorders primarily
because
A) there is so much overlap with other categories of disability.
B) schools do not maintain accurate records in this area.
C) many parents are reluctant to allow their children to receive speech and
language services.
D) definitions of communication disorders vary so much from state to state.
Praxis: I.C.
CEC: CC1K5
13) Approximately what percentage of children identified for special education receives
services primarily for speech or language disorders?
A) 1%
B) 5%
C) 10%
D) 20%
Praxis: I.C.
CEC: CC1K5
14) Approximately what percentage of students in elementary and secondary grades is
thought to have a language disorder?
A) 1%
B) 5%
C) 15%
D) 20%
Praxis: I.C.
CEC: CC1K5
15) Approximately what percentage of students in elementary and secondary grades is
thought to have speech disorders?
A) 1%
B) 5%
C) 10%
D) 20%
Praxis: I.C.
CEC: CC1K5
16) Which one of the following is the best example of a language variation?
A) African American English
B) acquired aphasia
C) stuttering
D) American Sign Language
Praxis: I.C.
CEC: CC1K1
17) Which of the following statements about communication variations is true?
A) If a student does not use the language expected in school, she or he has a
language disorder.
B) Someone with a language difference that is a disorder has difficulty
communicating even in his or her home language community.
C) Children of nondominant cultures should not be expected to learn the rules for
effective communication in the dominant culture.
D) Professionals no longer have a problem of bias in normative tests of language
assessment.
Praxis: I.C.
CEC: CC6K2
18) Which statement is true concerning the comparison between the language of a
normally developing child and one with a language disorder?
A) The sequence of development is similar, but milestones are reached at later
years by the child with a disorder.
B) The sequence of development is different, but milestones are reached at around
the same ages.
C) The sequence of development is different, and milestones are reached later by
the child with a disorder.
D) There is no developmental difference; they just sound different.
Praxis: I.A.
CEC: CC2K1
19) According to typical development, by what age are all American English speech
sounds acquired?
A) 18 months
B) 3 years
C) 6 years
D) 8 years
Praxis: I.A.
CEC: CC2K1
20) The theory that language depends on brain development and proper brain functioning
and that language disorders resulting from brain dysfunction can sometimes be
compensated for is the theory of
A) biological maturation.
B) behavioral psychology.
C) information processing.
D) cognitive development.
Praxis: I.A.
CEC: CC2K1
21) The social interaction, or pragmatic, theory of language development suggests that
A) comprehending language is more important than producing language.
B) language is taught by direct instruction and arrangement of consequences.
C) language development is easily separated from social and cognitive
development.
D) the natural environment may be arranged to teach more effective language.
Praxis: I.A.
CEC: CC2K1
22) At present, which theory of communication is considered to have the most direct
implications for speech-language pathologists and teachers?
A) cognitive development
B) pragmatic or social interaction
C) behavioral psychology
D) biological maturation
Praxis: I.A.
CEC: CC1K1
23) Language disorders are generally classified according to two dimensions:
A) domain and etiology.
B) primary and secondary causes.
C) phonology and cause.
D) specific impairment and expressive delay.
Praxis: I.C.
CEC: CC1K5
24) Each of the following statements about classification of language disorders is true
EXCEPT
A) A primary language disorder has no known cause.
B) About half the children whose language development is delayed at age 2 will
gradually catch up developmentally.
C) More than half of the children who show language impairments in
kindergarten will have obvious reading problems by second grade.
D) Difficulty in using language in social interactions and relationships is an
exclusive feature of secondary language disorders.
Praxis: I.C.
CEC: CC1K1
25) Specific language impairment refers to
A) language disorders resulting from learning disabilities.
B) language disorders with no identifiable cause.
C) language disorders occurring concomitantly with other disorders.
D) language disorders resulting from mental retardation.
Praxis: I.C.
CEC: CC1K1
26) An example of a primary language disorder is a/an
A) phonological disorder.
B) articulation disorder.
C) early expressive language delay.
D) fluency disorder.
Praxis: I.C.
CEC: CC1K1
27) A failure of the child to understand the sound system of language at an age-
appropriate level and in a culturally appropriate way represents
A) phonological disorders.
B) articulation disorders.
C) voice disorders.
D) developmental apraxia.
Praxis: I.B.
CEC: CC2K1
28) Articulation disorders
A) are easily distinguished.
B) refer to the same problem.
C) have no known causes.
D) involve errors in sound production.
Praxis: I.B.
CEC: CC2K1
29) Which one of the following is an articulation disorder?
A) lisping
B) stuttering
C) aphasia
D) mutism
Praxis: I.C.
CEC: CC2K1
30) The dimensions of voice are
A) resonance, pitch, and tone.
B) resonance, loudness, and quality.
C) pitch, loudness, and quality.
D) resonance, pitch, and quality.
Praxis: I.C.
CEC: CC1K1
31) Causes of voice disorders include all of the following EXCEPT
A) hearing loss.
B) cleft palate.
C) chicken pox.
D) cheerleading.
Praxis: I.C.
CEC: CC2K1
32) The most common fluency disorder is
A) stuttering.
B) acquired aphasia.
C) echolalia.
D) dysarthria.
Praxis: I.C.
CEC: CC2K1
33) What percentage of children and adults are considered stutterers?
A) 1%
B) 2%
C) 5%
D) 8%
Praxis: I.C.
CEC: CC1K5
34) Due to a brain injury, Henry has difficulty selecting and sequencing speech. He
knows he makes errors and what he wants to say, but simply cannot. Henry’s
condition is
A) dysarthria.
B) stuttering.
C) acquired apraxia.
D) acquired aphasia.
Praxis: I.B.
CEC: CC1K5
35) A disorder due to brain damage that affects a person’s respiratory support for making
speech sounds is
A) apraxia.
B) echolalia.
C) dysarthria.
D) aphasia.
Praxis: I.B.
CEC: CC1K5
36) The primary role of the classroom teacher is to facilitate development of which aspect
of language?
A) phonology
B) semantics
C) pragmatics
D) morphology
Praxis: III.B.
CEC: CC7K1
37) Which one of the following is an example of an alternative question-asking strategy?
A) focusing on student-initiated questions
B) reducing the complexity of a question
C) increasing interaction between student and teacher so both members ask and
answer questions
D) creating several questions with synonymous meaning
Praxis: III.E.
CEC: CC6S1
38) Students with communication disorders may have trouble with stories about ideas or
events one has experienced or thought about, called
A) autobiographical narratives.
B) personal essays.
C) first-person accounts.
D) personal narratives.
Praxis: III.E.
CEC: CC6S1
39) The ability to transfer written words into speech is
A) phonology.
B) decoding.
C) encoding.
D) reading.
Praxis: I.B.
CEC: CC1K1
40) All of the following are guidelines that teachers and parents can follow when talking
with children with speech and language disorders EXCEPT
A) Lead the discussion.
B) Talk about things the child is interested in.
C) Allow enough time for the child to respond.
D) Provide opportunities for the child to communicate.
Praxis: III.E.
CEC: CC6S1
41) Which of the following statements about written language development is true?
A) Written language and literacy are not usually problems for students with
speech and language disorders.
B) As students progress throughout the grades, written language takes on
increasing importance.
C) Students with language disorders tend to express themselves clearly in writing.
D) Mastering the alphabetic system is not part of written language instruction.
Praxis: I.C.
CEC: CC2K1
42) Methods of progress monitoring that involve a cycle of teaching, followed by testing,
and then reteaching as necessary are
A) dynamic assessments.
B) curriculum-based language and communication assessment.
C) curriculum-based management.
D) response to intervention.
Praxis: III.C.
CEC: CC8S8
43) To document outcomes based on individual intervention plans, speech-language
pathologists use demographic and diagnostic data along with a series of scales that
measure
A) academic achievement.
B) functional communication.
C) social skills.
D) social communication.
Praxis: III.C.
CEC: CC8S6
44) Much of a child’s language and social development depend on two characteristics of
language interaction the child has with caregivers. What are the characteristics?
A) nature and quantity of the language
B) quality and variety of the language
C) variety and resonance of the language
D) loudness and functionality of the language
Praxis: I.A.
CEC: CC6K2
45) Jeremy is a four-year-old boy who makes infantile noises and uses gestures to request
objects. He displays
A) articulation problems.
B) acquired aphasia.
C) prelinguistic communication.
D) syntactic dysfunction.
Praxis: I.B.
CEC: CC2K1
46) Which procedure most closely resembles “milieu teaching?”
A) Fiona requests a ball from her teacher who asks “What do you want to do with
the ball?” The teacher gives Fiona the ball only when she replies to the
question.
B) Fiona requests a ball from her teacher who says “There are fun things to do
with a ball!” The teacher then gives Fiona the ball.
C) Fiona requests a ball from her teacher who asks “What do you want to do with
the ball?” The teacher waits five seconds, then gives Fiona the ball whether
she replies to the question or not.
D) Fiona’s teacher tells her to play with a ball, then observes her playing and
waits for opportunities to interact verbally with her.
Praxis: III.A.
CEC: CC6S1
47) Ideally, early intervention in the area of speech and language development should
begin
A) during the first few months of life.
B) between the ages of 12 and 18 months.
C) when the child is of preschool age.
D) in kindergarten.
Praxis: III.A.
CEC: CC6S1
48) Jennie is a preschooler with delayed language development. Language intervention at
this level generally focuses on
A) articulation.
B) verb forms and plurals.
C) discourse.
D) concept development.
Praxis: III.A.
CEC: CC6S1
49) Each of the following statements about adolescents and adults with speech and
language problems is true EXCEPT
A) They might refer themselves to a speech-language pathologist because of
social embarrassment.
B) The loss of the ability to speak is typically more disabling than the loss of the
ability to use language.
C) People with severe disabilities may need to be taught an alternative to oral
language or be given an augmentative communication system.
D) There may be problems settings realistic goals for speech and language
learning.
Praxis: I.B.
CEC: CC4S6
50) Which condition reduces the effectiveness of strategy training for adolescents with
speech and language disorders?
A) use of natural group settings
B) emphasis on vocational goals
C) poor reading skills
D) involvement of peers
Praxis: I.B.
CEC: CC4S6
10.2 True/False Questions
1) By definition, all communication disorders involve impairments of speech.
Praxis: I.C.
CEC: CC1K5
2) Most cases of childhood stuttering are resolved by adulthood.
Praxis: I.B.
CEC: CC3K1
3) The use of an augmentative communication system indicates that a person has a
language disorder.
Praxis: I.C.
CEC: CC6K4
4) About 50% of the children whose language is delayed at age 2 will gradually catch up
developmentally with their age peers.
Praxis: I.C.
CEC: CC2K1
5) Many children do not master phonology until they are eight or nine years old.
Praxis: I.C.
CEC: CC2K1
6) More girls than boys stutter.
Praxis: I.C.
CEC: CC1K5
7) Loss of voice is apraxia.
Praxis: I.C.
CEC: CC1K5
8) When teaching students with speech and language disorders, the primary role of the
classroom teacher is to facilitate the social use of language.
Praxis: III.B.
CEC: CC6S1
9) Early intervention for speech and language disorders should emphasize conversation
skills rather than the mechanics of language.
Praxis: III.A.
CEC: CC6S1
10) Many of the academic and social difficulties of adolescents and adults are now
attributed to basic language disorders.
Praxis: I.A.
CEC: CC3K1
10.3 Short Answer Questions
1) Explain why communication does not require speech.
Praxis: I.C.
CEC: CC1K1
2) Distinguish between disorders of language and disorders of speech and provide two
examples of each (define each example).
Praxis: I.C.
CEC: CC1K1
3) Distinguish between a communication disorder and a communication variation. When
might a communication variation demand special teaching?
Praxis: I.C.
CEC: CC1K1
4) List at least three of the six theories of language development that have dominated the
study of human communication at various times. Which theory is widely viewed as
having the most direct implications for speech-language pathologists and teachers?
Why?
Praxis: I.A.
CEC: CC7K1
5) What is the difference between a primary language disorder and a secondary language
disorder?
Praxis: I.C.
CEC: CC2K1
6) Explain how teachers’ problems with communication skills can interfere with the
progress of students with speech or language disorders. Provide four examples of
specific problems with communication that teachers sometimes demonstrate.
Praxis: III.B.
CEC: CC6S2
7) Describe three ways that speech-language pathologists and teachers can collaborate to
serve students with communication disorders.
Praxis: III.B.
CEC: CC10K1
8) What should be considered when developing an assessment-based intervention plan
for a student with communication disorders?
Praxis: III.C.
CEC: CC8S8
9) The current trend in early intervention is to provide speech and language intervention
in the natural environment of the young child. Discuss the rationale underlying this
trend and describe three strategies that are consistent with the trend.
Praxis: III.A.
CEC: CC7K1
10) Describe the three categories that adolescents and adults in speech and language
intervention programs typically fit in.
Praxis: I.B.
CEC: CC2K2
Chapter 10 Learners with Communication Disorders
10.1 Multiple Choice Questions
10.2 True/False Questions
10.3 Short Answer Questions
