ABSTRACT
This chapter explores how the influence of language difficulties on student behaviour persists into middle- and senior-school classrooms. It explains the impact of language abilities on the long-term social and emotional outcomes for students. The chapter describes some broad principles of strategies frequently used to promote the language comprehension of early learners and the appropriate application of these strategies with older students. The typical developmental framework may not be suitable for teachers seeking to adopt an appropriate level of language, particularly when it comes to meeting the needs of students with language difficulties. In terms of expressive language abilities, older students with language difficulties speak less often and the sentences they use are less complex. Students with language difficulties are at increased risk of emotional and behavioural difficulties. In the long term, continual communication breakdowns experienced by students with language difficulties lead to more conflict with others and resultant undermining of relationships.
