ABSTRACT
If behaviouristic techniques are demonstrably effective, they will direct future research towards evaluating the best ways of utilising the known facts about learning. This chapter lays special emphasis on the practical problems of assessing language from a behaviouristic standpoint and on implementing suitable treatment techniques. The possibility of using friends and family in therapy and the importance of adapting treatment to the subject's natural environment are raised for further discussion. In beginning therapy the starting point is an objective assessment of the patient's language in order to select target behaviours. In some situations the use of modelling and imitation is sufficient in itself to elicit language. The chapter focuses on some of the practical considerations in applying behaviouristic techniques to language therapy. From this selective review of studies, it can be concluded that the application of behaviouristic techniques can be effective in a variety of cases.
