Teaching an Artificial Language to Nonverbal Retardates

Abstract

Eight nonverbal retarded subjects were taught to communicate utilizing a technique developed by Premack. The subjects were moderately to pro-foundly retarded and had not responded to other forms of remedial language therapy. The technique used was a behavioral approach in which plastic shapes represented words of varying degrees of abstractness. All eight subjects learned some words within a four-month training period. Six of the eight subjects learned to construct three-to seven-word sentences. The rate of learning and level of difficulty attained varied greatly, and was not correlated with MA or CA. Children in a normal nursery school comparison group learned all words and constructed three-to seven-word sentences within a three-week period.