學前特定型語言障礙兒童執行功能之探討與支持

Executive Functioning in Preschoolers with Specific Language Impairment: Literature Review and Clinical Application

羊蕙君(Hui-Chun Yang)

《台灣聽力語言學會雜誌》 預刊文章 Pp. 1-22

https://doi.org/10.6143/JSLHAT.201712/PP_37.01

摘要

近年來，越來越多實證資料顯示許多特定型語言障礙兒童除了主要在語言發展與學習面向有明顯的困難外，在多種認知處理上也出現問題，其中包含執行功能的缺陷。執行功能在學前時期發展迅速，是奠定高層次認知發展的基石。本文第一部分先統整執行功能在學前時期的發展，接著回顧行為實驗和問卷調查關於學前特定型語言障礙兒童三項核心的執行功能表現，包含：抑制、更新工作記憶及認知轉換。由於研究證實學前特定型語言障礙兒童的執行功能缺陷與語言障礙之間為正相關，當我們在考量學前特定型語言障礙兒童的早期療育時，應在加強其語言能力的同時也提升其執行功能。因此，本文第二部分主要統整適合語言治療師評估執行功能的策略，以及如何在語言治療中融入提升抑制、更新工作記憶和認知轉換發展的技巧與活動。

關鍵字

特定型語言障礙兒童 ； 執行功能 ； 評量 ； 語言治療

並列摘要

Even though the main deficits in children with specific language impairment are in the area of language development and acquisition, recent research also suggests that children with specific language impairment (SLI) demonstrate difficulties in other cognitive processes, including aspects of executive functions. Executive functions develop critically during preschool years and establish a fundamental base for the development of other higher cognitive processes. The first section of this article summarizes the development of executive functions during preschool years, followed by a review of the core executive functions, i.e. inhibition, updating working memory and shifting, in preschoolers with SLI. Since executive functions deficits are positively related to language impairment in preschoolers with SLI, early tailored intervention for children with SLI should not only focus on stimulating language development but also strengthening executive functions. The second part of this article provides suggestions for speech-language pathologists to assess executive functions and to incorporate inhibition, updating working memory and shifting training for preschoolers with SLI in their language therapy sessions.

並列關鍵字

Specific language impairment ； Executive function ； Assessment ； Language therapy

參考文獻

陳昱君(2011)。學齡前特定型語言障礙兒童新詞學習與音韻處理能力之探究(博士論文)。國立臺灣師範大學特殊教育學系。

Applebee, A. N.(1978).The child's concept of story: Ages two to seventeen.Chicago, IL:University of Chicago Press.

Barkley, R. A.(2012).Executive function: What they are, how they work, and why they evolved.New York, NY:Guilford.

Best, J. R.,Miller, P. H.(2010).A developmental perspective on executive function.Child Development.81,1641-1660.

Bishop, D. V. M.,Nation, K.,Patterson, K.(2014).When words fail us: Insights into language processing from developmental and acquired disorders.Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B.369,1-11.