Language Impairment in Multilingual Settings: LITMUS in action across Europe

The COST Action IS0804 "Language Impairment in a Multilingual Society: Linguistic Patterns and the Road to Assessment" aimed to establish a network for research on bilingual specific language impairment (biSLI) in multilingual children. A battery of tools for Language Impairment Testing in Multilingual Settings (LITMUS) was designed to profile biSLI, including the Parental Bilingual Questionnaire, Sentence Repetition Task, Crosslinguistic Lexical Tasks, Multilingual Assessment Instrument for Narratives, and nonword repetition tasks. The chapters in this volume present research on one or more of the LITMUS tasks in bilingual children with typical language development and on the use of the LITMUS testing battery for identifying possible language impairment.

Format: Hardback
Length: 333 pages
Publication date: 18 November 2021
Publisher: John Benjamins Publishing Co

The COST Action IS0804, titled "Language Impairment in a Multilingual Society: Linguistic Patterns and the Road to Assessment," set out to explore bilingual specific language impairment (biSLI) by establishing a comprehensive network of research on the linguistic and cognitive abilities of bilingual children with specific language impairment (SLI) across diverse migrant communities. To achieve this objective, a suite of tools for Language Impairment Testing in Multilingual Settings (LITMUS) was developed within the Action. These tools included the Parental Bilingual Questionnaire, the Sentence Repetition Task, the Crosslinguistic Lexical Tasks, the Multilingual Assessment Instrument for Narratives, and two nonword repetition tasks that were not language-specific.

The chapters in this volume present insightful research on one or more of the LITMUS tasks in bilingual children with typical language development, as well as the utilization of the LITMUS testing battery for identifying potential language impairment. The work presented here holds immense value for researchers and clinicians alike, and has the potential to significantly advance our understanding of bilingual language development and impairment.

The COST Action IS0804 brought together experts from various fields, including linguistics, psychology, education, and healthcare, to foster collaboration and exchange knowledge on bilingual language impairment. Through this Action, significant strides were made in developing standardized assessment tools, refining diagnostic criteria, and understanding the unique linguistic and cognitive challenges faced by bilingual children with SLI.

The findings from this research have far-reaching implications for education, healthcare, and society as a whole. They shed light on the importance of early identification and intervention for bilingual children with SLI, as well as the need for tailored language and cognitive support programs that take into account their bilingual background. Moreover, the Action's insights into the linguistic patterns and cognitive abilities of bilingual children with SLI have broader implications for language acquisition, bilingualism, and multilingualism in general.

The COST Action IS0804 has left a lasting legacy in the field of bilingual language impairment. Its contributions have paved the way for further research, improved practice, and increased awareness of the unique challenges faced by bilingual children with SLI. By fostering collaboration and promoting interdisciplinary research, the Action has made a significant impact on our understanding of bilingual language development and impairment, and has laid the foundation for future advancements in this field.

Weight: 726g
Dimension: 170 x 250 x 22 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9789027209795