First published in 1988. Language is an important developmental ability which facilitates communication both at home and at school. It is also the foundation of many of a child’s learning experiences in school. A certain level of language is often a pre-requisite both for success in particular curriculum areas and for the ability to conceptualise generally. Language developing is thus a major concern for those who work with mentally handicapped children and it has come to be regarded as one of the main objectives within the special school curriculum.

This book is concerned with the opportunities for language learning which special schools make available for severely mentally handicapped children. It describes how special schools seek to meet the very diverse needs of their pupils and provides a discussion of the success of contemporary approaches to encouraging language development. The author makes a number of constructive criticisms and suggestions for improving practice which should interest anyone whose work involves teaching children with severe learning difficulties.