A FOLLOW-UP-STUDY OF CHILDREN ATTENDING A PRIMARY-AGE LANGUAGE UNIT

Twenty-seven children of normal non-verbal intelligence and a mean age of 8 years, attending a primary-age language unit, were assessed on m easures of language reading and behavioural adjustment. Three and a ha lf years Inter, when many of the children had reached secondary school age, they were re-assessed using the same measures. Although mean lan guage and reading age scores had improved, they were still well below age level and the gap between chronological age and language and readi ng ages had increased. There was also some evidence of increasing beha vioural and emotional problems. Children who had moved to mainstream e ducation at follow-up had, on average, higher levels of intelligence a nd significantly higher scores on language and reading tests than the children who had remained in special education. However, even amongst this group many problems persisted, although few pupils received any a dditional help in dealing with them.