Developmental Language Difficulty Awareness Day – 16 October 2026
What is Developmental Language Disorder (DLD)?
DLD is a difficulty developing language skills, both speaking and understanding, that cannot be explained by any other condition. So unlike, say, autism, which has a language element, but also includes social interaction difficulties, children with DLD develop normally in every other way. The condition is more common than other types of SEN but often mistaken for other things: naughty behaviour, poor attention or low intelligence. Previously known as specific language disorder or specific language impairment, Dorothy Bishop, emeritus professor of neuro-psychology at University of Oxford, came up with the term DLD, to increase awareness of the widespread nature of the problem.
Language is both give and take, it is understanding what others are saying, their questions and instructions (receptive language) and the message we impart in talking (expressive language). According to Sarah Thompson, Principal of St Catherine’s School in Ventnor, a speech and language specialist school and college where all the children have a language disorder, ‘In normal speech we use so much higher level language without realising that many students aren’t understanding it’. Often parents assume their child doesn’t have a problem because, she says, ‘They can speak really well about a topic they know about, but ask about something they don’t know about and you get a one-word answer’.
Language is used for a variety of social interactions, greeting, commenting, questioning, requesting, conversation, and understanding. Good language ability is vital for progressing at school in any subject. ‘They don’t always know what they’ve misunderstood’ says Thompson.
What are the symptoms of DLD in children?
DLD in the classroom
A child with DLD often slips under the teacher’s radar. They may appear to follow what is said, and nod in unison with their friends, but in fact may only understand a few key words. This becomes apparent when they are required to follow instructions, particularly if these are given to a whole class at fast pace.
Often DLD is mistaken for low cognitive ability or IQ, perhaps because only 11 per cent of children with DLD meet their curriculum targets, and children with DLD are less likely to attend university.
Speech, language and communication difficulties
Expressing yourself in words is a daily challenge, which may consist of difficulty finding the right vocabulary or the ability to weave words together in sentences. A child with DLD often uses fewer combined phrases or complex sentences. They may not acquire simple narrative techniques or concepts. A pupil at St Catherine’s begged, ‘Don’t put me on the spot, I’ll freeze’.
Their difficulties are often mistaken for a delay in developing language, especially if there is another language spoken at home. However, bilingual children without DLD will quickly catch up, whereas the gap between children with DLD and their peers grows bigger as school work becomes more demanding.
As they get older, it becomes clear that child with DLD is falling behind. Sadly, support for language difficulties often tails off in secondary school, or adolescents become self-conscious and don’t want to draw attention to themselves by receiving individual help, ‘It’s so easy to mask that they don’t understand,’ says Thompson. This in turn affects confidence, you might see the child with DLD becoming quiet and withdrawn. Conversely, attention difficulties and acting up are a common development of DLD.
What causes DLD?
No one knows what gives rise to DLD, though it is known to run in families, so there is a genetic element, but this is not the full story. There may be birth and environmental risk factors too. DLD occurs across genders, though it is more common in boys than girls, and across all races and socio-economic groups. It can mean a child attending primary school experiences a two to three-year gap in their language skills. DLD affects spoken language but can occur alongside reading, writing and spelling difficulties. ‘We need an awareness day,’ says Thompson, ‘to remind people there are these hidden disabilities’.
How can schools support children with DLD?
Identification of the difficulty, eg by a speech and language assessment
Allowing more time for a child to process information
Visual prompts for learning, eg backing up verbal information with pictures and symbols
Signing, eg Sign Supported English or Makaton while speaking
Keywords, eg vocabulary lists for new subjects
Auditory and visual memory strategies, eg rehearsal of key information
Breaking down instructions into short memorable chunks
Raise awareness – Get your school to speak up for Developmental Language Disorder Awareness Day.
