Includes bibliographical references and index.

The development of language : definitions, policy and practice -- Historical and contemporary views of the nature-nurture debate : a continuum of perspectives for the speech-language pathologist -- The hearing mechanism and development comprehension of language -- Gesture development : setting the stage for language development -- Social-emotional bases of pragmatic and communication development -- Early semantic development : the developing lexicon -- The development of morphology and syntax -- Speech sound disorders : an overview of acquisition, assessment, and treatment -- Early transitions : literacy development in the emergent literacy and early literacy stages -- School-age language development : application of the five domains of language across four modalities -- Mapping language onto the brain -- Multicultural perspectivee : the road to cultural competence -- Speech and language development of children who were adopted internationally -- Children with language impairment -- Listening, language and literacy for children with sensory devices : from hearing aides to cochlear implants -- Communication development in children with multiple disabilities : the role of augmentative and alternative communication.