Language refers to the content of what is spoken, written, read or understood and the rules about how we put sounds, symbols and words together for others to understand. Language has a code or set of secret rules that most of us learn over many years. Most of the rules we learn from our families who model them for us, and from friends and teachers as we grow. There are secret rules for:

•How sounds are combined into words

•How words are put into sentences

•How sentences are formed into stories, descriptions and conversations

•How we talk or express ourselves in different social situations

Few people are able to explain what the rules are, but we know the rules because we can identify when a mistake has been made. For example, when a child says "I have gave it to him" you can correct the sentence using your secret knowledge to " I have given it to him" but you probably can not say which "rule" was broken. You will not tell the child that the use of the "have" auxiliary requires the verb to be in perfect tense because it is a past completed action sentence!!

Most children learn the rules by listening to other people talk, practising what they hear, and being corrected. However, some children are not able to grasp the rules and they fail to see or hear the verbal and non-verbal clues that accompany words. For example, changes in intonation or tone which may change the meaning or intent are missed by these children. Or they may not notice the changes in facial expression or posture that indicate changes in mood or feelings.

Children with language problems often have behaviour problems or act inappropriately. They have not learned the social communication skills that are needed in different situations. For example, they may not recognize that the boisterous behaviour and loud voice used at play in the back yard should be replaced with a softer voice and polite manners at Grandma's dining table.

The development of language takes many years, until adulthood, to establish an extensive vocabulary and master the more complex rules of grammar.