THE ROLE OF DIRECTIVES IN EARLY LANGUAGE INTERVENTION

The purpose of this paper is to discuss the appropriate role for directives in language intervention. Three types of directives are defined. follow-in, redirectives, and introductions. Two conceptual models for the role of directives in language development are then presented. The research supports the hypothesis that follow-in directives facilitate language development and can play a useful role in intervention. Redirectives are either negatively or nonsignificantly associated with language development and have a less useful role in language intervention. The role of introductions is less clear, and more research needs to be done. Finally, 3 issues, the possible covariation of directiveness and responsiveness, cultural differences in the else of directives, and a useful role for redirectives separate from language development, are discussed.