Determining the vocabulary lexicon of the children with language delay through Turkish expressive and receptive word language (TIFALDI) test

Programme in Anadolu University, Graduate School of Health Sciences, May 2019 Supervisor: Assoc. Dr. Aylin Müge TUNÇER The indicator of the semantic knowledge development at children during language acquisition is the increase in the vocabulary. Delays which may occur during the development of the vocabulary bring along the potential language disorders and social & academic problems in future. This study aims to determine the receptive and expressive vocabulary of the 36-59 month old children with language delay through TİFALDİ Test. In line with this aim, how the variables as the participants' age, therapy period, type of the therapy, and parents' education status effect on the score of TİFALDİ and TEDİL sub-test (the test of early language development in the Turkish language) was examined. All the forms of the TİFALDİ and TEDİL Tests were implemented to the participants and the raw score, standard score, and peers' ages were calculated. The study's participants are the 36 children between 36-59-month-old who were diagnosed with language delay at DİLKOM (the Research Centre for Language and Speech Disorders). The participants were divided into groups as follows: according to the age, as 3 and 4; according to the type of the therapy, as individual and group; according to the parents' education background, as lower than high school degree (primary school, high school) and above than high school degree (associate degree and above). Considering the findings of the study, while the equivalent age of TİFALDİ-AD was higher than the chronological age, TİFALDİ-İD equivalent ages were found to be lower than the chronological age. The TIFALDI-AD subscales were predominant in the language sub-scores. The relationship between the TED and TIFALDI subtests varies according to the groups. All subscales of TİFALDİ Test with age increase. The duration of therapy positively affects the recipient language scores of the 3-age group and the expressive scores of the 4-age group. No significant difference was observed between TIFALDI sub-test scores according to parental education and therapy type. Key words: Language Delay, Vocabulary Growth, TİFALDİ