Developmental Language Disorder (DLD) is a lifelong neurodevelopmental condition that affects a person's ability to understand and/or use spoken language.
It is one of the most common developmental conditions affecting children.
The Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists reports that DLD affects approximately 7.58% of children. This is roughly equivalent to two children in an average class of 30.
Despite being common, DLD can be missed or misunderstood. Children may be seen as not listening, not concentrating, behaving badly or struggling academically when an underlying language difficulty is contributing to what adults are seeing.
Children with DLD can be bright and capable but may struggle to understand instructions, express themselves, learn new vocabulary, remember spoken information, participate in classroom discussions, organise written work or build friendships.
DLD affects language rather than determining a person's intelligence.
With the right communication environment, education support and Speech and Language Therapy where appropriate, children and young people with DLD can make progress and succeed in education.
This page explains DLD in full, including signs, assessment, classroom strategies, Speech and Language Therapy, education support across the UK, mental health, behaviour, bullying, legal rights, evidence, complaints and family support.
Education Support Across the UK
DLD is recognised across the United Kingdom, but education law and the names used for additional support differ.
England
England uses the Special Educational Needs and Disabilities system.
Support can include:
- SEN Support
- SENCO involvement
- Specialist support
- Reasonable adjustments
- Education, Health and Care Plans where required
Wales
Wales uses the Additional Learning Needs system.
This includes:
- Additional Learning Needs
- Additional Learning Provision
- ALNCo involvement
- Individual Development Plans
Scotland
Scotland uses the Additional Support for Learning framework.
Children who require extra help to benefit from education may have additional support needs.
Some children with complex and long-term needs may qualify for a Co-ordinated Support Plan.
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland uses its own Special Educational Needs system.
Support can include:
- School-based SEN support
- Education Authority services
- Specialist support
- Statutory assessment
- SEN Statements
Whatever part of the UK a child lives in, the key questions should be:
- What language difficulties does the child have?
- How do they affect learning and everyday life?
- What support has already been tried?
- What additional support is required?
- How will progress be reviewed?
1. What is Developmental Language Disorder?
Developmental Language Disorder is a persistent difficulty with understanding and/or using spoken language which has a significant effect on everyday communication, learning or participation.
DLD is not simply caused by a child having had too little opportunity to hear or learn language.
Every child with DLD is different.
Understanding Language
A child may find it difficult to:
- Understand spoken instructions
- Understand questions
- Follow conversations
- Understand longer sentences
- Understand abstract language
- Understand jokes or non-literal language
Using Language
A child may have difficulty:
- Finding the right words
- Learning new words
- Using grammar
- Building sentences
- Explaining ideas clearly
- Answering questions
Remembering Language
Difficulties can include:
- Remembering verbal instructions
- Remembering new vocabulary
- Remembering sequences
- Retelling information
- Following several instructions at once
Conversation
- Keeping up with fast conversations
- Knowing when to join in
- Explaining misunderstandings
- Giving enough background information
Storytelling
- Putting events in order
- Explaining what happened
- Giving relevant details
- Using connecting words
Processing Spoken Information
- Taking longer to understand speech
- Becoming overloaded by long explanations
- Missing part of an instruction
- Needing information repeated or rephrased
A child may understand a concept but struggle to put that understanding into words.
Difficulties explaining an answer should not automatically be interpreted as a lack of knowledge.
Language difficulties can sometimes appear to adults as:
- Poor attention
- Not listening
- Behaviour problems
- Reading difficulties
- Poor memory
- Lack of effort
- Friendship problems
Understanding the language difficulty can completely change how these behaviours are interpreted.
2. Signs of Developmental Language Disorder
The signs can change as children grow because the language demands of education and everyday life become more complex.
Early Years
- Late talking
- Limited vocabulary
- Short sentences
- Difficulty following instructions
- Difficulty joining conversations
- Difficulty learning new words
- Frustration when communicating
Primary School
- Difficulty understanding lessons
- Difficulty answering questions
- Limited vocabulary
- Forgetting verbal instructions
- Reading-comprehension difficulties
- Difficulty explaining ideas
- Friendship difficulties
Secondary School
- Difficulty understanding complex language
- Difficulty organising written work
- Difficulty learning subject vocabulary
- Difficulty understanding exam questions
- Anxiety during class discussions
- Reduced confidence speaking
- Reduced academic progress
Other Possible Signs
Emotional
- Anxiety
- Low confidence
- Frustration
- Fear of speaking
Behaviour
- Appearing not to listen
- Not following instructions
- Avoiding difficult work
- Becoming frustrated
- Giving up quickly
Social
- Difficulty making friends
- Misunderstanding conversations
- Social isolation
- Difficulty joining group activities
Hearing difficulties, developmental conditions, learning needs and other factors can also affect language.
Persistent concerns should be discussed with an appropriate professional and, where indicated, assessed by Speech and Language Therapy.
3. What to Do if You Are Concerned About a Child's Language
Parents do not have to wait until a child is failing badly before raising concerns.
Record examples of instructions the child finds hard, words they struggle to understand, communication difficulties and any effect on learning or friendships.
Explain the concerns to the child's teacher and the SENCO, ALNCo or equivalent additional-support lead.
Language difficulties may be easier to see in a busy classroom than at home, or vice versa.
Hearing difficulties can affect speech and language development and may need to be ruled out or managed.
Referral arrangements vary locally. Parents may be directed to their local NHS Speech and Language Therapy service, GP, health visitor or education setting.
Schools can put communication strategies and additional educational support in place while further assessment is being considered.
4. DLD and Learning
Language is used throughout education, which means DLD can affect every curriculum subject.
Listening
- Following lessons
- Understanding explanations
- Remembering instructions
- Following classroom discussion
Speaking
- Explaining answers
- Asking for help
- Participating in discussion
- Giving presentations
Reading
- Vocabulary
- Reading comprehension
- Inference
- Understanding complex sentences
Writing
- Sentence structure
- Grammar
- Organising ideas
- Vocabulary choice
Maths
- Word problems
- Multi-step instructions
- Mathematical vocabulary
- Explaining reasoning
Other Subjects
- Scientific terminology
- History explanations
- Geography vocabulary
- Exam command words
Schools should therefore consider whether a child can demonstrate learning in another way rather than relying exclusively on complex spoken answers.
5. School Support
Speech, language and communication needs can create significant barriers to education.
Appropriate educational support may include:
Language Support
- Speech and language programmes
- Pre-teaching vocabulary
- Small-group language work
- Visual communication support
Learning Support
- Individual support plans
- Chunked tasks
- Extra processing time
- Reduced language load
Professional Support
- Speech and Language Therapy
- Educational Psychology
- Specialist teaching
- Additional-needs teams
A child should not automatically have to wait for a formal DLD diagnosis before communication and learning needs are supported.
The SEND Code of Practice describes a graduated approach:
- Assess: understand strengths, difficulties and barriers.
- Plan: agree support, outcomes and review arrangements.
- Do: deliver the support.
- Review: measure impact and change support where required.
6. Helpful Classroom Strategies
Communication can often be made much more accessible without lowering expectations of what a child can learn.
How Adults Speak
- Use clear language
- Use shorter sentences
- Give one instruction at a time
- Avoid unnecessary verbal information
- Pause between instructions
- Allow processing time
Check Understanding
- Do not simply ask “Do you understand?”
- Ask the pupil to show what they need to do
- Use visual checking
- Rephrase rather than only repeat
Visual Support
- Visual timetables
- Pictures
- Symbols
- Written key words
- Examples
- Demonstrations
Vocabulary
- Pre-teach new words
- Explain words simply
- Use examples
- Revisit words regularly
- Teach subject-specific vocabulary
Tasks
- Break work into small steps
- Use checklists
- Provide examples
- Give additional planning time
Social Communication
- Supported conversations
- Structured group work
- Friendship support
- A trusted adult
If only one teacher uses the agreed communication strategies, the pupil may still struggle throughout much of their school day.
7. Speech and Language Therapy
Speech and Language Therapists assess and support speech, language and communication needs.
For DLD, the focus may be on language rather than how clearly the child pronounces speech sounds.
Assessment May Include
- Understanding spoken language
- Expressive language
- Vocabulary
- Grammar
- Storytelling
- Functional communication
Therapy May Include
- Language activities
- Vocabulary work
- Understanding sentences
- Building sentences
- Narrative skills
Advice May Include
- Classroom strategies
- Parent strategies
- Communication supports
- Staff training
- Environmental changes
The appropriate model depends on the child's needs and may include direct therapy, group intervention, programmes delivered by trained staff, consultation or strategies embedded into everyday education.
Depending on the NHS service, referrals may be accepted from families, health visitors, GPs, nurseries, schools or other professionals.
8. SEND, ALN and Additional Support Across the UK
England — SEN Support & EHCPs
A pupil with DLD may receive SEN Support.
Support can include:
- Specialist communication support
- Speech and Language Therapy input
- Adapted teaching
- Visual support
- Additional adult support
- Educational Psychology input
Where SEN Support is not sufficient and the statutory criteria are met, an Education, Health and Care needs assessment may be appropriate.
Parents can request an EHC needs assessment directly from the local authority.
Wales — ALN & IDPs
Wales uses the Additional Learning Needs framework.
Where a learner has ALN, an Individual Development Plan may describe:
- The learner's needs
- The Additional Learning Provision required
- Expected outcomes
- Who is responsible for support
- Review arrangements
Scotland — Additional Support for Learning
A child has additional support needs where, for whatever reason, they need additional support to benefit from school education.
Support for language difficulties can include:
- Adapted teaching
- Speech and language support
- Specialist staff
- Additional planning
- Support with communication
Some children with complex and long-term needs may meet the criteria for a Co-ordinated Support Plan.
Northern Ireland — SEN
Northern Ireland operates its own special educational needs system.
Depending on need, support can involve:
- School-based SEN support
- Specialist advice
- Language and communication support
- Educational Psychology
- Statutory assessment
- A Statement of SEN where appropriate
9. Reasonable Adjustments and Accessibility
In England, Wales and Scotland, DLD may meet the Equality Act 2010 definition of disability where its effect is substantial and long term.
Where that legal definition is met, education providers have duties concerning disability discrimination and reasonable adjustments.
Spoken Information
- Shorter instructions
- One instruction at a time
- Extra processing time
- Rephrasing information
Visual Information
- Written instructions
- Pictures
- Symbols
- Checklists
- Visual timetables
Demonstrating Learning
- Extra response time
- Alternative response methods
- Support understanding questions
- Appropriate assessment arrangements
Schools must follow the rules applying to the relevant examination or assessment.
Evidence of need and the pupil's normal way of working are normally important.
10. DLD, Behaviour and Misunderstandings
Language difficulties can sometimes be mistaken for behaviour problems.
What Adults May See
- Not following instructions
- Walking away from tasks
- Not answering questions
- Becoming frustrated
- Appearing not to listen
- Shutting down
What May Be Happening
- The instruction was not understood
- Too much language was used
- The child cannot find the words to respond
- The child needs more processing time
- The language demand is overwhelming
Before assuming defiance, adults should consider whether the child understood what was said and whether the communication demand was accessible.
11. DLD and School Attendance
DLD does not automatically cause school absence, but the effects of communication difficulties can contribute to school-related anxiety or avoidance for some pupils.
Possible Barriers
- Fear of speaking in class
- Difficulty understanding lessons
- Bullying
- Social isolation
- Repeated disciplinary problems
- Anxiety around assessments
Possible Support
- Review communication needs
- Provide a trusted adult
- Adjust classroom communication
- Address bullying
- Review SEND or additional support
- Support emotional wellbeing
Repeated absence should prompt consideration of the barriers preventing the pupil from participating successfully in education.
12. DLD and Mental Health
Communication is central to friendships, learning, expressing emotions and asking for help.
Children and young people with DLD may experience:
- Anxiety
- Low confidence
- Low self-esteem
- Frustration
- Social isolation
- Bullying
- Emotional distress
- Difficulty explaining feelings
A child with DLD may find complex questions about feelings difficult to answer.
Helpful approaches can include:
- Simple questions
- Visual emotion scales
- Pictures
- Choices
- Extra processing time
- A familiar trusted adult
13. Working with Nursery, School or College
Good communication between families, education staff and professionals can make support more consistent.
Parents and Carers Can
- Share communication concerns
- Provide professional reports
- Attend reviews
- Keep written records
- Ask for support plans
- Report changes in need
Education Settings Can
- Identify barriers
- Use agreed communication strategies
- Record provision
- Measure progress
- Work with SLT
- Involve the child
Questions Families Can Ask
- What speech, language and communication difficulties have been identified?
- What support is currently being provided?
- Who is responsible for delivering it?
- How often does support happen?
- Are visual supports being used consistently?
- Is new vocabulary being pre-taught?
- Are Speech and Language Therapy recommendations being followed?
- How is progress measured?
- When will support next be reviewed?
- Does the child require further professional assessment?
Record:
- What was agreed
- Who will do it
- When it starts
- How often it should happen
- When it will be reviewed
14. Bullying and Social Inclusion
Communication difficulties can make children with DLD vulnerable to misunderstanding, social isolation or bullying.
Schools Should
- Take concerns seriously
- Investigate incidents
- Support friendships
- Promote inclusion
- Monitor wellbeing
- Consider disability-related bullying
Families Can
- Report incidents in writing
- Record dates
- Keep messages or screenshots
- Ask what action is being taken
- Keep correspondence
A child may struggle to:
- Remember the sequence of events
- Name exactly what happened
- Explain who said what
- Respond quickly to questions
This should not automatically be interpreted as unreliability.
15. Legal Rights
England
- Children and Families Act 2014
- Equality Act 2010
- SEND Code of Practice
- Education legislation
Wales
- Additional Learning Needs and Education Tribunal (Wales) Act 2018
- ALN Code
- Equality Act 2010
Scotland
- Education (Additional Support for Learning) (Scotland) Act 2004
- Supporting Children's Learning Code
- Equality Act 2010
Northern Ireland
- Education (Northern Ireland) Order 1996
- SENDO 2005
- SEND Act (Northern Ireland) 2016
- SEN Code of Practice
Depending on the child's circumstances and the country involved, rights may include:
- Appropriate additional educational support
- Assessment of needs
- Participation in decisions
- Accessible communication
- Specialist support where appropriate
- Protection from unlawful discrimination
- Reasonable adjustments where required
- Statutory assessment where criteria are met
- Complaint procedures
- Appeal or tribunal rights in certain cases
16. Evidence Standards
Good evidence can help when requesting additional educational support, Speech and Language Therapy, reasonable adjustments, statutory assessment or when raising a complaint.
School Evidence
- Teacher observations
- School reports
- Support plans
- Attendance records
- Examples of work
- Intervention records
Professional Evidence
- Speech and Language Therapy reports
- DLD assessment reports
- Educational Psychology reports
- Hearing reports
- Other professional assessments
Family & Child Evidence
- Parent diary
- Child's views
- Emails
- Meeting notes
- Examples of communication difficulties
Need
What difficulty is occurring?
Impact
How does it affect education or everyday life?
Support
What has already been tried?
Request
What additional provision is required?
A written support plan does not prove that support actually happened.
Where possible, record:
- What was provided
- How often
- For how long
- Who delivered it
- What progress was seen
17. Accountability & Complaints
Where support is not being provided or concerns remain unresolved, use the process appropriate to the particular issue.
Speak to the teacher and the SENCO, ALNCo or equivalent additional-support lead.
Say what support is missing or what decision you disagree with.
Ask what the setting will do and when.
If you have received a statutory decision, check its appeal deadline separately.
England
SEN-support concerns normally start with the school and its SENCO, followed by the formal school complaint process where necessary.
Wales
The ALN system includes reconsideration, dispute resolution and appeal rights in certain circumstances.
Scotland
Additional-support disputes may involve local resolution processes and, for certain matters, the First-tier Tribunal.
Northern Ireland
Parents may have appeal rights against certain Education Authority SEN decisions.
18. Help, Support & Advocacy
Speech and Language UK
Information and resources for children and families affected by speech, language and communication needs.
Afasic
Support and information for families of children and young people with speech, language and communication needs.
Contact
UK-wide support for families with disabled children and children with additional needs.
SENDIASS / IASS — England
Local impartial SEND information, advice and support for children, young people and families.
Wales
Welsh Government information explains the ALN system, IDPs, rights, dispute resolution and advocacy.
Northern Ireland
The Education Authority provides information about SEN support and services.
19. Official Sources & Useful Support
The information needed to understand DLD is already explained above. These links are provided so families can check official guidance or contact specialist support.
DLD & Speech/Language
England
Scotland
Northern Ireland
Equality & Family Support
Key Message
Developmental Language Disorder is a common but often overlooked lifelong language condition.
A child with DLD may know much more than they can easily explain in words.
Difficulties following instructions, answering questions, completing work, making friends or regulating behaviour should not automatically be interpreted as lack of effort or ability.
Education settings should identify speech, language and communication needs early and make teaching accessible through clear language, visual information, additional processing time and consistent communication strategies.
Speech and Language Therapy can help identify a child's language profile and advise families and education staff about appropriate support.
A child should not automatically be left without educational support while adults wait for a formal diagnostic label.
Parents and carers can help by keeping evidence, participating in reviews, asking exactly what support is being delivered and raising concerns when provision is not meeting the child's needs.
With needs recognised and appropriate support in place, children and young people with DLD can learn, build relationships, develop confidence and achieve.
Right First Time UK — Information Notice
Right First Time UK provides general public information, awareness resources and signposting.
We are not an NHS service, Speech and Language Therapy provider, diagnostic service, nursery, school, local authority, tribunal, law firm or regulated legal advice provider.
Developmental Language Disorder affects individuals differently. Assessment and support should therefore be based on the needs of the individual child or young person.
Education law and statutory support systems differ between England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.
Always check current official guidance and seek appropriate professional, health, education or specialist advice where needed.