Die Entdeckung der Sprache

The author builds on the discussions from her first book (Language Acquisition Disorders, eighth edition 2008) and now presents the practice of assessing and treating early language acquisition disorders. The first part of the book focuses on describing the transitions from simple manipulation to instrumental use of objects, from action to representation, and from pre-verbal interaction to self-awareness and language. For the first time, it is shown step by step what the child does with people and objects in various developmental phases, while simultaneously explaining the discoveries that lead to these new modes of action and communication.

Based on this, the author develops a developmental psychological perspective on language impairment, where the focus is not on formal aspects of language production, but rather on language use and comprehension as a connection between the world of people and objects. She presents a profile for assessing early (language) developmental disorders and demonstrates that even severe communication impairments can be described and understood in developmental psychological terms, thus avoiding psychiatric terminology.

The guiding idea of the book follows the insight that every child has a spontaneous tendency to explore the world and thus language itself. Therefore, the subject of therapy is the search for the point of connection that allows this tendency to develop and unfold.

The author's therapeutic concept is illustrated through detailed therapy reports of individual children, addressing topics such as autism, social deprivation, and sexual abuse, as well as foreign language issues, discussions with parents, and institutional problems.