[Language development in adolescence: semantic, syntactic and pragmatic competences].

BACKGROUND

Low learning rates during adolescence can be associated to deficits in language processing.

AIM

To characterize the performance of adolescents, with and without complaints in metalinguistic tasks, and to verify the applicability of 4 subtests of the Test of Language Competence-Expanded (TLC-E) (Wiig & Secord, 1985; 1989).

METHOD

16 students with ages between 16 and 18 years were assessed, 8 with learning difficulties and 8 with no learning difficulties. The TLC-E was used, which assess the understanding of language ambiguity, inference, figurative language, syntactic elaboration and memory.

RESULTS

Statistic differences were observed in the performance of both groups in all of the used subtests.

CONCLUSION

It can be concluded that the group with learning difficulties presented a lower performance than the group with no learning difficulties, and that the used instrument was able to distinguish both groups.