The Cognitive Hypothesis and Its Influence on Speech-Language Services in Schools

Abstract
In the area of child language development and disorders, the 1970s ushered in the "cognitive revolution." One of the prime aspects of this revolution was the cognitive hypothesis. In its strong form it was argued that cognitive development is a prerequisite to, and that it accounts for, language development. This article presents an illustrative overview of the literature addressing the cognitive hypothesis and language development and disorders. It identifies a significant, early, and continuing influence that the cognitive hypothesis has had on students’ eligibility for speech-language pathology services in schools.