Communication and Language Intervention: Why a Constructivist Approach is Insufficient

Abstract
The purpose of this article is to present the basis for a broad-based cross-paradigmatic approach to language intervention. Factors that have shaped the field over the past 40 years are briefly discussed to provide a context for considering the present state of practice and research. Three widely used language intervention approaches are described and critiqued to demonstrate the limitations of any single approach. The main challenges facing the language intervention field and a rationale for taking a broad-based cross-paradigmatic perspective are then discussed.