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• Children with DLD experience significant difficulties only when learning longer novel words. • Phonological short-term memory deficits impact word learning in children with DLD. • Nonword repetition has predictive value in understanding word learning potential. To investigate factors that influence word learning in children with developmental language disorder (DLD). The participants were 23 children with DLD and 26 typically developing (TD) children, aged five. Participants completed a fast mapping task (assessed using a production measure), as well as tests of nonword repetition and receptive vocabulary. We explored the effect of word length on nonword repetition and fast mapping abilities while controlling for receptive vocabulary skills. The results indicate that children with DLD demonstrate significant difficulties accurately repeating nonwords of all lengths relative to their TD peers. Children with DLD also exhibited significant difficulties with fast mapping, especially when learning longer novel words. Our findings indicate that children with DLD demonstrate an impaired capacity to encode phonological information; however, this differentially impacts their nonword repetition and fast mapping abilities. TD children may more effectively take advantage of receptive vocabulary to support performance on these tasks. Readers will understand how phonological short-term memory and receptive vocabulary contribute to fast mapping in children with DLD and in TD children. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Students' oral and written narratives lacked key detail and appropriate referencing. • Written narratives contained spelling errors and unclear sentence boundaries. • Overall, students demonstrated stronger skills in microstructure in the written modality. • Language disorder affected macrostructure in the oral modality and microstructure in the written. • Text-level language assessment is important for identifying students' functional needs. Unmet language and literacy needs are common among young people who are involved with youth justice systems. However, there is limited research regarding the functional text-level language skills of this population with regard to narrative macrostructure (story grammar) and microstructure (semantics and syntax) elements. In this study, we examined macrostructure and microstructure elements in the oral and written narrative texts of 24 adolescent students of a youth detention centre. The students, who were aged 14- to 17- years, were all speakers of Standard Australian English, and 11 (46%) students met criteria for language disorder (LD). When we compared the narratives according to modality of language, the students demonstrated stronger narrative language skills in the written modality compared to the oral. However, when we compared the narratives according to language ability, we found that the impact of LD on inclusion of macrostructure elements was greater in the oral modality, and for microstructure elements, was greater in the written modality. Errors in written conventions were common among both students with and without LD. Our results indicate that both the modality of language as well as the presence of LD should be considered when young people are required to participate in forensic contexts including programs that address educational and rehabilitation needs. Our results indicate a need for consistent text-level language assessment to better identify and respond to functional difficulties within language and literacy. There is potential for speech-language pathology services to enhance comprehensive assessment as well as inform educational and rehabilitation programs for young people who are involved with youth justice systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]