Language is of central importance in children's development and vital for their success at school and the world beyond. John Harris provides an account of how research has expanded our understanding of just what language is and how this has led to different approaches to language assessment. Theories of language development are summarized in terms of their implications for language teaching. He explains how teachers and therapists can overcome the special problems faced by children with particular difficulties such as visual impairment, hearing impairment, general learning difficulties, and environmental deprivation.