Background:
This presentation will present findings from a Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA) study that examines the discourses on/about adolescents diagnosed with Developmental Language Disorder (DLD). Situated within social theory, the research seeks to understand the constitutive role and effects of discourse in shaping knowledge about individuals diagnosed with DLD, and to offer a critique that examines the societal inequalities experienced by this group.

Methodology/Discourse Analysis Framework:
Utilizing Wodak's discourse-historic Critical Discourse Analysis approach, the study aims to trace the constitution of understandings of adolescents with DLD since 2000. The analysis seeks to identify dominant, marginal, oppositional, or alternative discourses within academic literature, and presents on the discourses identified. In doing so, this study takes particular interest in themes of power and ideology as essential concepts for analysis.

Results and Conclusions:
The findings reveal a rich tapestry of discourses surrounding adolescents with DLD, ranging from dominant biomedical perspectives that perpetuate individualised and normative narratives about DLD, to marginal and oppositional discourses challenging prevailing assumptions.

This study highlights how the words and phrases used in academic discussions about DLD can either reinforce existing stereotypes or challenge them, shaping how society views adolescents with DLD. By revealing these underlying assumptions, the research encourages a more balanced and inclusive way of talking about and supporting adolescents with DLD, which may lead to more equitable outcomes for this group

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Wodak, R., & Meyer, M. (Eds.). (2016). Methods of critical discourse studies (3rd ed.). SAGE Publications.