Developmental language disorders are difficult to to define as they are heterogeneous, they can include features such as:

• Delayed or disordered language.
• Primary or secondary disorder.
• Disruption in one or more parameter.
• Variable based on context.

And the main red flags to look out for include:

• Slow speech-sound development
• Late to say ‘mama’ and ‘dada’ (>12-18 months)
• First true word late to appear (>18 months)
• Two-word expressions late to appear (>30 months)
• Restricted vocabulary
• Overreliance on gesture
• Infrequent and poor development of verbs
• Lack of yes or no responses to questions
• Difficulty initiating conversations with age-peers
• Difficulty turn taking in conversation
• Difficulty rhyming words
• Difficulty naming letters
• Male gender
• Family History of SLCN
• Low level parental education
• Poverty
• Abuse/Neglect
• Prenatal/perinatal problems
  (Clarke 2017)

If you identify any of these issues with the EAL student alert the main teacher. It creates a barrier to learning or communication and the sufferer is unlikely to catch up with their peers spontaneously.  Although, language disorders are most commonly associated with learners of a first language, they can cause major issues and difficulties for EAL students who must learn English to achieve in our modern day society. If they struggle with their own language without assistance, how are they expected to learn another?