Which of the following would be most indicative of a receptive language disorder?

• A. A student uses the same words and phrases over and over again in different situations.
• B. A student hesitates before talking and rarely initiates conversation.
• C. A student looks at other students to see what they are doing when directions are given.
• D. A student cannot hear the teacher unless the teacher's voice is raised.

Answer: (C)

Understanding spoken language and following verbal directions is central to receptive language. When a student looks to other students to know what to do after directions are given, it shows they may not grasp the teacher’s spoken instructions on their own. They rely on peers’ actions to infer what’s expected, which signals difficulty processing or understanding language used to communicate tasks. This is a hallmark of receptive language challenges—the child may understand less when language is heard, even if their speech is fluent.

In contrast, using the same words and phrases repeatedly points more to expressive or perseverative language patterns; hesitating to talk and rarely initiating conversation reflects social-pragmatic or expressive concerns; and being unable to hear unless the teacher’s voice is raised indicates a hearing impairment rather than a language processing issue.