Using Tang poems to teach syntax in primary students with developmental language disorder : a focus on pre-verb modification and nested structures

Abstract

This exploratory study investigates the potential of using Tang Poems as a culturally grounded pedagogical tool for teaching advanced syntactic structures—particularly Pre-Verb Modification (PVM) and nested constructions—to Cantonese-speaking primary students with Developmental Language Disorder (DLD). Drawing on the Can-LARSP framework, a hierarchical phrase-based syntactic profiling system for Cantonese, the study analyzes the syntactic complexity of 20 classical Tang poems, focusing on the frequency and distribution of PVM, serial verb constructions (V1V2), and modifier-head relationships. A pilot instructional program involving typically developing (TD) Primary 5–6 students was conducted to examine how exposure to Tang Poetry affects syntactic elaboration in poem writing. Hierarchical syntactic analysis of student-composed poems across five sessions revealed increased presence of PVM, coordination, and overall syntactic complexity, as measured by indices such as NOSS/Level and NOSS/NODSS. These findings suggest that the structured, rhythmic, and parallel nature of Tang poems may facilitate syntactic development through both implicit and explicit learning processes. While no direct intervention with children with DLD has yet been implemented, the study proposes a pedagogical framework for syntax intervention using Tang Poems, incorporating metalinguistic instruction, recitation, sentence manipulation, and creative composition. A Tang Poem syntactic database is also proposed to support educators in selecting appropriate texts based on syntactic features. Future research will empirically validate the framework and explore its applications in language intervention for DLD learners.