bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Effects of Therapy on Articulation Skills in Elementary-School Children
Authors: Helmick Joseph W.
Published: July 2014

Changes in articulatory skills among second-grade children who received a planned remediation program were compared to changes in articulatory skills for children who had not received remediation during the school year. The data indicate that the application of a planned program resulted in significant and positive changes in articulatory skills beyond any changes attributable to maturational effects.
A Cognitive-Linguistic Intervention Program: Basic Concept Formation Level
Authors: Chappell Gerald E.
Published: July 2014

Test-teach questioning is a strategy that can be used to help children develop basic concepts. It fosters the use of multisensory exploration and discovery in learning which leads to the development of cognitive-linguistic skills. This article outlines some of the theoretical bases for this approach and indicates possibilities for their applications in child-clinician transactions.
Supervision: A Case Study
Authors: Chapey Roberta , Chapey Geraldine
Published: July 2014

Occasionally, it is the responsibility of a supervisor to help a staff speech clinician resolve professional and or personal problems that interfere with the delivery of quality services. To deal with this situation, the supervisor must be equipped with the techniques and procedures for effective organizational communication. This article presents a case study in which a speech clinician demonstrated irresponsibility in various job areas. The supervisor’s philosophy and the procedures used in managing these problems are presented. The behavioral changes suggest that the supervisor’s interventive procedures were clinically significant and warrant further investigation.
Variability in Test Scores of Forms A and B of the Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test Derived from Sampling a First-Grade Population
Authors: Bordogna Marianne , Forcucci Richard A. , Carlin Jerri
Published: July 2014

Previous studies have suggested that young children’s performances on the Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test vary considerably. These data infer similar performance variability in all populations. To determine the credibility of this semantic variance, Forms A and B of the PPVT were administered to 53 first-grade children in the Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania area. The results provided an additional demonstration of the variability between Forms A and B of the PPVT. Response data from previous studies were further analyzed revealing statistically significant differences between means of the group raw scores.
Management of Vocal Hoarseness Caused by Abuse: An Approach
Authors: Blonigen Julie A.
Published: July 2014

Clinicians encounter numerous school-age children who give evidence of vocal hoarseness caused by vocal abuse. This article provides the methods and activities clinicians may use to help these children acquire normal voices and appropriate vocal habits. The approach involves parents, students, and teachers. Emphasis is placed on explanation of the problem, identification and elimination of abuses, elimination of muscular tension through relaxation exercises, and use of breathy-speech production that avoids hard glottal attacks. Breathiness is achieved using the yawn-sigh approach. Children participating in the program become responsible for their own progress. The approach has been successful with elementary and secondary students.
Short-Form Application of the Screening Test of Spanish Grammar and the Northwestern Syntax Screening Test to Latino Children
Authors: Ratusnik David L. , Ratusnik Carol Melnick , Sattinger Karen
Published: July 2014

Short-form versions of the Screening Test of Spanish Grammar (Toronto, 1973) and the Northwestern Syntax Screening Test (Lee, 1971) were devised for use with bilingual Latino children while preserving the original normative data. Application of a multiple regression technique to data collected on 60 lower social status Latino children (four years and six months to seven years and one month) from Spanish Harlem and Yonkers, New York, yielded a small but powerful set of predictor items from the Spanish and English tests. Clinicians may make rapid and accurate predictions of STSG or NSST total screening scores from administration of substantially shortened versions of the instruments. Case studies of Latino children from Chicago and Miami serve to cross-validate the procedure outside the New York metropolitan area.
Creative Drama and Language Experiences: Effective Clinical Techniques
Authors: Bush Catharine S.
Published: July 2014

This article describes creative drama and language experiences, showing how they can be combined with structured interventive strategies to promote speech and language learning.
A Vocal Hygiene Program for School-Age Children
Authors: Cook Joy V. , Palaski Dorothy J. , Hanson Wayne R.
Published: July 2014

Thirty-eight elementary grade school children with hoarse voices participated in a six-lesson, cartoon-illustrated vocal hygiene program that provided information concerning the human voice, voice quality, vocal abuse, and proper use of the voice. Each child was given a pre- and postinstruction test of vocal hygiene concepts. Analysis of the test results indicates that the children learned the presented vocal hygiene concepts. The children’s participation in the program led to self discovery of abusive vocal behaviors and to realistic goals for reducing vocal abuse.
Effective Leadership of Parent Discussion Groups
Authors: Webster Elizabeth J. , Cole Brenda M.
Published: July 2014

This discussion is designed to help clinicians in schools who work with groups of parents of handicapped children. Specifically, suggestions are made to help these clinicians function more effectively as leaders. Emphasis is placed on the following: 1) selecting topics for discussion; 2) seating participants in order to promote interaction; 3) respecting parents' needs to be silent; 4) recognizing similarities among parents; 5) providing them equal opportunities for participation; 6) responding to nonverbal cues; and 7) using open-ended questions and leading statements.
Itard and Language Pedagogy: A Commentary for Teachers of Children with Special Language Needs
Authors: Lamberts Frances , Miller Ted L.
Published: July 2014

The 19th century, surgeon-turned-educator wrestled with instructional procedures in sensory, concept, and communication development for a mute, adolescent, “incurably retarded” boy. The teacher made language his most important programmatic focus since, without it, whatever else the student might learn could not be mentally codified and retained. Itard’s training steps are outlined and the major instructional principles described. It is argued that speech-language personnel, as well as teachers, when facing the task of language instruction with the mentally handicapped, may benefit from a thoughtful examination of Itard’s philosophy, procedures, and errors in language training.
Speech Reception in the Presence of Classroom Noise
Authors: Smyth Veronica
Published: July 2014

Three hundred children from five to 12 years of age were required to discriminate simple, familiar, monosyllabic words under two conditions: 1) quiet, and 2) in the presence of background classroom noise. Of the sample, 45.3% made errors in speech discrimination in the presence of background classroom noise. The effect was most marked in children younger than seven years six months. The results are discussed considering the signal-to-noise ratio and the possible effects of unwanted classroom noise on learning processes.
Pragmatic versus Morphological/Syntactic Criteria for Language Referrals
Authors: Damico Jack , Oller John W.
Published: July 2014

Two methods of identifying language disordered children are examined. Traditional approaches require attention to relatively superficial morphological and surface syntactic criteria, such as, noun-verb agreement, tense marking, pluralization. More recently, however, language testers and others have turned to pragmatic criteria focussing on deeper aspects of meaning and communicative effectiveness, such as, general fluency, topic maintenance, specificity of referring terms. In this study, 54 regular K-5 teachers in two Albuquerque schools serving 1212 children were assigned on a roughly matched basis to one of two groups. Group S received in-service training using traditional surface criteria for referrals, while Group P received similar in-service training with pragmatic criteria. All referrals from both groups were reevaluated by a panel of judges following the state determined procedures for assignment to remedial programs. Teachers who were taught to use pragmatic criteria in identifying language disordered children identified significantly more children and were more often correct in their identification than teachers taught to use syntactic criteria. Both groups identified significantly fewer children as the grade level increased.
Alternative Methods of Scoring Oral Reading Inventories
Authors: Giordano Gerard
Published: July 2014

This paper examines two general methods of scoring oral reading inventories employing textual passages. Either the total number of oral alterations can be used as an index to reading ability, or only those alterations that disrupt the semantic structure of the text can be used. There are relative advantages and disadvantages to each of these methods of scoring. By dividing the total number of oral alterations by the number of semantically incompatible alterations that a reader commits, an indication of the potential limitations of each method of scoring can be calculated.
A Parent-Assisted Early Childhood Environmental Language Intervention Program
Authors: Kemper Robert L.
Published: July 2014

Five children, aged 3 years 5 months to 4 years 11 months, who were speaking only in single word utterances and who exhibited a wide discrepancy between their language comprehension and production, were placed in a 12 week parent-assisted environmental language intervention program using a sensorimotor approach to language training. Word classes combined in eight semantic-grammatical rules were used to facilitate the child's pairing words already in his lexicon. At the end of the training period, all five children were using two word constructions in at least four of the eight rule classes sampled.
Oral Language Performance of Upper Elementary School Students Obtained via Story Reformulation
Authors: Chappell Gerald E.
Published: July 2014

Data are presented on the mean length of utterance, use of five syntactical structures, and use of five features of story content that characterized the oral language of four grade levels (4th–7th) of students within a 240-student population (60 at each level) as they reformulated a complex story. The interplay between the syntactic, semantic, and pragmatic aspects of the oral language performance is discussed. Performance features and their cutoff criteria are suggested for a clinical use of the reformulation task in an initial pass/fail screening of the oral language ability of students at the upper elementary school level. A recommended analysis procedure is also presented.
Facilitation of Verb Recognition by MR Subjects through Syntactic Cuing
Authors: Penner Kandace A. , Vinson Betsy Partin
Published: July 2014

It has been our experience in using the Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test that an inordinate number of verbs are missed by mentally retarded individuals. This study attempts to determine whether verb errors were due to a lack of word comprehension or a failure to understand what was being requested by the morphological-syntactic form of the stimulus. Twenty-eight subjects residing in a state facility for the mentally retarded were given a standard version and a modified version of the PPVT. On the modified version of the test, the stimulus "verbing" was altered to incorporate a syntactic helper, forming the stimulus "somebody verbing." As a result, there was a mean reduction of verb error by almost 50%.
Story Retelling as a Communicative Performance Screening Tool
Authors: Culatta Barbara , Page Judith L. , Ellis Jane
Published: July 2014

This study investigated the use of a story retelling task as a mechanism for screening integrated communicative performance. Comparisons were made between story retelling performance and performance on two standardized screening tools for kindergarten, readiness, and first-grade children. Results suggest that story retelling is a more stringent measure of integrated communicative performance.
Hearing Aid Monitoring
Authors: Potts Paula L. , Greenwood Jacalyn
Published: July 2014

The effectiveness of a daily hearing aid monitoring program was evaluated. Routine monitoring was followed by a detailed visual-auditory inspection and by electroacoustic analysis. Results suggested that improvements could be made in the existing program to improve the effectiveness of monitoring procedures. Thus, several changes were made in the inspection program, including the addition of periodic electroacoustic analysis of all hearing aids. One year later, a duplicate study revealed a significant decrease in the incidence of hearing aid malfunction.
Language Behaviors of Mothers of Children with Normal and Delayed Language
Authors: Bondurant Judith Love , Romeo Dominic J. , Kretschmer Richard
Published: July 2014

The language behavior of mothers of children with normally developing language was compared to that of mothers of children whose overall development appeared normal except for delayed expressive language. The two randomly selected groups of children from 2 to 5 years of age were matched in age within 6 months. The language of both groups of mothers, as they interacted with their children in a structured task situation and an unstructured free play situation, was recorded via audiotape, then transcribed and analyzed. Significant differences were found in the mean length of utterances, the number of questions and directions, and the number of acceptance and rejection utterances given by the mothers. Results suggest areas for further investigation leading to recommendations for parents and preschool programming prompting language development.
Assessing Pragmatic Skills in Children's Language
Authors: Johnson Ann R. , Johnston Elizabeth B. , Weinrich Barbara D.
Published: July 2014

The purpose of this article is to provide the speech-language pathologist with information regarding the assessment of pragmatic skills in children's language. The authors delineate the most frequently occurring problems in pragmatic functions of children's language. Necessary considerations involved in taking a language sample that will allow analysis of pragmatic parameters is given, and an analysis of a dialogue sample is included.
Computer-Managed Screening for Communication Disorders
Authors: Fitch James L. , Davis Linda Allen , Evans W. Bryce , Sellers Daniel E.
Published: July 2014

Fifty children were administered a screening test for communication disorders under two conditions. Under one condition graduate clinicians administered the test in the traditional pencil and paper format. Under the second condition nonprofessionals administered a computer-managed version of the same test. It was found that the computer-managed screening test yielded satisfactory agreement for the language sections. The results of the articulation section of the screening test were ambiguous.
An Ecological Language Intervention Approach with Mentally Retarded Adolescents
Authors: Gullo Dominic F. , Gullo Jeanne C.
Published: July 2014

Many of the traditional treatments for language intervention with mentally retarded adolescents are designed to remediate specific linguistic constructs. These treatment approaches do not, however, integrate linguistic constructs nor use materials that are appropriate for the age and socioemotional level of mentally retarded adolescents. This paper describes an innovative ecological approach to language intervention with moderately mentally retarded adolescents. The literature from normal language development and other ecological approaches serve as a rationale for the treatment design. This language intervention approach is designed to integrate all aspects of linguistic communication skills into a meaningful context which is appropriate for the age and socioemotional maturity of the students. A detailed description of the intervention program will be presented including examples of actual treatment plans and parent letters.
Teaching Discriminative Use of an Encoding Electronic Communication Device and Signing Exact English to a Moderately Handicapped Child
Authors: Reichle Joe , Ward Mary
Published: July 2014

A 13-year-old communicatively and intellectually delayed male was taught to use discriminatively each of two previously acquired augmentative systems that consisted of signing and direct select letter encoding. Procedures used resulted in the use of signs with signers and direct select encoding with nonsigners. The learner's selection of the most appropriate communication modality generalized to new persons and environments.
Use of Visual Techniques in Therapy for Developmental Apraxia of Speech
Authors: Shelton Ivy Skaife , Garves Mary Mertes
Published: July 2014

The literature reveals numerous references to the use of the visual modality in the facilitation of volitional speech in persons with developmental apraxia of speech. This paper describes the development of Signed Target Phoneme (STP) Therapy, using the hand shapes of the American Manual Alphabet to cue phonemes (not Cued Speech as developed by Dr. Orin Cornett). Adding STP to traditional therapy methods, the authors implemented their speech therapy programs with a 5-year-old boy diagnosed as having developmental apraxia of speech. Preliminary results using this technique indicate a positive relationship between application of STP procedures and a more rapid acquisition of target phonemes. More documentation is needed to substantiate these findings, which the authors feel merit further investigation.
The Token and Reporter's Tests
Authors: Hall Penelope K. , Jordan Linda S.
Published: July 2014

The performance of 123 language-disordered children on the DeRenzi and Faglioni form of the Token Test and the DeRenzi and Ferrari Reporter's Test were analyzed using two scoring conventions, and then compared with the performances of children with presumed normal language development. Correlations with other commonly used language assessment instruments are cited. Use of the Token and Reporter's Tests with children exhibiting language disorders is suggested.
The Residual Submucous Cleft Palate
Authors: Kinnebrew Michael C. , Pannbacker Mary D. , Rampp Donald L.
Published: July 2014

An anatomic and functional condition associated with repaired cleft palate, the "residual submucous cleft," is described in five patients. Identified at varying ages, the patients had speech problems associated with velopharyngeal incompetence and chronic otitis media. These problems were at least partially related to initial palatal surgery which did not reconstruct the muscular "rings" of the palate and velopharyngeal portal. Instead, edge-to-edge closures were made, creating a continuous mucosal surface but leaving the "cleft muscle" arrangement common to other submucous clefts, which may lead to velopharyngeal incompetence. The anatomy and pathophysiology, as well as diagnosis and management, of residual submueous cleft palate is discussed by way of targeting these correctable patients.
Phonological Process Analysis Using Three Position Tests
Authors: Lowe Robert J.
Published: July 2014

Phonological process analysis forms were developed for the Goldman-Fristoe Test of Articulation and selected items from the Templin-Darley Tests of Articulation. These forms were used to describe the articulation of a 3-year-old child with multiple articulation errors. Both forms identified backing, final consonant deletion, stopping, and cluster reduction as processes affecting the child's speech. Procedures for scoring the forms are provided. For clinicians not familiar with phonological processes, the use of these forms should prove helpful in deriving phonological information.
Service Delivery Alternatives for the Mainstreamed Hearing-Impaired Child
Authors: Brackett Diane , Maxon Antonia Brancia
Published: July 2014

During a 6-year in-service training program demographic and correlational data were obtained on 162 hearing-impaired children in public schools. A discussion of these data and specific case histories of three children are used to describe a set of appropriate service delivery options which may be used by direct service personnel.
A Strategy for Language Assessment of Young Children
Authors: Kelly Donna J. , Rice Mabel L.
Published: July 2014

Current approaches to language assessment can be categorized as involving the use of norm-referenced tests or informal descriptive assessment. The two approaches are evaluated, and found to have complementary strengths and weaknesses. A proposed strategy advocates a combination of descriptive and formal assessment measures. This approach involves the following components: {a) parent-clinician interview, (b) parent-child observations, (c) clinician-directed formal and nonformal assessment procedures, and (d) parent-clinician interpretation. An elaborated sample of language assessment is provided.
Stuttering and Spontaneous Recovery
Authors: Martin Richard R. , Lindamood Linda P.
Published: July 2014

In the present paper, the authors review and evaluate the prospective and retrospective studies relative to spontaneous recovery from stuttering in children. The authors conclude that the frequently cited 80% spontaneous recovery figure is too high. The authors propose that speech-language pathologists abandon the concept of spontaneous recovery when devising clinical management procedures for the stuttering child.
Attitudes of Interdisciplinary Team Members Toward Speech-Language Services in Public Schools
Authors: Tomes Lou , Sanger Dixie D.
Published: July 2014

A survey study examined the attitudes of interdisciplinary team members toward public school speech-language programs. Perceptions of clinicians' communication skills and of the clarity of team member roles were also explored. Relationships between educators' attitudes toward our services and various variables relating to professional interactions were investigated. A 64-item questionnaire was completed by 346 randomly selected respondents from a two-state area. Classroom teachers of grades kindergarten through 3, teachers of grades 4 through 6, elementary school principals, school psychologists, and learning disabilities teachers comprised five professional categories which were sampled randomly. Analysis of the results revealed that educators generally had positive attitudes toward our services; however, there was some confusion regarding team member roles and clinicians' ability to provide management suggestions. Implications for school clinicians were discussed.
A Comparison of Four Adolescent Language Tests
Authors: Lieberman R. Jane , Heffron Ann Marie C. , West Stephanie J. , Hutchinson Edward C. , Swem Thomas W.
Published: July 2014

Four recently developed adolescent language tests, the Fullerton Test for Adolescents (FLTA), the Test of Adolescent Language (TOAL), the Clinical Evaluation of Language Functions (CELF), and the Screening Test of Adolescent Language (STAL), were compared to determine: (a) whether they measured the same language skills (content) in the same way (procedures); and (b) whether students performed similarly on each of the tests. First, respective manuals were reviewed to compare selection of subtest content areas and subtest procedures. Then, each of the tests was administered according to standardized procedures to 30 unselected sixth-grade students. Despite apparent differences in test content and procedures, there was no significant difference in students' performance on three of the four tests, and correlations among test performance were moderate to high. A comparison of the pass/fail rates for overall performance on the tests, however, revealed a significant discrepancy between the proportions of students identified in need of further evaluation on the STAL (20%) and the proportion diagnosed as language impaired on the three diagnostic tests (60-73%). Clinical implications are discussed.
Speech-Language Pathologists' Knowledge and Skills Regarding Hearing Aids
Authors: Woodford Charles M.
Published: July 2014

A written and practical examination on hearing aids was administered to 102 speech-language pathologists. Results indicate that the majority of this sample lacked basic knowledge and skills necessary to provide help with amplification to aided hearing-impaired students. Implications of these findings are related to mandates of PL 94-142 and measures which might be expected to improve this situation are outlined.
Computer Usage by Speech-Language Pathologists in Public Schools
Authors: Houle Gail Ruppert
Published: July 2014

This study investigated factors that influence public school speech-language pathologists' acceptance and/or resistance to computer technology. Significant differences were found between speech-language pathologists who are frequent users of computers in the workplace and those who seldom or never use them. These differences were attributed to differences in attitudes toward computers, available funding for computers, in-service training, and physical facilities.
Preschool Screening for Predictive Articulation Errors
Authors: Westman Martha J. , Broen Patricia A.
Published: July 2014

An articulation screening procedure that took into account the phonological content of the child's error was compared to a procedure that treated all errors as equally important in an effort to determine the most effective scoring method. The articulation screening measure was administered to 333 preschool children between the ages of 3:6 and 4:11. In one scoring procedure only errors that changed the manner of production of a phoneme, deleted a phoneme or a syllable, or substituted a more anterior consonant for velar consonants were counted. In the other procedure all errors were treated as equal. Predicting eventual therapy placement was more accurate when only selected errors were used.
Examination of Test-Retest and Split-Half Reliability for Measures Derived from Language Samples of Young Handicapped Children
Authors: Cole Kevin N. , Mills Paulette E. , Dale Philip S.
Published: July 2014

Test-retest and split-half reliability for measures derived from language samples were examined for 10 children with developmental delays, including the area of language development. The children were between the ages of 52 and 80 months. MLU and specific categories of lexical and morphological production were examined. It was found that test-retest samples resulted in greater variability for lexical and morphological measurements than split-half transcripts. In addition, a trend was noted wherein 50 utterance sample segments contained 70–80% of the lexical information found in 100 utterance samples. Implications for gathering and interpreting language samples are discussed, including recommendations for length of samples and number of samples required to gather representative information.
Teachers' Perceptions of Adolescent Girls Who Wear Hearing Aids
Authors: Cox Linda R. , Cooper William A. , McDade Hiram L.
Published: July 2014

Previous research has documented a "hearing aid effect" when males, from 4 to 15 years of age, are utilized as subjects. In this study females, ages 10–14, were photographed wearing a body aid, a postauricular aid, or no hearing aid. Sixty college education majors rated the subject in each photograph utilizing a semantic differential scale. Results indicated that when subjects were pictured wearing a hearing aid of either type, observers rated them lower on achievement but higher on factors of appearance, personality, and assertiveness than without the aid.
An Analysis of Teacher Responsiveness to Communicative Initiations of Preschool Children with Handicaps
Authors: Rhyner Paula M. Pecyna , Lehr Donna H. , Pudlas Kenneth A.
Published: July 2014

This paper presents data obtained in a preliminary study of teacher responsiveness to communicative initiation attempts of preschool children with developmental delays. Teacher-child interactions were analyzed during child- and teacher-directed activities to determine the types of teacher contingent responses to the children's communicative initiations and the initiation behaviors used by the children. Teacher contingent responsiveness to the children's initiations was low for both activities and was much lower for the teacher-directed than the child-directed activity. Analysis of the child initiation behaviors revealed that combinations of behaviors were used most frequently by the children to initiate communication with their teachers. The results suggest that the level of teacher contingent responsiveness may not have been optimal for facilitating the children's language acquisition. Implications for future research and communication programming within classrooms for preschool children with handicaps are discussed.
Evaluating the Whole Language Approach to Language Arts
Authors: Chaney Carolyn
Published: July 2014

Whole language is an approach to teaching written language that focuses on the oral language experiences of the child, and the communication of meaning through print, rather than emphasizing the teaching of reading skills such as word recognition, sound symbol associations, or sound blending. This paper provides a critical analysis of the whole language approach, describing both its strengths and weaknesses. An integrated instructional approach which balances meaning and exposure to literature with skills instruction and practice is recommended.
Examining the Cause of Specific Language Impairment
Authors: Tomblin J. Bruce
Published: July 2014

In contrast with Leonard (in this clinical forum), I believe understanding the cause of specific-language impairment is an important issue in the study of this condition. A model of language impairment that contains two primary sources of causation is proposed and then applied to the problem of specific-language impairment. Further, Leonard is interpreted as proposing that specific-language impairment is caused by the same factors as those that cause normal variation in language function. In light of this, a method of testing this hypothesis is provided.
Comments on Specific Language Impairment as a Clinical Category
Authors: Aram Dorothy M.
Published: July 2014

This paper views specific language disorders as a heterogeneous group of language-impaired children consisting of distinct subtypes, each potentially accounted for by differing causal factors. Identifying causal factors for subgroups of children with specific language impairment is important (a) to extend our discipline beyond the descriptive stage of science, (b) to address questions motivating referrals from parents and professionals, (c) to plan intervention programs, and to prevent specific language disorders.
Evaluating and Enhancing Idiom Comprehension in Language-Disordered Students
Authors: Nippold Marilyn A.
Published: July 2014

Language-disordered children and adolescents often have difficulty comprehending idioms, a common yet complex type of figurative expression. This article discusses some of the unique properties of idioms and some recent findings from the developmental literature on idiom comprehension. Guidelines are offered for speech-language pathologists who seek to evaluate and enhance idiom comprehension in language-disordered students. The long-term goal of the treatment approach described is for the student to acquire a specific comprehension strategy for determining the meanings of unfamiliar idioms. Although individual idioms are taught, this approach differs markedly from one whose long-term goal is for the student to learn the meanings of a particular set of idioms. It is hoped that this article will provide direction for treatment efficacy research in idiom comprehension with language-disordered students.
A Multivariate Analysis of the Job Satisfaction of Public School Speech-Language Pathologists
Authors: Pezzei Carolyn , Oratio Albert R.
Published: July 2014

This study was designed to structure and identify variables related to the job satisfaction of public school speech-language pathologists. A total of 281 clinicians nationwide rated their degree of job satisfaction on 34 critical variables. Factor analysis yielded three distinct dimensions of satisfaction: supervision, workload, and co-workers. Variables from each of these dimensions, and from the clinicians’ backgrounds and job settings, were found to correlate most significantly with their overall levels of job satisfaction. A preliminary model for predicting job satisfaction is proposed. Implications for clinicians seeking employment in the public schools, as well as for those currently employed, are discussed.
Psychosocial Aspects of Adolescent Dysphonia
Authors: Beery Quinter C.
Published: July 2014

Adolescents make up a unique population that can be a challenge for the speech-language pathologist. An understanding of the vocal behavior of the adolescent requires knowledge of physiological changes, psychosocial development changes, as well as family interaction patterns as they influence vocal behavior. This paper presents an approach to voice therapy with the adolescent. Emphasis is placed on the importance of psychosocial and family influences as they relate to vocal behavior in this population.
Parent-Child Comparative Analysis
Authors: Terrell Sandra L. , Arensberg Karen , Rosa Melinda
Published: July 2014

This paper describes a criterion-referenced method that was developed to assess the speech and language of a girl, age 4 years, 8 months, whose parents spoke English that was greatly influenced by their native Nigerian language. The method, called Parent-Child Comparative Analysis (PCCA), consisted of administering an identical battery of tests to both father and child and then interpreting the child’s performance in relation to that of the father’s. Normal age-level expectations for various linguistic structures also influenced interpretation. Results indicated that the child’s articulation skills were mildly delayed for her age and dialect and that she had a moderate disorder in several language areas. Suggestions and limitations of the PCCA are provided for clinicians who may wish to use this method for assessing persons who speak an uncommon or unfamiliar dialect of English and/or when information about the normal patterns of a dialect is unavailable.
Developing Oral Communication in Students With Hearing Impairments
Authors: Otis-Wilborn Amy
Published: July 2014

In the past 20 years, there have been significant changes in educational services for students with hearing impairments in the public schools. These changes include the enactment of the Education for All Handicapped Children Act of 1975, the provision of related services by speech-language pathologists and the transition from primarily oral instructional philosophies and practices to those of total communication. Policies and procedures for delivering instruction in oral communication to students with hearing impairments have accompanied these changes. This article presents the results of a survey completed by speech-language pathologists and teachers of hearing-impaired students to identify parameters of instruction for developing oral communication in hearing impaired students. Specifically examined were aspects of professional preparation, roles, and responsibilities of speech-language pathologists and teachers, and parameters of direct instruction. Based on the findings of this survey and knowledge regarding how students learn oral communication, recommendations for the implementation of collaboration and consultation models by speech-language pathologists, teachers, and audiologists are proposed.
Perspectives From the Field
Authors: Montgomery Judith K.
Published: July 2014

This article profiles the collaborative model for speech and language services currently used in the Fountain Valley School District. Describing a variety of techniques, such as team teaching, directing plays, and using regular education tools, the author also discusses the goals and objectives of those participating in the collaborative model.
Language Sampling Practices
Authors: Hux Karen , Morris-Friehe Mary , Sanger Dixie D.
Published: July 2014

A total of 239 school-based speech-language pathologists from nine midwestern states were surveyed about their language sampling practices. Survey data provided information on collection and analysis procedures and on clinicians' attitudes toward language sampling. Findings revealed that school speech-language pathologists routinely supplement quantitative assessment procedures with language sample analyses, are sensitive to the effects of some contextual variables on sample representativeness, and use language sampling information to assist in planning intervention services. Points of concern surfacing from the data analysis included clinician reliance on self-designed analysis procedures, limitations in the types of students assessed through language sampling, and the lack of research consultation when clinicians make decisions about collection and analysis procedures.
Use of a Mild Gain Amplifier With Preschoolers With Language Delay
Authors: Flexer Carol , Savage Hallie
Published: July 2014

The American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (1991) has urged collaborative research among speech-language pathologists and audiologists in order to investigate the efficacy of using assistive listening devices on persons with normal peripheral hearing sensitivity. The purpose of this study was to evaluate some of the effects of a mild gain hard-wired assistive listening device on the test-taking performances of 11 preschoolers who were language delayed. The children had histories of otitis media with effusion in the first year of life but had normal hearing sensitivity during each experimental condition. Results revealed a significant reduction in test-taking time in the amplified condition.
High Reported Spontaneous Stuttering Recovery Rates
Authors: Ramig Peter R.
Published: July 2014

The families of 21 children who stuttered were contacted 6 to 8 years after their child first was diagnosed as needing intervention for stuttering. The vast majority of these children still were exhibiting a stuttering problem at the time of reassessment. Based on the findings of this survey, there may be reason to question or dispute the high spontaneous recovery rates reported in the literature. Early intervention for the child who stutters during the preschool and elementary school years is encouraged in order to increase a child's probability of coping with a stuttering problem that may not be resolved on its own.
Phonological Awareness and Written Word Decoding
Authors: Swank Linda K. , Catts Hugh W.
Published: July 2014

Research has shown that explicit awareness of the speech sound structure of language—that is, phonological awareness—is related to early reading development. The purpose of this study was to assess the effectiveness of four measures of phonological awareness in predicting first grade decoding ability. Measures of phonological awareness at the beginning of first grade were found to be correlated with measures of decoding ability at the end of first grade. Correlations between decoding and phonological awareness were generally much higher than those obtained for measures of decoding and verbal and nonverbal intelligence. Discriminant analyses procedures indicated that several tasks identified good and poor decoders, with approximately 80% to 90% accuracy. The clinical implications of these data for the speech-language pathologist are discussed.
Agreement of Assessment Profiles Used in Cognitive Referencing
Authors: Cole Kevin N. , Mills Paulette E. , Kelley Darcy
Published: July 2014

Eligibility for speech-language pathology services often is based on the relation between the child’s cognitive ability and language performance. If cognitive ability is developed to a greater degree than language ability, the child is considered to be an appropriate candidate for speech-language pathology services under a cognitive referencing model. If cognition and language are both delayed to a similar degree, the child may be considered an inappropriate candidate for specific language services. The purpose of this study was to examine the agreement of the measurement practices used in the cognitive referencing model of service triage. We administered a battery of cognitive and language measures to 26 preschool children with delayed language ability and examined the agreement of combinations of cognitive-language profiles in determining service eligibility. Substantial disagreement was found among profiles with different measures. Eligibility for service ranged from a high of 22 out of 26 children for the
Columbia Mental Maturity Scale
(Burgemeister, Blum, & Lorge, 1972)/
Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test-Revised
(Dunn & Dunn, 1981) profile, to 3 of 26 children for the
McCarthy Scales of Children’s Abilities General Cognitive Index
(McCarthy, 1972)/
Test of Auditory Comprehension of Language-Elaborated Sentences
(Carrow-Woolfolk, 1985) profile.
Supporting Student Achievement Skills
Authors: Dame Mary Healey
Published: July 2014

Speech-language pathologists can enhance their professional effectiveness with students, parents, and other teachers by supporting a student achievement skills framework through collaborative-consultative services.
Cartalk! Conversational Topics of Preschool Children En Route Home From Preschool
Authors: Marvin Christine A.
Published: July 2014

The conversations of 9 preschool-age children (chronological age [CA] 4:0 to 5:2, years:months) were tape-recorded as they traveled home from school with their parent in the family car. The speech samples (5 to 20 minutes in length) were coded to identify the semantic content of topics the children spoke about most often in this setting. References to specific persons, time frames, and content were noted. Overall, the children spoke most often about the here and now, making frequent references to the present and themselves or their parent. References to past and future events, however, were made more frequently in the car setting than at home or school by the same children (Marvin, Beukelman, Brockhous, & Kast, 1994). The content of most cartalk addressed the children's school projects and play, vehicles, food, and people's actions or positions. Most references to the past and to school projects occurred during the first 5 minutes of travel and often were prompted by the presence of a project remnant in the car or by a parent's questions or comments. References to future events occurred more frequently during the latter portion of the trip. The merits of viewing the family car (and car travel time) as an important setting for advancing young children's decontextual use of language are discussed.
Some Contemporary Approaches in Treating Fluency Disorders in Preschool, School-Age, and Adolescent Children
Authors: Fosnot Susan Meyers
Published: July 2014

This clinical forum focuses on the treatment of preschool and school-age children who stutter. It was developed to provide school clinicians with an up-to-date summary of current intervention strategies and procedures. The articles were written by established scholars in the field who have specialized experience and have presented their therapy ideas nationally and internationally within the past 5 years. These contributors have published a number of articles, books, and programs on the assessment and treatment of fluency disorders spanning a wide range of ages from preschool to the adolescent school-age years.
Working With 7- to 12-Year-Old Children Who Stutter
Authors: Ramig Peter R. , Bennett Ellen M.
Published: July 2014

The public school speech-language clinician is encouraged to intervene with the school-age child who stutters. The importance of including parents and teachers in the therapeutic process is addressed, and viewing intervention along a therapy continuum incorporating both fluency-shaping and stuttering modification philosophies is recommended. Other topics presented include (a) assessment, (b) establishing fluency in the younger child, (c) a conceptual model of intervention, (d) addressing attitudes and feelings, (e) dealing with concomitant problems, (f) grouping and scheduling, (g) examples of intervention programs, and (h) transfer and maintenance issues. Future trends in this area also are addressed, including discussions on service delivery models, fluency specialists, innovative programs, and speech therapy for credit. This article concludes with a discussion of issues surrounding treatment efficacy.
Cooperative Service Delivery Between a University Clinic and a School System
Authors: Ruscello Dennis M. , Yanero Diane , Ghalichebaf Mohssen
Published: July 2014

A cooperative service delivery model was developed between a university clinic and a public school system to evaluate and treat a child with phoneme-specific nasal emission. The youngster was diagnosed initially through the university clinic and a cooperative service delivery model was then developed between the clinic and school system. The rationale was to develop a treatment program that would enable the youngster to establish correct production in the university clinic and transfer production in a school treatment program. Evaluation data suggest that the service delivery model was successful.
What to Look for in the Technical Manual
Authors: Hutchinson Thomas A.
Published: July 2014

The details presented in technical manuals for tests generally address a common core of issues related to the psychometric quality of the tests and the interpretation of their results. In this article, major categories of technical information are described in practical terms and related to test use and interpretation: (a) logical evidence of validity, (b) empirical evidence of validity, (c) types of reliability estimates for evaluating and interpreting tests, and (d) practical issues in understanding standardization data and using norms. The article is organized as a series of 20 questions concerning these categories of information. Responses to the questions include discussions of key measurement concepts and examples of the kinds of tests used by speech-language pathologists. Potentially unfamiliar or confusing terms are italicized when first used, and each term is followed by a brief definition.
Social Skills of Children With Specific Language Impairment
Authors: Fujiki Martin , Brinton Bonnie , Todd Cindy M.
Published: July 2014

The social skills of 19 elementary school children with specific language impairment (SLI) and 19 chronological age-matched peers were examined. Children in both groups were selected from those children between the ages of 8 and 12 years. Each child with SLI was individually matched to a classmate of the same age. First, the Social Skills Rating System-Teacher Form (Gresham & Elliott, 1990) was administered to provide a general measure of social skill. Following this measure, the quantity of peer relationships was assessed in both groups using an informal picture task. This measure provided an indication of the peers with whom each child interacted while taking part in a variety of activities. The quality of peer relationships was then assessed using the Williams and Asher Loneliness Questionnaire (Williams & Asher, 1992). It was found that children with SLI differed from their peers on all three measures. These results suggested that the children with SLI had poorer social skills and fewer peer relationships, and were less satisfied with the peer relationships in which they participated when compared with their age-matched classmates.