The Evaluation of a Personal Narrative Language Intervention for School-Age Children With Down Syndrome

2017 ◽  
Vol 122 (4) ◽  
pp. 310-332 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lizbeth Finestack ◽  
Katy H. O'Brien ◽  
Jolene Hyppa-Martin ◽  
Kristen A. Lyrek
Keyword(s):  
Down Syndrome ◽  
Personal Narrative ◽  
School Age Children ◽  
Single Subject ◽  
School Age ◽  
Children With Down Syndrome ◽  
Narrative Skills ◽  
Treatment Gains ◽  
Mean Length Of Utterance ◽  
Study Participants

Abstract The purpose of this study was to evaluate the feasibility of an intervention focused on improving personal narrative skills of school-age children with Down syndrome (DS) using an approach involving visual supports. Four females with DS, ages 10 through 15 years, participated in this multiple baseline across participants single-subject experimental design study. Participants completed 18 intervention sessions that targeted personal narrative goals. Parents completed a survey regarding their perspectives of the intervention. Two participants made small treatment gains in mean length of utterance. One participant had small to medium gains on all macrostructural measures. Parent perspectives were positive. Results support the feasibility of personal narrative interventions for individuals with DS when visual support is provided.

Mental State Language Use in Children with Down Syndrome and the Role of Caregivers

2021 ◽  
Vol 42 (04) ◽  
pp. 318-329
Author(s):  
Marie Moore Channell ◽  
Rebekah Bosley
Keyword(s):  
Down Syndrome ◽  
Language Development ◽  
Mental State ◽  
Social Communication ◽  
School Age Children ◽  
School Age ◽  
Children With Down Syndrome ◽  
Mental State Language ◽  
State Language

AbstractChildren with Down syndrome (DS) have both strengths and difficulties in speech, language, and social communication. Mental state language—the ability to discuss others' perspectives such as their thoughts, feelings, and intentions—represents a foundational social communicative skill that is delayed in many children with DS, even into the school-age years. The purpose of this article is to review the evidence base on mental state language development in school-age children with DS, focusing in particular on assessment and intervention. We discuss assessment procedures that are both age appropriate and developmentally appropriate for this population. We also present preliminary data highlighting the role of caregivers in supporting mental state language development in school-age children with DS through shared storytelling. We propose that interventions aimed at supporting mental state language development in DS should include a focus on caregiver–child shared storybook reading, even in the school-age years. Therefore, we discuss key considerations for clinicians when teaching caregivers strategies for supporting mental state language and social communication in children with DS.

Personal narrative skills of school-aged children with Down syndrome

2011 ◽  
Vol 47 (1) ◽  
pp. 95-105 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anne Katherine van Bysterveldt ◽  
Marleen Frederike Westerveld ◽  
Gail Gillon ◽  
Susan Foster-Cohen
Keyword(s):  
Down Syndrome ◽  
Personal Narrative ◽  
Children With Down Syndrome ◽  
School Aged Children ◽  
Narrative Skills

A Comparison of Visual- and Movement-Based Grammar Interventions for School-Age Children With Language Impairment

2019 ◽  
Vol 4 (5) ◽  
pp. 1085-1096
Author(s):  
Alisha P. Springle ◽  
Peggy P. Hester
Keyword(s):  
Language Impairment ◽  
Spoken Language ◽  
School Age Children ◽  
Single Subject ◽  
School Age ◽  
Multiple Modalities ◽  
School Based ◽  
Grammatical Morphemes ◽  
Shape Coding ◽  
The Impact

Purpose The impact of visual- and movement-specific intervention techniques for developing grammatical morphemes in the spoken language of two 6-year-old female children with language impairment was measured. Method An adapted alternating treatment single-subject study examined the grammar outcomes from the use of Shape Coding (i.e., using shapes, colors, and arrows to teach grammatical rules; Ebbels, van der Lely, & Dockrell, 2007 ) and an equivalent researcher-designed kinesthetic-/movement-based set of cues. Results Interventions were successfully provided by novice clinicians with limited training. Results indicated improvement across both students and were differentiated between students and intervention techniques. Conclusion These positive findings support the use of Shape Coding and movement-based interventions targeting language improvement. School-based clinicians should consider multiple modalities for therapeutic instruction with children with language impairment. Supplemental Material https://doi.org/10.23641/asha.9454127

Improving Narrative Production in Children With Language Disorders: An Early-Stage Efficacy Study of a Narrative Intervention Program

2018 ◽  
Vol 49 (2) ◽  
pp. 197-212 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sandra L. Gillam ◽  
Abbie Olszewski ◽  
Katie Squires ◽  
Katie Wolfe ◽  
Timothy Slocum ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Intervention Program ◽  
Early Stage ◽  
Language Disorders ◽  
Narrative Discourse ◽  
School Age Children ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Single Subject ◽  
Language And Literacy ◽  
Narrative Skills ◽  
Narrative Intervention

Purpose As noted in this forum, more research is needed to support the work of school-based speech-language pathologists who are designing and implementing interventions for students with language disorders. This article presents the findings of a multiple-baseline, single-subject study that was conducted to assess the outcomes of an intervention designed to improve narrative discourse proficiency for children with language disorders. Method Four school-age children with language disorders that included deficits in narration received an experimental version of a 3-phase narrative language intervention program called Supporting Knowledge in Language and Literacy (Gillam, Gillam, & Laing, 2014). Two additional children remained in baseline throughout the study and served as controls for history, testing, and maturation effects. Measures of story productivity (number of different words) and overall story complexity (Monitoring Indicators of Scholarly Language; Gillam, Gillam, Fargo, Olszewski, & Segura, 2016) were used to assess the children's self-generated narratives. Results After the onset of treatment, all 4 children who received the narrative intervention made moderate-to-large improvements in narrative productivity (number of different words). Three of the 4 children also made moderate-to-large improvements in narrative complexity (Monitoring Indicators of Scholarly Language). The narrative abilities of the 2 children who did not receive intervention did not change over the course of the study. Conclusion This study provides evidence for the feasibility of the Supporting Knowledge in Language and Literacy narrative instruction program for improving self-generated narratives by children with language disorders. Future research is needed to determine how gains in oral narration transfer to written narrative skills.

scholarly journals Xerophthalmia and Its Associated Factors among School-Age Children in Amba Giorgis Town, Northwest Ethiopia, 2018

2019 ◽  
Vol 2019 ◽  
pp. 1-8
Author(s):  
Gizachew Tilahun Belete ◽  
Assefa Lake Fenta ◽  
Mohammed Seid Hussen
Keyword(s):  
Logistic Regression ◽  
Low Income ◽  
Associated Factors ◽  
Fruits And Vegetables ◽  
Febrile Illness ◽  
Northwest Ethiopia ◽  
World Health ◽  
School Age Children ◽  
School Age ◽  
Study Participants

Introduction. Xerophthalmia is a general term applied to all the ocular manifestations from night blindness through complete corneal destruction (keratomalacia) due to vitamin A deficiency. Xerophthalmia is the main contributing factors for childhood blindness in developing countries. However, there is limited evidence that can implicate the current situation. This study aimed to determine the magnitude of xerophthalmia and associated factors among school-age children in Northwest Ethiopia. Methods. A community-based cross-sectional study was conducted on 490 children, age range of 6 to 12 years. The study participants were selected through systematic random sampling method. Data were collected using a pretested structured questionnaire and ophthalmic examination with different ophthalmic instruments. The analyzed result was summarized and presented using descriptive statistics. Binary logistic regression was used to determine the factors associated with xerophthalmia. Variables with a p value of <0.05 in the multivariable logistic regression analysis were considered as statistically significant. Results. A total of 484 study participants with a response rate of 98.8 were involved in this study, and their median age was 8 years with IQR of 4 years. The prevalence of xerophthalmia was 8.26% (95% CI: 5.8, 10.7). Family income less than 1000 Ethiopian birr (AOR = 4.65, 95% CI: 1.31, 16.4), presence of febrile illness (AOR = 2.8, 95% CI: 1.49, 6.11), poor consumption of fruits and vegetables (AOR = 3.18, 95% CI: 1.30, 7.80), and nonimmunized status (AOR = 3.43, 95% CI: 1.49, 7.89) were significantly associated with xerophthalmia. Conclusions and recommendations. The prevalence of xerophthalmia was high as compared to the World Health Organization criteria for public health significance. Factors identified for xerophthalmia in this study are low income, the poor dietary practice of fruits and vegetables, and the presence of febrile illness and not immunized. Hence, it is a public problem that needs attention.

scholarly journals Individualized Narrative Intervention for School-Age Children With Specific Language Impairment

2020 ◽  
Vol 51 (3) ◽  
pp. 687-705
Author(s):  
Alison Hessling ◽  
C. Melanie Schuele
Keyword(s):  
Language Impairment ◽  
Specific Language Impairment ◽  
Personal Narrative ◽  
Single Case ◽  
Functional Relation ◽  
School Age Children ◽  
School Age ◽  
Story Grammar ◽  
Specific Language ◽  
Narrative Intervention

Purpose This study extends the research on narrative intervention by evaluating the effect of a standard treatment protocol, Story Champs ( Petersen & Spencer, 2012 ), on personal narrative generations of school-age children with specific language impairment (SLI). Method Four second-grade, 8- to 9-year-old boys with SLI participated in this multiple baseline across behaviors, single-case design study that was repeated across participants. Each one-on-one intervention session involved eight steps across two intervention segments: story retell and personal story generation. The interventionist provided systematic scaffolding (visual and verbal supports) that was faded within each session. Three individualized story grammar elements per participant were targeted sequentially across the weeks of intervention based on each participant's needs identified in baseline. The dependent variable probe (personal narrative generation) was administered at the beginning of each twice-weekly session, and individualized story grammar elements were scored on a 4-point rubric (dependent variable). Results In this single-case research design study, a functional relation was evaluated for each participant (i.e., replication of an effect across three story grammar elements). A functional relation between Story Champs intervention and the dependent variable was observed for two participants. Conclusion Results provide preliminary evidence for the efficacy of individually administered Story Champs intervention for children with SLI.

Personal narrative skills of Urdu speaking preschoolers

2019 ◽  
Vol 29 (1) ◽  
pp. 50-81 ◽  
Author(s):  
Saboor Zafar Hamdani ◽  
Tehreem Arshad ◽  
Sharmeen Aslam Tarar ◽  
Rukhsana Kausar
Keyword(s):  
Gender Differences ◽  
Personal Narrative ◽  
Personal Narratives ◽  
Intellectual Functioning ◽  
Two Stage ◽  
Age And Gender ◽  
Narrative Skills ◽  
And Gender ◽  
Mean Length Of Utterance

Abstract The present study aimed to explore the personal narrative skills of Urdu speaking preschoolers, aged between 4 and 5 years. The study also aimed to investigate the gender differences in narrative skills, and relationship and the predictive association between macro- and microstructure skills. A total of 80 preschoolers were recruited using two-stage sampling (convenience and purposive). After screening the participants for intellectual functioning, three personal narratives were collected from each participant. The results revealed non-significant differences on the basis of age and gender. A significant correlation was found between the macro- and microstructure skills in children. NDW (number of different words), TNW (total number of words), and MLU (mean length of utterance) were revealed as significant predictors of macrostructural competencies in children. This was the first research that highlighted the narrative skills of Urdu speaking preschoolers. Hence, the patterns identified might help in extending the theory and research in this field.

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