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

The effects of virtual reality and augmented reality technologies on students' story retelling performance

This study aims to compare the retelling performance of two groups that engaged in reading activities with virtual reality and augmented reality texts. Furthermore, the results of the interventions using these technologies were compared with the results of the printed text reading activity. The study participants comprised 100 students aged 12-13 years studying in a secondary school. The researchers evaluated the students' story-retelling performance through a rubric in the study. In the pre-test stage, the students performed a paper-based reading activity on the texts in the coursebook and their retelling performance was evaluated. In the post-test stage, the reading activities of the two groups were carried out with the intervention of virtual reality and augmented reality. While the pre-test results showed no significant difference between the groups, the post-test results indicated that the augmented reality intervention better supported the students' retelling performance than virtual reality. However, there was no significant difference between the two groups in the sub-categories of setting and characters. Additionally, the virtual reality intervention did not create a significant difference in the sub-categories of characters, event/plot, problem, solution, and total score compared to the printed text reading activity. However, it produced better results in the setting sub-category than the printed text. A positive difference was observed in all sub-categories when the augmented reality intervention was compared to the printed text reading activity. AR showed greater benefits for retelling performance in this study, but further research is needed on long-term retention.

Efficacy of a novel narrative intervention program for children with developmental language disorder: A pilot randomized controlled trial

INTRODUCTION

The narratives of children with DLD are characterized by several deficits. Narrative proficiency is crucial for communication and education; therefore, children with Developmental Language Disorder (DLD) face risks of linguistic delays, social challenges, and educational difficulties. Research indicates that interventions focused on narratives enhance narrative and overall linguistic skills, as well as literacy skills and social interactions among peers. This study aimed to develop the Oral Narrative Language Intervention Program (ONLIP) and assess its effectiveness in enhancing the narrative and linguistic skills of children with DLD compared to conventional language intervention.

METHODS

A pilot randomized controlled study was conducted on 44 children with developmental language disorder. The participants were randomly divided by block randomization into two groups: the cases group, which received training with the ONLIP, and the control group, which received conventional intervention for 3 months. The participants were evaluated pre- and post-intervention using the Arabic version of the Test of Narrative Language-Second Edition (TNL-2) and the Comprehensive Arabic Language Test (CALT).

RESULTS

Following therapy, the DLD cases group demonstrated a statistically significant improvement in the composite performance of TNL-2 and all of the assessed narrative comprehension and production skills. Comparing the scores for the CALT between pre-and post-intervention, both groups demonstrated a statistically significant improvement.

CONCLUSIONS

ONLIP is an effective narrative intervention tool for improving the narrative comprehension and production skills of DLD children compared to conventional training. Both forms of intervention are effective for improving linguistic form and structure.

AAC narrative intervention for children with autism

In research, augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) interventions have primarily focused on teaching children to make requests; however, AAC intervention should not stop there. There is a dearth of AAC intervention research targeting other communicative functions, despite there being a significant need to enhance children's communication competence in a variety of social and educational contexts. The purpose of this study was to examine the initial efficacy and feasibility of an AAC narrative intervention on the picture-supported retelling skills of three children with autism, aged 6-9 years old. This multiple baseline across participants design study was preregistered at Open Science Framework (https://doi.org/10.17605/OSF.IO/29SFP). We measured the effect of the intervention on children's inclusion and complexity of story grammar elements and the variety of symbols used to retell untrained stories during a baseline condition, just before each intervention session, immediately following each intervention session, and three weeks after the last intervention session. Parents completed a feasibility questionnaire and documented their children's generalized use of AAC. The AAC narrative intervention improved children's AAC retells, with ascending trends in the intervention condition and scores elevated above baseline after 3 weeks. Parents reported that they perceived the intervention to be appropriate, effective, enjoyable, and planned to use it themselves after the study. Generalized use of AAC outside of intervention sessions was documented for all three participants.

The Efficacy of Story Champs for Improving Oral Language in Third-Grade Spanish-English Bilingual Students With Developmental Language Disorder

PURPOSE

We investigated the efficacy of Story Champs for improving oral language in third-grade Spanish-English bilingual children with developmental language disorder (DLD).

METHOD

We implemented a concurrent multiple-baseline across-participants single-case design with four bilingual Spanish-English third-grade students with DLD. Treatment was carried out over 12 sessions with approximately two sessions per week. Maintenance sessions were conducted 1, 2, and 4 weeks postintervention. Participants were explicitly taught story grammar elements, causal and temporal connections, and modifiers within story retells and personal narratives. Dependent variables were story grammar, grammatical complexity, modifiers and listening comprehension within story retells, and story grammar and grammatical complexity within personal narratives. Outcome measures were assessed at the end of every baseline, intervention, and maintenance session using the Narrative Language Measures-Listening (NLM-L).

RESULTS

Visual analyses for outcome measures suggested slight increases in scores on the NLM-L during intervention accompanied by marked variability. Within-case analyses of story retell performance suggested an intervention effect on story grammar for two participants and on grammatical complexity and modifier use for one participant. For personal narratives, within-case analyses of personal narrative performance suggested an intervention effect on story grammar for one participant.

CONCLUSIONS

Overall, Story Champs demonstrated efficacy for improving story grammar use in story retells for three out of four participants. It did not show efficacy for improving grammatical complexity, modifier use, or listening comprehension within story retells, nor did it show efficacy for improving story grammar and grammatical complexity within personal narratives.

SUPPLEMENTAL MATERIAL

https://doi.org/10.23641/asha.26053033.

Maximizing Student Outcomes in Schools: Data-Driven Individualized Education Program Goals and Objectives Aligned to the Standards

PURPOSE

Federal and state laws require schools to be accountable for student performance on measures of academic achievement in literacy, mathematics, and science skills; monitor high school graduation rates; and track student growth and academic progression throughout the grade levels. Success on these measures gives students pathways to postsecondary options in the workforce, technical education, or college/university education. Speech-language pathologists (SLPs) can utilize existing data sources in the school in conjunction with their knowledge of diagnostics and treatment of cognition, language, and culture to maximize student outcomes beyond the therapy room and in the curriculum standards.

METHOD

This clinical focus article will review methods of data collection from existing sources in the students' grade level and academic content curriculum. Utilization of information and input from parents, teachers, paraprofessionals, and others who support the student's academic endeavors will be discussed for Individualized Education Program Present Levels of Academic Achievement and Functional Performance and goal development. Procedures for the SLP to collect independent data aligned to standards-based curriculum will be explored. Consideration will be given for utilizing data to develop future goals and objectives. The benefits of data collection for monitoring student progress and success in the grade-level or alternate standards will be highlighted through case examples. Techniques for classroom-based services, model lessons, coaching, and co-teaching will be presented.

CONCLUSIONS

SLPs are recognized as specialized instructional support personnel who have unique knowledge and expertise for diagnosing and treating speech/language impairments (S/LI) disabilities. By understanding how they can use existing data and apply it to developing intervention plans, SLPs can ensure students with S/LI disabilities experience the maximum potential for outcomes in academic and functional success. Data-driven tools and methods aligned to the grade-level standards and curriculum are one of the most powerful tools in an SLP's toolbox.

SUPPLEMENTAL MATERIAL

https://doi.org/10.23641/asha.24869592.

Theoretical-Methodological Foundations for the Global Integration Method (Método de Integração Global-MIG) in the Treatment of Autism Spectrum Disorder

Currently, there is no intervention model for autism spectrum disorder (ASD) that addresses all levels and factors of the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF, WHO). The most researched programs focus on naturalistic, developmental and behavioral approaches to socio-communication. Less attention has been paid to motor and environmental reactivity aspects (behavior/interest restriction and sensory reactivity). The evidence rationale for the Global Integration Method (MIG, "Método de Integração Global"), a model addressing sensorimotor reactivity in addition to socio-communication, is presented. MIG is an integrative, interdisciplinary, family-oriented intervention and naturalistic program that addresses all levels and moderating factors of ASD's impact. MIG's theoretical rationale is based on the predictive coding impairment and embodied cognition hypotheses. MIG incorporates both bottom-up (flexible therapeutic suit, social-motor synchronization) and top-down (schematic social information processing, narratives, imagery) strategies to promote the building and use of accurate, flexible and context-sensitive internal predictive models. MIG is based on the premises that predictive coding improves both socio-communication and environmental reactivity, and that the postural stabilization provided by the flexible therapeutic suit frees information processing resources for socio-cognitive learning. MIG builds on interdisciplinary, professionally and parentally mediated work based on behavioral principles of intensive training in a situated environment.

Dynamic Assessment of Narrative Skills for Identifying Developmental Language Disorder in Monolingual and Bilingual French-Speaking Children

Purpose:

Typically developing (TD) bilingual children usually produce narratives with preserved macrostructure (i.e., narrative scheme) but with impaired microstructure (i.e., language complexity). As for monolingual and bilingual children with developmental language disorder (DLD), they usually produce narratives with both impaired macro- and microstructure. It is therefore difficult to differentiate TD from DLD, on the basis of narrative production, especially in bilingual children. In this study, we examine whether a dynamic assessment (DA) task of narratives, using a pretest–teaching–posttest design, can differentiate TD from DLD, without disadvantaging bilinguals over monolinguals.

Method:

We recruited 118 French-speaking children ( M age = 8;5 [years;months]), with one experimental condition in which children benefited from a teaching phase (30 TD, 18 monolinguals and 12 bilinguals; 30 DLD, 15 monolinguals and 15 bilinguals) and one control condition (58 TD, 31 monolinguals and 27 bilinguals), in which children participated in another activity. In the pre- and posttest, children were asked to tell a story based on a series of pictures. During the teaching phase, an examiner asked children 12 specific questions about the story, targeting macro- and microstructural elements. Scores were attributed to the number of macro- and microstructural elements correctly produced and to the number of specific trained elements (TE) that were produced as a result of training.

Results:

Scores improved on macrostructure and on the number of TE following teaching for all groups of the experimental condition (TD and DLD), whereas there was no progress in children of the control condition. TD participants and participants with DLD differed on all measures in both pre- and posttest, with no differences between monolinguals and bilinguals.

Conclusions:

Our dynamic task led to both improved narrative skills and TD/DLD differentiation, with bilinguals not being disadvantaged. Our study thus supports the existing literature indicating that DA can be used to diagnose narrative deficits in children with DLD.

Vocabulary Instruction Embedded in Narrative Intervention: A Repeated Acquisition Design Study With First Graders at Risk of Language-Based Reading Difficulty

PURPOSE

The purpose of the current study was to investigate the effect of vocabulary instruction embedded in the narrative intervention on the immediate and retained definitional knowledge of taught words for first graders at risk for language-related reading difficulties.

METHOD

We employed a repeated acquisition design with innovative quality features and supplemental statistics with 11 treatment students and three control students. In the context of the school's multitiered system of supports, treatment students received 30-min small group interventions, 4 days a week for 12 weeks. Intervention involved story retelling and personal story generation lessons, both of which emphasized the learning and practicing of target vocabulary words in each story. Pre- and postprobes of the taught definitions were conducted every week.

RESULTS

According to visual analysis conventions of single-case research, there was a consistent pattern of improvement from pre- to postprobes for all treatment participants, but for none of the control participants. Retention was also consistently observed, when measured at Week 13. Supplemental statistics confirmed that large effects were associated with the intervention.

CONCLUSION

Vocabulary instruction embedded in narrative intervention led to meaningful acquisition and retention of taught vocabulary for students at risk of language-based reading difficulty.

Effect of a Group-Based Narrative Language Training in Typically Developing Turkish-Dutch Children

INTRODUCTION

Due to the heterogeneity in language trajectories and differences in language exposure, a lot of bilingual children could use some extra support for the acquisition of the school language to reduce the risk of language problems and learning difficulties. Enhancing bilingual children's narrative abilities in the school language could be an efficient approach to advance the general school language abilities as well. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate whether a narrative intervention could improve both general and narrative school language abilities of typically developing bilingual (Turkish-Dutch) children.

METHODS

Nineteen Turkish-Dutch bilingual children (6-9.9 years) were enrolled in this single-arm early efficacy study. The intervention procedure was administered in the school language (Dutch) and based on a test-teach-retest principle with two baseline measurements. At baseline 1, the expressive, receptive, and narrative language abilities were determined. The second baseline measurement consisted of a second measurement of the narrative abilities. Subsequently, a weekly 1-h group-based intervention was implemented during 10 sessions. After the intervention phase, the expressive, receptive, and narrative language abilities were tested again.

RESULTS

After the intervention, the children produced significantly more story structure elements compared to both baseline measurements. No significant differences were found for microstructure narrative measures. The participants had significantly higher scores on the expressive and receptive language measurements post-intervention.

CONCLUSION

These findings suggest that the intervention could be an efficient approach to stimulate the second language development of bilingual children.

Interventions Designed to Improve Narrative Language in School-Age Children: A Systematic Review With Meta-Analyses

Purpose The purpose of this systematic review with meta-analyses was to examine interventions that aimed to improve narrative language outcomes for preschool and elementary school-age children in the United States. Our goal was to examine peer-reviewed publications to describe the characteristics of these interventions and synthesize their overall effectiveness on narrative comprehension and production via meta-analysis. Method We searched electronic databases, examined previously published reviews, and consulted experts in the field to identify published studies that employed robust experimental and quasi-experimental designs. We included randomized controlled trials, studies with nonrandomized comparison groups, and single-case design (SCD) studies. We completed a qualitative synthesis of study factors for all identified studies and calculated meta-analyses for the studies that had sufficient data. All included studies were analyzed for risk of bias. Results Our systematic search yielded 40 studies that included one or more narrative language outcomes as part of their assessment battery. Twenty-four of the included studies were group design studies, including randomized controlled trials and quasi-experimental designs, and the other 16 were SCD studies. Effect sizes were analyzed based on narrative production and comprehension outcomes. The meta-analyses of 26 studies indicated overall positive effects of the interventions, with effect sizes of d = 0.51 and 0.54 in the group design studies and d = 1.24 in the SCD studies. Conclusions A variety of effective interventions were found that improve narrative production and comprehension outcomes in children with diverse learner characteristics. Some common characteristics across these interventions include manualized curricula, opportunities to produce narrative language, verbal and visual supports, direct instruction of story grammar, and use of authentic children's literature. Supplemental Material https://doi.org/10.23641/asha.15079173.