TY - JOUR
T1 - Training secondary school teachers in instructional language modification techniques to support adolescents with language impairment
T2 - A randomized controlled trial
AU - Starling, Julia
AU - Munro, Natalie
AU - Togher, Leanne
AU - Arciuli, Joanne
PY - 2012/10/1
Y1 - 2012/10/1
N2 - Purpose: This study evaluated the efficacy of a collaborative intervention where a speech-language pathologist (SLP) trained mainstream secondary school teachers to make modifications to their oral and written instructional language. The trained teachers' uptake of techniques in their whole-class teaching practices and the impact this had on the language abilities of students with language impairment (LI) were evaluated. Method: Two secondary schools were randomly assigned to either a trained or a control condition. A cohort of 13 teachers (7 trained and 6 control) and 43 Year 8 students with LI (21 trained and 22 control) were tested at pre, post, and follow-up times- teachers by structured interview and students by standardized spoken and written language assessments. Results: Significantly increased use of the language modification techniques by the trained teachers was observed when compared to the control group of untrained teachers, with this increased use maintained over time. Results from the trained group of students showed a significant improvement in written expression and listening comprehension relative to the control group of students. Conclusion: This randomized controlled trial is one of the first investigations to evaluate a collaborative intervention that links changes in mainstream secondary teachers' instructional language practices with improvements in the language abilities of adolescents with LI.
AB - Purpose: This study evaluated the efficacy of a collaborative intervention where a speech-language pathologist (SLP) trained mainstream secondary school teachers to make modifications to their oral and written instructional language. The trained teachers' uptake of techniques in their whole-class teaching practices and the impact this had on the language abilities of students with language impairment (LI) were evaluated. Method: Two secondary schools were randomly assigned to either a trained or a control condition. A cohort of 13 teachers (7 trained and 6 control) and 43 Year 8 students with LI (21 trained and 22 control) were tested at pre, post, and follow-up times- teachers by structured interview and students by standardized spoken and written language assessments. Results: Significantly increased use of the language modification techniques by the trained teachers was observed when compared to the control group of untrained teachers, with this increased use maintained over time. Results from the trained group of students showed a significant improvement in written expression and listening comprehension relative to the control group of students. Conclusion: This randomized controlled trial is one of the first investigations to evaluate a collaborative intervention that links changes in mainstream secondary teachers' instructional language practices with improvements in the language abilities of adolescents with LI.
KW - Adolescent language impairment
KW - Collaborative intervention
KW - Oral and written language
KW - Secondary schools
KW - Teachers
KW - Training
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84867553184&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1044/0161-1461(2012/11-0066)
DO - 10.1044/0161-1461(2012/11-0066)
M3 - Article
C2 - 22826368
AN - SCOPUS:84867553184
SN - 0161-1461
VL - 43
SP - 474
EP - 495
JO - Language, Speech, and Hearing Services in Schools
JF - Language, Speech, and Hearing Services in Schools
IS - 4
ER -