A Word-Learning Intervention Pilot Study Utilizing Principles of Retrieval- and Criterion-Based Learning for Children With Developmental Language Disorder.

PURPOSE: Vocabulary knowledge at school entry provides an essential foundation for academic and literacy learning. Thus, school entry is an important timepoint to support word learning by children with developmental language disorder (DLD). Retrieval-based training strategies support both learning and retention of words for individuals with DLD in lab-based research. Additionally, lab-based research with adults with typical development demonstrates that pairing retrieval- and criterion-based training strategies supports learning efficiency. Currently, it is unclear if retrieval- and criterion-based training in word-learning interventions is feasible and effective for children with DLD. METHOD: In this pilot study, we taught preschool- and kindergarten-age children with DLD (N = 7) words in an intervention format. We implemented retrieval-based training in that children were asked to retrieve and produce the forms and meanings of words. We also implemented a criterion-based approach. Words were targeted until the child retrieved the form and meaning of a word at the beginning of two sessions. We assessed learning at the end of training and retention after 2- and 8-week post-training delays. RESULTS: The retrieval- and criterion-based approach was effective to support word learning for six of the seven children. Children demonstrated better learning and retention of forms than meanings. Additionally, achieving criterion with a word during training was positively related to post-training retention. CONCLUSIONS: A retrieval- and criterion-based approach is likely to support word learning during interventions for children with DLD. We include suggestions for future research to improve the effective and efficient implementation of these approaches.

Predicting Language Performance From Narrative Language Samples.

PURPOSE: Analysis of narrative language samples is a recommended clinical practice in the assessment of children's language skills, but we know little about how results from such analyses relate to overall oral language ability across the early school years. We examined the relations between language sample metrics from a short narrative retell, collected in kindergarten, and an oral language factor in grades kindergarten through 3. Our specific questions were to determine the extent to which metrics from narrative language sample analysis are concurrently related to language in kindergarten and predict language through Grade 3. METHOD: Participants were a sample of 284 children who were administered a narrative retell task in kindergarten and a battery of vocabulary and grammar measures in kindergarten through Grade 3. Language samples were analyzed for number of different words, mean length of utterance, and a relatively new metric, percent grammatical utterances (PGUs). Structural equation models were used to estimate the concurrent and longitudinal relationships. RESULTS: The narrative language sample metrics were consistently correlated with the individual vocabulary and grammar measures as well as the language factor in each grade, and also consistently and uniquely predicted the language factor in each grade. Standardized path estimates in the structural equation models ranged from 0.20 to 0.39. CONCLUSIONS: This study found narrative language sample metrics to be predictive, concurrently and longitudinally, of a latent factor of language from kindergarten through Grade 3. These results further validate the importance of collecting and analyzing narrative language samples, to include PGU along with more traditional metrics, and point to directions for future research. SUPPLEMENTAL MATERIAL: https://doi.org/10.23641/asha.17700980.