Communication Disorders Quarterly

This article describes the bias and discrimination that play a role in the lives of people viewed as different based on color, ethnicity, gender, language, appearance, age, religion, sexual orientation, or country of origin. Bias and discrimination play a major role in the difficulties faced by unserved and underserved populations such as migrants, refugees, asylum seekers, and others across the globe.

This study sought to assess the social validity of It Takes Two to Talk (ITTT)^®—the Hanen Program for parents, delivered to families of children with language delays in Valencia, Spain. Social validity was assessed using a multi-method approach—questionnaires (filled out by the parents) and a focus group—at different times during the program and at follow-up. The acceptability of the procedures used in ITTT^® was positive in terms of the program format and the didactic resources used, such as the video-recordings of the parent–child interactions. Parents also expressed their overall satisfaction with the results regarding changes in their communication style and the advances observed in their child’s language development. However, some suggestions were made to better meet the families’ needs related to the length of the program and distribution of the contents, the time devoted to individual training, and the adaptation to the context.

This study investigated the correlation and predictive capacity of verbal working memory (VWM) to the reading comprehension of children in their first language (L1) and second language (L2). The term verbal working memory refers to a cognitive system with a limited capacity that can hold and manipulate verbal and auditory information temporarily. A sub-aim was to investigate the contribution of L2 linguistic knowledge in L2 reading comprehension. Sixty-three Grade 3 South African children completed a reading comprehension test and VWM assessment (forward span, backward span, and sentence repetition tasks). L2 participants completed a receptive language assessment to delineate whether their linguistic knowledge (L2 vocabulary and grammar knowledge) would be more predictive of L2 reading comprehension in comparison with VWM. Regression and correlation analyses revealed that VWM is not predictive of L1 or L2 reading comprehension. L2 linguistic knowledge, however, significantly correlates with L2 comprehension and VWM capacity, although it is not a significant predictor of L2 reading comprehension. Our findings suggest that reading in an L2 is a multidimensional skill in which no single isolated variable can account for good versus poor reading comprehension.

The purpose of the study was to examine word learning in preschool children from families who differed in socioeconomic status (SES). Preschool children (N = 58) were assigned to SES groups based on maternal education and completed a dynamic assessment of explicit word learning 2 times. At the first administration, no SES-group differences were observed. At the second administration, children from high-SES homes had significantly higher scores than children from low-SES homes on the production probe with a large effect size (d = 1.01). Descriptively, children in both groups responded more frequently at more difficult prompting levels at the second session, but children in the low-SES group had more incorrect responses than children in the high-SES group. Additional research using sensitive measures of word-learning proficiency is necessary to better understand the way in which SES and early language experiences are related to word learning in young children.

Visual Phonics is a multisensory teaching tool that has the potential to improve reading outcomes. The purpose of this systematic review is to examine studies on Visual Phonics to provide a comprehensive understanding of the effects on code-related skills. Thirteen studies met the inclusion criteria. The results demonstrate that Visual Phonics can be an effective strategy to teach code-related skills for at-risk hearing kindergarteners and d/Deaf and hard of hearing students, regardless of the degree of hearing loss, grade placement, communication method, home language, and prevalence of an additional disability. A number of these studies contain limitations such as a small sample size, difficulty with obtaining a randomized sample, lack of a control group, and difficulty with the generalization of findings. Therefore, there is a need for additional research on the effects of Visual Phonics and its progression to becoming an evidence-based practice.

Telepractice offers speech-language pathologists (SLPs) increased flexibility to support language development, including emergent literacy in clients with complex communication needs. However, clinicians may feel uncertain how to pair books with augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) over telepractice. Following an overview of telepractice, book sharing, and e-helpers, we describe four practical ways to combine storybooks with AAC online. These include: (a) using accessible books, (b) screen sharing e-books and communication aid, (c) adapting slide shows, and (d) creating asynchronous videos. Finally, we offer suggestions for modeling AAC, prioritizing emotions in storybooks, and tips for clinical supervisors. This topic can direct future researchers and is relevant to practicing clinicians who want to support language development for clients using aided communication systems.