Communication Disorders Quarterly

There is a paucity of descriptive research about written measures gleaned from writing samples that can be used to inform clinical practice. This exploratory study contributes data for writing measures obtained from informative paragraphs composed by U.S. fourth- and fifth-grade students with language-based learning disabilities (LLD). This study utilized a sample of convenience from a larger intervention study whereby assessments were obtained in the fall and spring of the same academic year. As part of the assessment battery, students composed two informative paragraphs using a scaffolded elicitation task across two informative writing prompts. Written transcription measures were compared between samples separately for each time point and correlations with oral language measures were evaluated. Findings indicated no significant differences in writing measures between prompts at either time point; however, correlations differed by prompt. These results contribute descriptive data about informative paragraph writing in a sample of students with LLD.

The purpose of this project was to explore the implementation of an inter-professional collaborative classroom-based book-making intervention with preschool children with developmental delays. The current study utilizes elements of an analytic autoethnography style, a qualitative ethnographic research method where it is typical for researchers to interact with the people they are researching in a deep, prolonged way to gain a rich understanding of the phenomenon they are studying. Results show that children with developmental delays transitioned through emergent writing stages and stages of narrative development, as well as developed a sense of agency as authors. The theoretical foundation for and results from this study suggest that a collaborative, classroom-based book-making intervention may benefit emergent writing, oral language, and writer/author agency for preschool children identified with developmental disabilities.

Children with developmental language disorder (DLD), a common disorder in childhood, experience a variety of difficulties across not only the components of language but also in areas such as executive functions. The aim of this study is to examine and compare the visual perceptual skills of children with typical development (TD) and DLD. A total of 60 Turkish-speaking children with TD (n = 30) and DLD (n = 30) between the ages of 4;0 and 6;0 were included in the study. The analyses revealed that the visual perception subtests and total test scores of the children with TD were significantly higher than those of the children with DLD, and that there was a positive significant relationship between language skills and visual perceptual skills of children with DLD. This study has concluded that the inclusion of visual perceptual skills in both the assessment and therapy processes of children with DLD may positively affect their development.

This Scholarship of Teaching and Learning project examined 45 speech-language pathology graduate students’ (G-SLPs) views about a 2½ hr digital application (app) literacy workshop. The curriculum focused on app features and the feature mapping process using past client cases within constructivist and personalized learning instructional formats. Inductive and deductive analyses of post-workshop written reflections indicated that these G-SLPs favorably rated the app workshop’s andragogy, content, and relevance to preprofessional education. Students reported having gained knowledge about app characteristics, costs, and therapy applications, while also gaining app-related critical thinking skills. Results identified five significant student learning outcomes based on Fink’s taxonomy (i.e., foundational knowledge, applications, integration, learning to learn, and human dimension). Findings also aligned with four entry-level professional standards for the Certificate of Clinical Competence in speech-language pathology. Implications are discussed for app literacy instruction among contemporary G-SLPs.

This pilot study examined the effectiveness of a bidirectional learning framework in bridging the gap between theoretical knowledge and clinical practice in speech-language pathology (SLP) education. The focus was on how students applied classroom learning to clinical settings and vice versa, and how this approach affected their clinical competence, critical thinking, and cultural awareness. A mixed-methods approach was used, with surveys, reflection journals, and grade performance from two SLP graduate cohorts (U.S. states California and Texas) assessing students’ confidence and competence. Results indicated both cohorts performed significantly well with improvements in students’ ability to apply theory to clinical decision-making. Reflection journals further promoted critical thinking and self-reflection, with most students noting improved skills. The study suggests that bidirectional learning enhances clinical competence and professional development, fostering critical thinking, cultural competence, and lifelong learning, which are vital for effective SLP practice.