facilitating spoken language development in the regular classroom

Facilitating spoken language development in the regular

classroom

September 28th & 29th

Winnipeg, MB

Attending Neighborhood Schools

OPPORTUNITIES

&

THREATS

Petra Smith M.Sc. Aud (C) Cert AVT Sept 28/29 2009

Activity

In your groups, make a list of the

threats& opportunities

in the regular classroom for the child with hearing aids/CI and language delay.


THREATS

• Hostile listening environment

• Speed of interactions – miss information

• Language lag

• Academic gaps

• Inadequate peer integration – isolation


OPPORTUNITIES

• Repetitive routines of the curriculum/class

• Exposure to peer language

• Exposure to peer behavior

• Modeling rules of conduct

• Making friends - social interaction

• Exposure to social trends

• Integration in school/community


Classroom routines and directions

Repetition – daily routines, themes etc Attention fixers/Listening for directions Processing directions at sentence level Increasing auditory memory &

sequencing Identifying key words within familiar

directions (“Put your book on the desk.”;

“Sit on the carpet next to James.”)


Key Words

The number of words the child can process will be influenced by:

developmental stage of: auditory attention auditory memory auditory sequencing language comprehension


Simple Classroom Directions

• Line up• Get in line• Get behind John• Sit next to …• First…then….• Sit down• Go quickly/go quietly• Find your place


Complex classroom directions

• Before you can…you must….• Whoever finished their…may….• If you’re wearing…then you may• After you….then….• Put your bags away and sit down quietly• Find your pencils and math book, then sit in your

groups• When I give you your worksheet, you may begin

the quiz.

Language of Direction


5 STAGES:

5. Indirect – “Careful, Scissors are sharp!”

4. Indirect – “The scissors go in this bag please!”

3.Indirect – “Will you put those scissors down please?”

2. Direct – “Put the scissors away?”


5 STAGES …CONT:

1. Most direct: “Anthony, put those scissors down this minute!”

Children with delayed language sometimes require more direct language to help them succeed in responding to commands.


LANGUAGE ARTS

• Development of listening skills• Vocabulary development• Development of syntax• Growth of conversational skills• Growth of memory and sequencing

skills• Story telling• Learning to predict, explain and ask

questions


Music

Good listening skills Listening to singing gives pleasure

Singing to children develops listening skills

enhance speech perception Putting words to music helps

children remember them Singing songs focuses on voice

pitch/rhythm


Music - continued

Perception of pitch and rhythm are essential to understanding spoken language

Rhythm in song helps develop rhythm in speech

Singing helps develop breath flow and breath control

Singing helps avoid weak breath flow and other speech disorders


Math

Rote counting - repetition helps speech and language development.

Number concepts – more, less, some, one, a few, fewer, any, all, none.

Spatial concepts – above, below, next to, behind, in front, between etc.

Time concepts – before, after, until.


Physical Education

Awareness of body parts and movements

Following directions Learning rules for games Functioning in a poor listening

environment Participating in team activities and

sports


Recess

Learning about social trends/games Becoming aware of social language

(‘slang’) and peer interests Becoming aware of rules of conduct Learning to cooperate with peers Learning about conflict resolution

and negotiation Making friends


Classroom communication offers:

• Sharing & social interaction

• Problem solving and thinking

• Conversing and narrating

• Negotiation and sharing

• Story telling

• Joint imaginary play

The role of peers in equipping the child as a communicator


INTERACTIONS WITH PEERS

• Different than adult interactions

• Child has to ‘hold their own’

• Emphasis on ‘repairing’ communication breakdowns

• Need to see the other partners’ point of view

• Learning to negotiate

• Mediated through language


Development of peer interactions


UP TO 18 MONTHS:

Some unoccupied behaviour Some onlooker behaviour Solitary-functional playSolitary dramatic play (in 2nd yr) Solitary constructive play (2nd yr) Some group functional play (2nd yr)


FUNCTIONAL PLAY

• Repetitive

• Actions/vocalisations

• Actions on objects

• Physical


18 -30 MONTHS

INCREASE IN THE FOLLOWING: Half time spent in parallel play Parallel functional play Parallel constructive play Parallel dramatic play Group functional play Conflict behaviours


PARALLEL PLAY

Children start by examining and manipulating sensory materials.

This leads to playing associatively and cooperatively.

Parallel functional play gives less sociable children a chance to work their way into a group.

Language needs to prepare for this?


LANGUAGE NEEDS:

Social language

Action words

Descriptive words

Directions


3-5 YEARS

DECREASE IN THE FOLLOWING:

Unoccupied behaviour Solitary functional play Solitary dramatic play Parallel play ( functional/dramatic)


3-5 YEARS

INCREASE IN THE FOLLOWING:

Mature solitary play (drawing/building).

Cooperative group play.

More complex parallel play showing creativity, independence and perseverance.


FROM 3 YEARS ON:

CHILDREN CAN: Get peers’ attentionLead an activityImitate a peerExpress affection/hostilityFollow or refuse to follow peer’s requestBegin to negotiate solutionsPlay in a group for longer periods


GROUP PLAY

• Grows out of parallel functional play

• 3 to 31/2 year olds spend approximately ¼ of their time in group play.

• By 5 years of age cooperatve dramatic play can take up long periods of time.


Language learning with peers

• Imaginary play encourages use of language for:

• Planning• Explaining• Negotiating• Creating imaginary situations• Role play• Conflict resolution


Language Learning with Peers:

INITIATING INTERACTIONS:

“Can I play/have a turn/see…..?”

“Me/my turn”

“You…take it/do it”

“Please…?”

“Look…”


Social interaction


– 3 stages:

• GOOD VS BAD – 2 to 3 years of age

• RULES – 3 to 5 years of age

• WHO – 6years +


Good vs bad (2;0-3;0)

- operates in the present

- responds to immediate praise/reinforcement

- temper tantrums – intense but short lived

- easily distracted


Stage 2 – Rules – 3 to 5 yrs

• Understands cause and effect

• Responds to conditionals (‘if…then’)

• Requires external controls

• Uses rules to guide interactions

• Lacks self awareness


STAGE 3 – WHO – 6 yrs +

• Shows empathy

• Appreciates others’ viewpoints

• Offers help without needing reward

• Demonstrates inner controls

• Shows concern about doing the “right thing”


Examples of delay

1. Jimmy, aged 6, uses a CI. His HA is 3;0.

Jimmy is told that “If” he eats all his vegetables “then” he can have ice cream. He leaves his carrots, doesn’t get ice cream and throws a tantrum. WHY?


Examples of delay:

2. Charlotte tells her teacher that her friends are leaving her out of the game. When the teacher probes the group it emerges that Charlotte always wants to play the role of ‘oldest sibling’, parent or teacher and is unwilling to play other roles. WHY?

HOW MIGHT HER FAMILY HELP?


To reach stage 3:

• To talk about feelings and thoughts

• Listen to others express themselves

• Learn stories about the richness of variety and differences in people

• Environments where skills can be practiced and mastered

Supporting and Encouraging

PeerInteractions


HOME & SCHOOL?

• Role of parents?

• Role of educators?

• Role of the child?


Problem solving approach

• Determine what needs to be addressed/learned

• Teach and practice

• Support and model

• Sensitize peers

• Provide suggestions for parental involvement – extracurricular activities, social stories, talk, concept development.


STEP IN, SET UP, FADE OUT

For younger children:

• Set up interactions from inside the group – create a role for the child which adds to the play

• Set up interactions from outside the group

• Pair up two children

• Assign a collaborative task


Facilitating interactions within the classroom

• Prompt the child to use words

• Prompt repetition/clarification requests

• Model request for repetition/clarification

• Encourage other children to ask for repetition

• Start a conversation..and allow group to take over (eg: at lunch time)

• Structure simple turn taking games


Case Studies

Bring together what we have learned about

• hearing age

• language development

• facilitating early language development

…to predict what the classroom experience will be like for two different children….


CASE STUDY 1

Identified with profound hearing loss at 11 months.

No benefit with hearing aids. Cochlear implant at 18 months. Second implant at 24 months.

Corrina


Expectations in K

Child has a Hearing Age of 3.5 years Child will be at the sentence level Broadly speaking – child is within normal

range – able, with help to meet many of the curricular outcomes

Expect immaturities in vocabulary, grammar and phonology

Mild delay in literacy development Possibly immature social skills


Role of AVT

• Monitor listening environment

• Provide results of listening/language tests

• Highlight gaps in spoken language development

• Support language literacy development

• Continue regular intervention during K

• Discuss level of intervention required in Grade 1+


CASE STUDY 2

Identified with profound hearing loss at 3.5 years.

No benefit with powerful hearing aids – has a cochlear implant at 4.5 years.

Enters K at 5 years of age with hearing age of 6 months

Cayden…


Expectations in K

Significant delay in listening and language development

Unable to follow simple directions In need of a great deal of individual

attention Uneven development (physical vs

listening development) Curricular adaptations required – focus on

early listening & language goals


• The child has a low level of communicative competence with limited listening and language knowledge

• Many compensatory behaviours are in place

The Challenge: to create “real” communication and learning

opportunities through listening when:


Adjusted expectations

• Identify goals with AV therapist & parents• Intensive application of strategies and

techniques in all environments• Recognize child’s strengths and interests• Review goals regularly• Increase liaison with AV team and Support Staff

(Resource Teacher; SLP;)• Consider repeating K program• Recognize the pre-requisites for K readiness –

(listening; pre-verbal skills)


Goals might include..

Sound word associations – based on sound awareness and discrimination

Comprehension of early phrases Early vocabulary development –

comprehension Turn taking – vocal & verbal Responding to name Production of intonation patterns and

vowels


What will Grade 4 look like?

• Hearing age is 4;6 and chronological age is 9;0.

• Significant language delay, even if ‘typical’ gains have been made

• AV therapist will continue to offer high level involvement

• Child will require additional support from other specialists (SLP; Resource Teacher)


Curriculum support

The child will require: Modification of the curriculum Pre and post teaching Considerable home support for curricular

and social development Continued use of specific techniques and

strategies….

facilitating spoken language development in the regular classroom

Documents

aud c cert avt

schoolcommunitypetra

placepetra smith

mbpetra smith

questionspetra smith

voice pitchrhythmpetra

direct language

delayed language