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Shannon N. Austermann
MEASURING PROCESSING LOAD IN SENTENCE COMPREHENSION: SUSTAINED
VISUOPERCEPTUAL ATTENTIONThis preliminary investigation explored the potential for shared underlying processing resources in the relation between performance on a linguistic processing task and performance on a sustained visuoperceptual attention task in a dual task paradigm. Fifteen non-neurologically impaired university students were required to respond to the appearance or disappearance of a star on a computer monitor at varying levels of visual complexity, while listening to sentences of varying levels of syntactic complexity and answering yes/no comprehension questions. Results showed that response accuracy (d') and bias (ß) decreased significantly, while reaction time to visual stimuli increased significantly as the linguistic task became more complex. Pp. 1-10.
Nora L. JacobsEFFECT OF TASK TYPE ON TEST PERFORMANCE OF SPANISH-ENGLISH BILINGUAL
CHILDREN WITH AND WITHOUT LANGUAGE DISORDERSThe purpose of this study was to compare the test performance of Spanish-English bilingual children, with and without language disorders, on two task types: one word answer and descriptive answer subtests of the Clinical Evaluation of Language Fundamentals, Third Edition (CELF-3). Four subtests were administered to two groups of eight year old Spanish-English bilingual children with and without language disorders. Results indicated that the descriptive answer subtest scores were significantly higher for the normally developing children (mean scores 10.1 versus 5.0). One word answer subtest scores were also significantly higher for the normally developing children on one of the two tasks (mean scores 7.0 versus 4.6). Findings suggest that parts of the CELF-3 are useful in differentiating between language disorders and language differences (normally developing children) in this population. Pp. 11-17.
Andrea DoermannPHONOLOGICAL AWARENESS SKILLS IN PRESCHOOL CHILDREN: A
TEXT-BASED VERSUS TRADITIONAL APPROACH STUDYThis study compared the effectiveness of a theorized text-based approach and a more researched direct approach for teaching phonological awareness within a preschool classroom setting. Nineteen four-year-olds were ranked according to informal phonological awareness measures and then assigned into either a direct, text-based or control group. The two treatments differed in the approach to intervention (contextualized only, versus combined decontextualized and contextualized). Results indicated that children in the direct approach group achieved significant gains in the initial sound identification tasks. When adjustments for teacher prompts in the pretest are included, both the text-based group and the direct-based group significantly increased in progress on the rhyming measures. Implications of these findings are that direct phonological awareness intervention can occur in a small group preschool classroom setting, thus supporting previous research findings. Pp. 18-27.
Paula CrosattoTHE EFFECTIVENESS OF VISUAL FEEDBACK WITH TEACHING THE ENGLISH
PHONEME, VOCALIC r, TO NON-NATIVE SPEAKERS OF ENGLISHIn this study, two methods for teaching the English phoneme, vocalic r, to non-native English speakers were evaluated. One strategy involved the "traditional" method of oral placement instruction and auditory feedback. The other strategy coupled the traditional method with a real-time, computerized graphic display that provided immediate visual feedback (Kay Elemetrics Sona-Match). Both methods were found to be effective in improving the vocalic r productions in isolation, words and sentences for two groups of non-native English speaking subjects. In particular, significant improvement was noted with subjects' ability to produce the sound in isolation. The study showed that adding a visual component to the traditional method of teaching vocalic r adds variety without compromising teaching effectiveness. Pp. 28-40.
Kathryn L. RizqallahDO SENSORY TASKS INCREASE THE ABILITY OF CHILDREN DIAGNOSED WITH
AUTISM TO FOLLOW DIRECTIONSThe use of sensory integration therapy has become increasingly popular with occupational therapists and speech-language therapists as an intervention for enhancing language learning and academic difficulties. Unfortunately, this is occurring in spite of systematic, controlled research to support or disprove the effectiveness of this treatment with any population. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of sensory tasks on the ability of children diagnosed with autism to follow directions. Results indicated that following exposure to sensory tasks, children diagnosed with autism were able to follow significantly more directions. Results of this study were discussed in relation to previous research, and with regard to future implications. Pp. 41-51.
Anne Marie MorganWHAT ARE THE EFFECTS OF TIME CONSTRAINTS AND SOUND PRESSURE LEVELS
ON PHONATORY STABILITY, AS MEASURED BY JITTER AND SHIMMER IN NORMALLY
SPEAKING WOMEN VERSUS MEN?Five normally speaking men and women sustained /a/ in two conditions at three different sound pressure levels. In the untimed condition, phonation began when the subject felt prepared. The timed condition required subjects to begin phonating as soon as the examiner said go. Conditions were counterbalanced across subjects. Jitter and shimmer values were obtained on a Kay Elemetrics Computerized Speech Lab, using the Multi-Dimensional Voice Program. There were no distinct patterns of change, as related to a model of a "bias toward accuracy", that emerged between men and women from the untimed to the timed condition in the three sound pressure levels as reflected by their % jitter and dB shimmer values. However, a trend in mean shimmer values emerged between men and women in the timed and untimed conditions. This trend indicated that men showed a bias toward speed as reflected by their shimmer values, while women showed a bias toward accuracy as reflected by their shimmer values. Statistical significance was found between the three sound pressure levels (60-68 dB SPL, 70-78 dB SPL, 80 dB SPL) as measured by jitter. This supports previous research about jitter measurements which found that as sound pressure level increases, tension in the vocal fold increases in the muscular body of the vocal folds which results in lower (more phonatory stability) jitter. Pp. 52-60.
Ben GersteinDO STUTTERERS PERCEIVE TIME DIFFERENTLY WHILE PERFORMING A
COMMUNICATIVE TASK AS COMPARED TO HOW THEY PERCEIVE TIME
DURING A NON-COMMUNICATIVE TASK?Recent research into stuttering has focused on stutterers' ability to perceive time. The aim of this study was to investigate the ability of stutterers to estimate the passage of time while performing a communicative task and a non-communicative task. Twelve subjects, 6 stutterers and 6 non-stutterers were asked to perform a reading task and a shape making task, and then estimate the amount of time they were given to perform each. The results found no significant difference between the abilities of stutterers and non-stutterers to estimate the passage of time while performing a communicative task and non-communicative task. However, a trend did develop regarding whether or not stutterers and non-stutterers overestimated or underestimated the passage of time during the communicative task, with stutterers tending to overestimate. Limitations and suggestions for future research are discussed. Pp. 61-69.
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