Papers by Alisha Springle
Teaching and Learning in Communication Sciences & Disorders
The purpose of this mixed methods study was to examine the outcomes of two instructional methodol... more The purpose of this mixed methods study was to examine the outcomes of two instructional methodologies (traditional and peer-assisted learning; PAL) used in a clinical methods course for undergraduate speech-language pathology (SLP) students. The sample included 53 undergraduate SLP students (near-peer learners) as well as 27 graduate SLP students and 7 clinical fellows (near-peer tutors). Traditional instruction was used during the first half of the course and PAL was added during the second half. The undergraduate SLP students’ weekly written reflections and grades (mid-term and final) were collected for analysis. Students demonstrated a preference for peer- and near-peer learning experiences and commented positively on learning via stories throughout the course. They exhibited more positive attitudes during PAL instruction. Further, students reported less clinical confidence and more confusion as the course progressed and they learned more about the demands and expectations for c...
<b>Purpose: </b>Analysis of narrative language samples is a recommended clinical prac... more <b>Purpose: </b>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.<b>Method: </b>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.<b>Results:</b> 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.<b>Conclusions: </b>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.<br><b>Supplemental Material S1.</b> Correlations among LSA variables in kindergarten and observed language variables in kindergarten.<br><b>Supplemental Material S2.</b> Correlations among LSA variables in kindergarte [...]
Journal of Speech, Language, and Hearing Research, 2022
Purpose: Analysis of narrative language samples is a recommended clinical practice in the assessm... more 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). Struc...
COMPARISON OF MOTOR-ENHANCED AND VISUAL-ENHANCED INTERVENTIONS FOR GRAMMAR IN YOUNG CHILDREN WITH... more COMPARISON OF MOTOR-ENHANCED AND VISUAL-ENHANCED INTERVENTIONS FOR GRAMMAR IN YOUNG CHILDREN WITH DEVELOPMENTAL LANGUAGE DISORDER Alisha P. Springle Old Dominion University, 2020 Chair: Dr. Peggy Hester Up to 7.6% of children demonstrate a developmental language disorder (DLD), which can persist through adulthood, causing difficulty with academic achievement, social relationships, and financial stability. Grammar development, as a hallmark of DLD, is an important area of need for these children. Existing grammar interventions do not clearly distinguish the sensory input techniques that meet these children’s neurobiological instructional needs. This adapted alternating treatment design study implemented intervention using systematic paired visual and verbal and systematic paired motor, i.e. standardized gestures, and verbal sensory input techniques. A moderate-strong functional relation between intervention techniques using motor supports on grammatical outcomes in natural language p...
Perspectives of the ASHA Special Interest Groups, 2020
Purpose A number of justification have examined the effects of speech interventions on outcomes i... more Purpose A number of justification have examined the effects of speech interventions on outcomes in childhood apraxia of speech (CAS). The findings have been summarized in the form of systematic reviews (SRs) and meta-analyses, which are used to support evidence-based clinical practice decisions. Yet without acceptable rigor, SRs/meta-analyses may be biased in their recommendations. We appraised the quality of existing SRs for CAS treatment using a tool developed within epidemiology, the AMSTAR-2 (A MeaSurement Tool to Assess Systematic Reviews). Method A search of five databases to identify published SRs that coalesced treatment research for CAS revealed six systematic reviews that met inclusion criteria. Two examiners coded each article with the AMSTAR-2 to rate the methodologic rigor of the SRs and extracted summary data. Results One rigorous systematic review included only one randomized controlled trial. A second moderately rigorous review examined multiple single participant re...
Reading & Writing Quarterly, 2020
Purpose: Students with learning disabilities (LD) often struggle to initiate writing tasks and ha... more Purpose: Students with learning disabilities (LD) often struggle to initiate writing tasks and have difficulty devoting sufficient resources to complete written compositions. Educators must determine the most effective writing instruction to help these students. Evidence-based educational practices benefit from research reviews such as systematic reviews (SRs) and metaanalyses (MAs). However, not all SRs and MAs are conducted with utmost rigor. The purpose of this project was to examine existing reviews of writing instruction for students with LD, appraise their methodologic quality, and summarize findings. Methods: Following an extensive search of 10 databases, we identified two SRs and four MAs that summarized evidence for writing instruction for students with LD. Four trained examiners evaluated the quality of those reviews with an appraisal tool, the Evidence in Augmentative and Alternative Communication Systematic Review Scale. We extracted critical elements summarizing findings of each review. Results: One article met standards of methodologic rigor. While search methods were well-described across reviews, rigor in data extraction and analyses were lacking. The reviewed studies identified strategy instruction as the most effective approach to improve writing for students with LD. Conclusions: Evidence suggests explicit instruction and goal-setting approaches may benefit students with LD who demonstrate writing difficulties. Findings suggest the need for increased rigor when conducting these reviews to optimize evidence-based writing interventions for students with LD.
Perspectives of the ASHA Special Interest Groups, 2019
Purpose The impact of visual- and movement-specific intervention techniques for developing gramma... more Purpose The impact of visual- and movement-specific intervention techniques for developing grammatical morphemes in the spoken language of two 6-year-old female children with language impairment was measured. Method An adapted alternating treatment single-subject study examined the grammar outcomes from the use of Shape Coding (i.e., using shapes, colors, and arrows to teach grammatical rules; Ebbels, van der Lely, & Dockrell, 2007 ) and an equivalent researcher-designed kinesthetic-/movement-based set of cues. Results Interventions were successfully provided by novice clinicians with limited training. Results indicated improvement across both students and were differentiated between students and intervention techniques. Conclusion These positive findings support the use of Shape Coding and movement-based interventions targeting language improvement. School-based clinicians should consider multiple modalities for therapeutic instruction with children with language impairment. Supple...
Uploads
Papers by Alisha Springle