Developmental Language Disorder (DLD) is a communication disorder affecting the acquisition and development of language, independent of other conditions such as hearing loss or brain injury. Children with DLD often struggle with narrating stories, exhibiting difficulties in both the microstructural (vocabulary, sentence complexity) and macrostructural (organization, coherence) aspects of storytelling.
The study focused on a 9-year-old Spanish boy diagnosed with DLD, who participated in a 10-session intervention conducted via Skype. The intervention included explicit instruction on narrative structure and the use of discourse markers, supported by visual aids. The researchers employed the Child Language Data Exchange System (CHILDES) Project tool for transcription and analysis.
The results were significant:
- Microstructure Improvements: Increased Mean Length of Utterance (MLU), Types and Tokens, and the use of specific vocabulary and discourse markers.
- Macrostructure Enhancements: Improved recall of events, scenes, and episodes, leading to more coherent and detailed narratives.
These findings highlight the potential of telepractice as an effective method for narrative intervention in children with DLD. The use of visual support and structured tasks can facilitate the organization of information and reduce cognitive demands, making it easier for children to focus on linguistic aspects.
Practitioners can implement these insights by incorporating visual aids and explicit narrative instruction into their telepractice sessions. This approach not only improves language complexity and productivity but also enhances the overall quality of children's oral narratives.
For those interested in further research, the study underscores the need for more extensive investigations comparing telepractice with face-to-face interventions. Additionally, exploring the long-term impact of such interventions could provide deeper insights into the benefits of telepractice for children with DLD.
To read the original research paper, please follow this link: Oral Narrative Intervention by Tele-Practice in a Case with Developmental Language Disorder.
