As a speech-language pathologist, making data-driven decisions is crucial to create the best outcomes for children with developmental language disorder (DLD). Recent research has shed light on effective interventions for improving oral language comprehension in school-age children and adolescents with DLD. Let's explore these findings and how they can be implemented in clinical practice.
Key Findings from the Research
The systematic scoping review titled "Oral language comprehension interventions in school-age children and adolescents with developmental language disorder: A systematic scoping review" provides a comprehensive analysis of interventions targeting oral language comprehension. The review identified three primary intervention foci:
- Targeting Aspects of Language: This includes interventions focusing on receptive vocabulary, grammar comprehension, and narrative comprehension. Techniques such as the SHAPE CODING system and narrative-based language intervention have shown significant positive effects.
- Targeting Language Processing: This involves interventions aimed at improving auditory temporal processing and reducing the burden on verbal working memory. However, the review found that interventions focusing on language processing often showed little to no effect on oral language comprehension.
- Modifying the Communicative Environment: This approach involves changing the language used by teachers and other communication partners to support the child better. One study demonstrated that modifying teachers' language resulted in improved listening comprehension skills in students.
Practical Implementation for Clinicians
To improve your clinical practice, consider incorporating the following evidence-based strategies:
- Utilize Explicit Teaching Techniques: Methods like the SHAPE CODING system, which uses visual support to teach grammar, have shown very large effect sizes in improving comprehension.
- Focus on Receptive Vocabulary: Implementing semantic-phonologic approaches can significantly enhance vocabulary knowledge, which is crucial for overall language comprehension.
- Modify the Communicative Environment: Collaborate with teachers to adjust their language use in the classroom, providing a more supportive environment for students with DLD.
Encouraging Further Research
While the review highlights several effective interventions, it also underscores the need for more high-quality research. Specifically, there is a need for large randomized controlled trials to verify the efficacy of various therapy techniques. Additionally, research should explore the relationship between intervention dosage and efficacy, as well as the effectiveness of compensatory strategies like visualisation.
As practitioners, staying informed about the latest research and continuously evaluating our methods is essential for providing the best care for our clients. Let's commit to implementing these evidence-based practices and advocating for further research to enhance our understanding and treatment of DLD.
To read the original research paper, please follow this link: Oral language comprehension interventions in school-age children and adolescents with developmental language disorder: A systematic scoping review.
