In the realm of speech-language pathology, data-driven decisions are paramount for effective intervention strategies. A recent study titled "The Use of the ENNI to Assess Story Grammar Competency of School-Aged French-Speaking Children With and Without Specific Language Impairment" provides valuable insights for practitioners working with French-speaking children. This blog will explore how you can implement these findings to enhance your practice and encourage further research in this domain.
The Importance of Story Grammar
Story grammar is a critical component of narrative skills, encompassing elements such as characters, settings, and events. These elements are essential for coherent storytelling and are indicative of a child's linguistic and cognitive development. The Edmonton Narrative Norms Instrument (ENNI) is a tool that has been used to quantify narrative skills in English-speaking children, and recent research has extended its application to French-speaking children.
Key Findings from the Study
The study included three groups of nine-year-old children: those with Specific Language Impairment (SLI), typically-developing children matched on language abilities (LA), and typically-developing children matched on chronological age (CA). The results indicated that the ENNI could be effectively used to measure story grammar in French-speaking children. However, the study also highlighted potential cultural biases and the need for normalization studies specific to the French-speaking population of Quebec.
Developmental Changes
- Typically-developing children showed significant improvements in story grammar scores between the ages of seven and nine.
- Children with SLI had lower story grammar scores compared to their CA peers but were similar to their LA peers.
Cultural and Linguistic Considerations
- The study raised concerns about the gender of characters in the ENNI stories, which could confuse French-speaking children due to grammatical gender differences.
- Normalization studies are needed to account for these cultural and linguistic differences.
Implementing Findings in Practice
To enhance your practice using the findings from this study, consider the following steps:
1. Utilize the ENNI for Assessment
Incorporate the ENNI into your assessment toolkit to measure story grammar competency in French-speaking children. This tool can help identify areas where children with SLI may need additional support.
2. Be Mindful of Cultural Biases
When using the ENNI, be aware of potential cultural and linguistic biases. Adapt the tool as necessary to ensure it is appropriate for your specific population.
3. Encourage Narrative Development
Focus on activities that promote narrative skills, such as storytelling and role-playing. These activities can help children practice and improve their story grammar elements.
Encouraging Further Research
The study's findings underscore the need for further research to normalize the ENNI for French-speaking populations and to explore the impact of cultural and linguistic factors on narrative skills. By participating in or supporting such research, practitioners can contribute to the development of more effective assessment tools and intervention strategies.
To read the original research paper, please follow this link: The Use of the ENNI to Assess Story Grammar Competency of School-Aged French Speaking Children With and Without Specific Language Impairment.
