ABSTRACT
Children from families with low
socioeconomic status (SES) backgrounds The
underlying goal of the project was to lead to
improved speech-language and literacy skills
for children from low socioeconomic status
(SES) backgrounds. The specific purpose of
this project was to equip preschool teachers
with the tools necessary to increase speechlanguage and literacy learning in their
classrooms. We provided educational
workshops to address these topics.
An additional goal of this project is to
encourage replication of this workshop for use
in other communities.
PURPOSE
Many researchers have called attention to the
low language skills evidenced by children from
families of low socioeconomic status (Hart & Risley,
1995; Qi et al., 2003; Schuele, 2001; StantonChapman et al., 2004). Lack of exposure to rich
language has been implicated in these children’s
weak language skills. Low language skills are of
concern because language ability is a strong
predictor of academic achievement (Pianta & McCoy,
1997).
Our previous observations and research
activities in our community preschools that serve
low-income children indicate that many preschool
teachers are unaware that preschool children with
speech-language impairment are eligible for schoolbased speech-language services. They may also be
unaware that speech language pathologists serve in
a collaborative/consultative role in providing
language enrichment for disadvantaged children.
In this Community Outreach Project, speechlanguage pathology graduate students have taken an
active role in community education. We have
developed a two-part workshop that accomplishes
two objectives: (a) Provide daycare providers and
preschool teachers with information about speechlanguage pathology services and speech-language
development in order to increase the likelihood that
preschool children with speech-language
impairments will be referred for evaluation and
services, and (b) Equip daycare providers and
preschool teachers with strategies to maximize
speech/language and literacy learning opportunities
in their classrooms in order to enrich and increase
the speech, language, and literacy outcomes of all
low-income children. Designed to serve the greater
Nashville area, this outreach project also aims to
provide a model for other local community outreach
projects.
METHOD
The pilot study consisted of a two-part
presentation.
Spring 2009: A prototype of a one-hour workshop
was presented at a membership meeting of the Nashville
Area Association for the Education of Young Children
(NAAEYC) to preschool teachers. Feedback was
collected. Consequently, the prototype was made into the
Part 1 presentation.
August 2009: Two preschools were chosen based
upon number of preschool-aged children served and
average level of income of families served. A total of 23
preschool teachers attended the 2-part presentation.
The pilot study included two one-hour
presentations. Four to six weeks elapsed between Part 1
and Part 2 presentations to allow for teachers to
implement whatever information they had taken from the
Part 1 presentation.
The Part 2 presentation was developed based upon
the Part 1 presentation feedback from the teachers.
Teachers at both preschools desired similar information
on similar topics. Informational handouts were given at
each session pertaining to each topic addressed.
Training hours certificates were provided to each
preschool for the participating teachers. Children’s
books, informational brochures from ASHA, and Beyond
Baby Talk (Apel, K. & Masterson, J.J.) were also given to
each preschool after their participation.
Increasing Preschool Teacher
Knowledge of Speech-Language
and Literacy
Jennifer Craig, Jamie Fisher, Anna Lineback, Laura Makoba, Krystal Werfel,
Thelma Acquaah-Harrison, and C. Melanie Schuele
Vanderbilt University
PRESENTATION OUTLINES
FEEDBACK
Feedback Results
120
100
80
60
40
20
00
Percentage of Teachers Surveyed
Learned New Ways to Expand Language Use in the Classroom
Have Used New Ways to Expand Language Use in the Classroom
Found Handouts Helpful
Would Like Additional Presentations on Speech and Language
Part 1 Presentation:
1. Introductions of Presenters
2. What Is a Speech-Language Pathologist? (5-7 min.)
3. Recognizing a Language Disorder (15-20 min.)
4. Promoting Language and Expanding Language Use in the
Classroom: (20-25 min.)
a. Syntax
b. Semantics
c. Pragmatics
5. Question and Answer Time (5-10 min.)
6. Feedback
Part 2 Presentation:
1. Reintroduce Presenters and Recap last presentation (<5
min.)
2. Enhancing Language through Literacy and Vice Versa (1520 min.)
3. Bilingualism (10 min.)
a. Normal vs. Abnormal Language Development
b. Differences vs. Disorder
4. Autism (10 min.)
a. Primary vs. Secondary Language disorders
b. Diagnosis
c. Red Flags
5. Communicating Concerns with Parents (5 min.)
6. Question and Answer Time (5-10 min.)
7. Feedback
REPLICATION AND
FUTURE DIRECTIONS
In the Nashville area:
The presentations and associated
materials were effective in educating
teachers of local preschools about
speech-language pathology, as
evidenced by the overwhelmingly
positive feedback. The pilot workshops
were extremely well-received, and
preschool directors indicated a desire to
have the two-part presentation at their
associated centers. The two-part
workshops will continue to be provided
to Nashville-area preschools, and
community-based preschools will be
actively sought out to participate in the
presentations.
Nation-wide:
These presentations can be given
by anyone with a strong background in
speech-language pathology, including
speech-language pathology graduate
students or members of NSSHLA.
Currently, abbreviated outlines for the
presentations are provided. However,
plans are underway to create a full
outline of the presentations with audiovisual examples and handouts used
during the presentations. These
materials be available in the Spring of
2010 to any NSSHLA chapter that is
seeking to reach out to its respective
community. It is a goal of this project to
synthesize all of this information and
materials and make it readily available to
other chapters of NSSHLA across the
nation. They are strongly encouraged to
adopt this program in reaching out to
their respective communities.
REFERENCES
Hart, B., & Risley, T.R. (1995). Meaningful Differences
in the Everyday Experiences of Young Children.
Baltimore: Brookes Publishing Company, Inc.
Qi, C.H., Kaiser, A.P., Milan, S.E., Yzquierdo, Z., &
Hancock, T.B. (2003). The performance of low-income,
African American children on the Preschool Language
Scale-3. Journal of Speech, Language, and Hearing
Research, 46, 576-590.
Schuele, C.M. ( 2001). Socioeconomic influences on
children's language acquisition. Journal of SpeechLanguage Pathology and Audiology, 25, 77-88.
Stanton-Chapman, T.L., Chapman, D.A., Kaiser, A.P., &
Hancock, T.B. (2004). Cumulative risk and low income
children’s language development. Topics in Early
Childhood Special Education, 24(4), 124-158.
Pianta & McCoy (1997).
Apel, K. & Masterson, J.J. (2001). Beyond Baby Talk:
From Sounds to Sentences--A Parent's Complete
Guide to Language Development. Roseville, CA: Prima
Publishing.