My Research Design
The present study showed that shared book reading helped improve a child’s use of grammatical structures and an increase in the number of words used in spoken phrases and sentences.
This research project began December 1, 2003 and concluded March 19, 2004. Two subjects were selected that exhibited consistent “me/I” substitution in spontaneous language. Subjects received one hour of small group speech and language therapy.
SUBJECTS
J was a male, 3 years-11 months to 4 years-3 months during the study. J attended an integrated preschool class four mornings per week for two and one-half hours. There were nine children in the class--four had individual education plans and five served as community role models. In addition to speech and language therapy, J received one hour of physical therapy and one hour of occupational therapy. J’s speech therapy included two twenty-minute sessions in the therapy room with one other child. A third session was within the classroom during snack time.
J exhibited a moderate delay in expressive language skills with age-appropriate receptive language skills. In December, J’s spontaneous language consisted of 2-3 word phrases.
P was a male, 3 years 2 months to 3 years 6 months. P attended a private preschool two mornings per week for three hours. In addition to speech and language therapy, he received thirty minutes of physical therapy and thirty minutes of occupational therapy. P received two thirty-minute sessions of speech and language therapy in a small group of three children in the therapy room.
P exhibited a severe delay in expressive language skills as well as a severe delay in articulation skills with age-appropriate receptive language skills. In December, P’s spontaneous language consisted of 1-2 word phrases.
INTERVENTION
Book reading, the focus of this study, was incorporated into each therapy session. Two books were used throughout the study. The first book, Brown Bear, Brown Bear What Do You See, by Bill Martin, Jr. used two patterns throughout the book “What do you see?” and “I see a … looking at me.” The book was adapted to contain Boardmaker pictures from Mayer Johnson.
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Pictures are What do you see (showing) |
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I see a purple cat looking at me. Pictures are I see looking at me |
During the first reading of the story, children listened to the book. They were encouraged to “read along” as they learned the pattern. In subsequent readings, children were given pictures of the animals. As his animal was mentioned, the child matched his picture to one displayed on the wall. After the reading, children were given picture cues and asked to complete a sentence I see a bird or I see a red bird. Other manipulatives included small stuffed animals obtained from the library, which were used instead of pictures.
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Similar to Brown Bear, Brown Bear What Do You See, the second book, I Went Walking by Sue Williams, used two patterns “What did you see?” and “I saw a…looking at me.” This book was also adapted using Boardmaker pictures. Some of the same activities were incorporated while reading this book. Instead of manipulatives, a big book version was obtained from the library and incorporated into therapy.
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During the first reading, the children had to find the animal mentioned on each page. They placed the animal pictures on a felt board. At the end of the story, the animal was placed on the I see strip to be used in the target sentence, i.e. I see yellow dog. Homework was sent home for carryover.
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These pictures were used for homework practice.
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Other books that were included but not read consistently were Here Are My Hands by Bill Martin and John Auchambault and Are You My Mother? by P.D. Eastman. Follow-up activities for the books were sent home with the children for parent involvement.
