Elsefie Wranz, Helen Krige, Deona Roets, Abigail Stanfliet-Maasdorp, Marisa Uren, Marlize de Jongh

Jan Kriel School12 September 2015

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Curriculum based Learning Support for Senior learners with Specific Language

Impairment

Speech-language therapy - Jan Kriel School

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Primary language impairment (impaired language comprehension/production in the presence of typical cognitive potential) persists - therefore continued Speech-language Therapy (SLT) support crucial

With bigger load of content subject material –more reliant on language competency

CAPS outcomes share the linguistic, cognitive, metalinguistic and metacognitive underpinnings of language (Moonsamy & Kathard 2014)

Rationale for continued SLT

Support in Language and

Thinking Skills

Speech-language therapy - Jan Kriel School

Rationale for continued SLT

Support

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Language is more than a pre-requisite skill, it is integral to all learning. (Ehren, 2011: 69 in Moonsamy & Kathard2014)

Speech-language therapists therefore have an ethical responsibility to support the language + literacy needs of learners as per (ASHA 2010) guidelines

Speech-language support in early years does not eradicate PLI - impact varied

(Krige & Wranz 2011: Yearbook JKS p 37)

Speech-language therapy - Jan Kriel School

Rationale for continued SLT

support

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Often more subtle language complexities are masked and compensated for in early years –become apparent when curriculum demand increases

Specific Language Impairment/Language Learning Difficulty often co-exists with AD(H)D, visual and motor problems

Often the co-existing problems are more visible and overshadow the SLI/LLD – so intervention for more visible problems are rendered (Krige & Wranz 2011: Yearbook JKS p 37)Speech-language therapy - Jan Kriel School

Scope of problems

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Language Learning Impairment/Primary Language Impairment/Language Learning Disorder/Disability

Expressive writing disabilities Reading disorders/Reading comprehension

impairment Developmental Apraxia of Speech (motor

planning for speech impairment) Hearing impairment Central Auditory Processing Difficulties (Attention,

analysis, synthesis, memory, retrieval, sequencing etc)

Fluency disorders Learners on the Autistic spectrum In all areas intervention should start as early as

Speech-language therapy - Jan Kriel School

Literacy wall

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Good reading comprehension Comprehensive vocabulary Ability to identify the main idea Meta-cognition and learning styles Summaries Memory Text books Visual Tools (Thinking Maps) Executive Functions

Main areas of intervention/support

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Curriculum based Language intervention,vocabulary development/expansion/concept development

Planning/creating ideas/structure Guide through written process, concluding

with editing – all of these time-consuming, intensive support

Connecting the curriculum content with learner’s own experience/language capabilities/situating it within his level of functionSpeech-language therapy - Jan Kriel School

Reading for

Understanding/Comprehension

(Allen 2005: p 3)

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Quality of what you learn from reading and how well you remember what you read influenced by time spent on learning and how you learnt

Prerequisites/pre-skills: motivation, interest, background knowledge, choice of topic/specific nature content

PQ3R: Preview, Question, Read, Recite, Review

Speech-language therapy - Jan Kriel School

Vocabulary skills: Determining

meaning from context clues (Allen 2005: 13-15)

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Definition: means that, refers to, is...,

Restatement/synonyms/rephrasing: -....-,/between commasExamples given: Episodic stressors like…

Comparison - ….which are like….., resembling, as....

Contrast or Antonym – in contrast, however,

on the other hand

Speech-language therapy - Jan Kriel School

Determining Meaning from

Context Clues

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Details or Explanation: –get some idea of difficult

word(s), read text over and over until meaning

becomes clearer/often word unclear, but text

clear so

identify words/phrases that are not clear, read around them – search for “bigger picture” clues in other words

Using word part clues to figure out meaning

Prefixes, suffixes (lists may be provided) Roots of wordsSpeech-language therapy - Jan Kriel School

Identify the Main Idea

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Most important skill to master When you are reading for comprehension and

when you are writing Two main questions to ask…1. What is this paragraph about?

2. What is the author telling me about this

topic?

If you struggle: read all the sentences in paragraph, think about each one, determine what each one’s main idea is and how they are linked – Authors want you to know what they are writing – but with LLI/PLI this main idea is often not so easy to findSpeech-language therapy - Jan Kriel School

Rephrasing/Explaining/Interpretin

g/

Presentation of Text

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Repetition is crucial but with synonyms, analogies, explanations, inverting the sentence parts

Always connect new content with existing knowledge and experience of learner–eg the Hearing Impaired

Always relate explanations to the main ideas and big picture

Curriculum is language, any relevant discussion contributes to language, communication and independent thinking skillsPassionate teaching, preparation, flexibility

Speech-language therapy - Jan Kriel School

Metacognition & Learning styles (Allen 2005:7)

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Brain takes in and remembers information –visually, auditory, kinaesthetically, through touch (tactile) – one mostly dominant

Learning is improved when using a combination – examples

What is the most successful manner for you to learn – experiment to establish which combinations work best

Schedule enough time – planning, structure

Speech-language therapy - Jan Kriel School

Metacognition & Learning Styles(Allen 2005: 6,7)

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Be aware of what you are thinking while reading

Think about main idea, figurative language and inferences you are making

Be aware of author’s words and style What do you do when you come across

unfamiliar/novel vocabulary? Focus on what you are reading constantly Reread if necessarySpeech-language therapy - Jan Kriel School

Making useful Summaries

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Summaries must contain the learner’s personal choice of information but must coincide with the teacher’s /curriculum objectives

Must be closely connected to the textbook outlay –headings, sub-headings

Should not be too cryptic – rather full, short, simple sentences/all modalities included eg visual

The summary must complete a big picture and comprise all elements of this picture/ eg Answer vs Question formatting only

Should be actively taught/instructed Consider marking the summaries and give creditsSpeech-language therapy - Jan Kriel School

Building effective Memory skills

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Use as many modalities to teach as possible Encourage learners to use as many modalities

for learning as possible Create the hooks for storing information

accurately– particularly when content is very abstract/complex terminology

Repetition/mnemonics/analogies/talking out loud/chunking of information (7 items)

Repetition: 66% lost within 7 days/build in daily and weekly repetition

Application + Association – meaningful association – personal – link to personal examples – easy recall – practise and apply soon and often

Seriously consider Visual Tools as part of Teaching

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Thinking maps – David Hyerly (2009)

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Textbooks: Support/aid or Barrier

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Examples of sensible/logical outlay Examples of less sensible/logical outlay Recommend the use of supplementary

textbooks/study guides/X-kits etc Explain/discuss the main ideas and

expect learners to make personal summaries – which are marked

Fine line between just enough print/illustration and too busy to support learning

Speech-language therapy - Jan Kriel School

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Executive Functions (EF)

(Kaufman 2010); (Dawson & Guare2004)

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Prefrontal cortex (PFC) and nearby associated systems play a dominant role in the relationship between brain structure and Executive Function (EF)

PFC systems are among the last to fully develop (late adolescence)

PFC is area most specialised for metacognitive & self-regulatory functioning –the conductor of the brain’s orchestra –

EF skills are elements of cognition that allow self-regulation and self-direction of our functioning

Speech-language therapy - Jan Kriel School

Teaching Executive Function Skills

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Goal Setting Planning Sequencing Organisation of

materials Time management Task Initiation Executive/goal-

directed attention Task persistence

Self monitoring Working memory Set shifting

Response inhibition (Impulse control)

Emotional control Adaptability

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Closing Thought

You cannot teach a man anything, you can only help him

find it within himself

Galileo Galilei

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