OpenUCT :: Browsing by Author "Pascoe, Michelle"

Browsing by Author "Pascoe, Michelle"

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Open Access
The acquisition of Setswana phonology in children aged 3;0 – 6;0 years : a cross-sectional study
(2014) Mahura, Olebeng; Pascoe, Michelle; Smouse, Mantoa
This study aimed to describe the typical development of speech in first language Setswana speaking children. Thirty-six children, aged 3;0 – 6;0 years, attending preschools in Hebron in the North-West Province of South Africa, participated in the study. The objectives of the study were documenting the children’s ability to produce consonants and vowels, different syllable structures, as well as the nature of phonological processes occurring at various ages. The study followed a cross-sectional design with six children grouped into each six month age band. Due to the preliminary and exploratory nature of the project, an assessment tool was developed and used to document speech development in Setswana-speaking children. This was done as none is currently available. Words and pictures selected for this assessment tool were culturally and linguistically appropriate for the study population, and an expert panel was used to ensure this. Assessments were transcribed online by a first language Setswana speaker using the IPA convention and were audio-recorded and re-transcribed by the same Setswana speaker to ensure reliability. Findings of this study indicate that the majority of Setswana consonants are acquired by 3;0 years. The rounded alveolar trill /rw/ is among the phonemes which continue to develop after 6;0 years, particularly in the penultimate syllable. Phonological processes found in the speech of younger children mainly occur in multisyllabic words and include deletion of marked and unmarked syllables, gliding of liquids, assimilation, as well as the simplification of -Cw- digraphs and words with five syllables. Older children (5;6 – 5;11 years) present with fewer phonological processes than the younger group of children (3;0 – 5;5 years). Findings of the study are discussed in relation to normative data from other languages, and in particular to those belonging to the same language group such as Sesotho. Knowledge of Setswana speech development will better equip Speech-Language Therapists working in Southern Africa to assess and manage speech difficulties in Setswana-speaking children. Future research may focus on developing a standardised Setswana speech assessment tool. The results contribute to an increasing body of locally relevant information about the typical development of children’s speech.
Open Access
App-based intervention for children with reading difficulties : a description of five cases
(2014) Kaplan, Gaby; Pascoe, Michelle; Harty, Michal
This descriptive single subject intervention study aimed to describe the outcomes of an application (app)-based intervention for five children with reading difficulties. All participants were required to have a grade one reading level. Each participant’s language and literacy profiles are detailed in accordance with developmental and information processing models, and intervention was designed based on each child’s specific level of difficulty. Following a baseline control period, each child received approximately six weeks of intervention using the Reading TherAppy and/or Comprehension TherAppy app (Tactus Therapy Solutions) on an iPad ® mini, which was mediated by the researcher on a 1:1 basis. Treated and untreated probe items were administered at three points in the study (baseline, pre, post) in order to determine the effects of intervention on treated and untreated, matched items. Each child’s reading on standardized literacy measures was re-evaluated post intervention. This was followed by an interview with each participant to obtain information about his or her experience of the intervention. Results show that all participants improved their reading of items treated in the intervention. In addition, some of the participants’ standardized reading and spelling scores improved in relation to typically developing peers from pre to post intervention testing. Changes are detailed for each participant using the theoretical models. Child interviews indicated that all children enjoyed a positive experience of intervention. This study aimed to explore and contribute to the limited knowledge base on efficacy, optimal dosage and outcomes of app-based intervention for children with reading difficulties. The implications of the study are discussed in relation to Speech Language Therapists working in educational settings, the functional application of models of reading, and the reading intervention literature.
Open Access
Are we there yet? on a journey towards more contextually relevant resources in speech-language therapy and audiology
(AOSIS Publishing, 2013) Pascoe, Michelle; Rogers, Christine; Norman, Vivienne
Audiologists and speech-language therapists working in developing contexts like South Africa have the opportunity to address a range of needs through their research. One of these needs is the development of assessments and therapy materials that are appropriate for their clients’particular language needs and cultural background. This editorial paper aims to introduce original research in speech-language therapy and audiology, which has been carried out in South Africa and other developing contexts and is presented in this volume of the journal. In addition we suggest that while the focus of much research is on the destination or end product that is developed, there is a need to share the methodologies that are used to reach that goal so that more research can be carried out by a wider pool of students, researchers and clinicians. We describe some of the methods that we have used in our research – often in small scale projects with budgetary constraints, which would be feasible for clinicians in their routine clinical contexts. Our hope is that others can build on these approaches, critique and share their own strategies for the ultimate advancement of the professions in southern Africa.
Open Access
Children with speech difficulties: An exploratory survey of clincial practice in the Western Cape
(2010) Pascoe, Michelle; Maphalala, Zinhle; Ebrahim, Aeysha; Hime, Daneil; Mdladla, Bathobile; Mohamed, Nerosha; Skinner, Mandy
This paper is based on a study by Joffe and Pring (2008) which investigated assessment and therapy methods used by Speech Language Therapists (SLTs) in the United Kingdom for children with phonological difficulties. Joffe and Pring reported SLTs’ most favoured assessments and therapy approaches in that context. Children with speech difficulties are likely to form a considerable part of SLT caseloads in South Africa, but the choice of assessments may not be so clearcut given the linguistic diversity of the region and the fact that few assessments have been developed specifically for the SA population. Linked to difficulties with assessment, selection of intervention approaches may also pose challenges. This study aimed to investigate the methods of assessment and intervention used by SLTs in the Western Cape when working with children with speech difficulties. A questionnaire was sent to SLTs working with pre and/ or primary school- aged children. Twenty-nine clinicians of varying experience responded. The majority of SLTs (89%) use informal assessment tools in combination with formal assessment. When using formal assessments, more than 50% of SLTs make modifications to better suit the population. Participants use a variety of intervention approaches, often in combination, and based on a child’s individual profile of difficulties and available resources. Forty-six percent of SLTs felt unsure about the selection of assessments and intervention for bi/multilingual children with speech difficulties. SLTs suggested that guidelines about accepted / typical speech development in the region would be helpful for their clinical practice. Clinical implications of the findings are discussed together with some suggestions for developing knowledge of children’s speech difficulties in the South African context.
Open Access
The communication between low-risk low birth weight premature infants and their mothers in the first year of life a description of four cases
(2012) Bissessur, Divya; Pascoe, Michelle
There has been a global increase in survival rates of premature infants due to advances in medical technology. Premature infants are known to be at risk for developmental problems including communication delays and disorders. Speech- Language Pathologists have an important role to play in the assessment and management of premature infants, especially due to the high prevalence of premature births in South Africa. The bonding and attachment experiences of premature infants and their mothers are often challenged, further placing these infants at risk for communication difficulties. This study aimed to explore the communication between low-risk low birth weight premature infants and their mothers at three points in the first year of life. A longitudinal study was conducted where four mother-infant dyads were investigated.
Open Access
Contextually relevant resources in speech-language therapy and audiology in South Africa-are there any?
(AOSIS, 2011) Pascoe, Michelle; Norman, Vivienne
In this editorial introduction we aim to explore the notion of contextually-relevant resources. We argue that it is the responsibility of Speech Language Therapists (SLTs) and Audiologists (As) working in South Africa to develop contextually relevant resources, and not to rely on the countries or cultures where the professions originated to do so. Language is often cited as the main barrier to contextually relevant resources: most SLTs and As are aware of the need for more resources in the indigenous local languages. However, the issue is not as straightforward as translating resources from English into other languages. The challenges related to culture, e.g. formal education, familiarity with the test situation, have to be considered; as well as the population on which norms were obtained; the nature of vocabulary or picture items. This paper introduces four original research papers that follow in this edition of the journal, and showcases them as examples of innovative development in our field. At the same time we call for the further development of assessment materials, intervention resources, and contributions to the evidence base in our context. We emphasise the importance of local knowledge to drive the development of these resources in innovative and perhaps unexpected ways, and suggest that all clinicians have an important role to play in this process.
Open Access
How can health literacy and client recall/memory of clinical information be maximised in the field of Speech-Language Pathology? : an exploratory study of clients and therapists in the Western Cape
(2009) Von Wuhlisch, Friderike Schmidt; Pascoe, Michelle
The aims of this study were to (a) explore health literacy and information recall/memory of clients receiving Speech-Language Pathology treatment in Cape Town, and (b) to explore ways of maximising these factors in clients with dysphagia, voice disorders (including laryngectomies) and cleft lip and/or palate.
Open Access
How can Speech Language Therapists and Audiologists enhance language and literacy outcomes in South Africa? (And why we urgently need to)
(AOSIS, 2011) Kathard, Harsha; Ramma, Lebogang; Pascoe, Michelle; Jordaan, Heila; Moonsamy, Sharon; Wium, Anna-Marie; Du Plessis, Sandra; Pottas, Lidia; Khan, Nasim Banu
Basic education in South Africa faces a crisis as learners fail to achieve the necessary outcomes in the related areas of language and literacy. The aims of this paper are twofold. Firstly, we aim to describe and discuss the education crisis by outlining the educational landscape, relevant policy imperatives and implementation challenges in post-apartheid education. The systemic factors contributing to the literacy crisis are emphasised. Secondly, we argue that speech language therapists and audiologists (SLTAs) have a role to play in supporting basic education in South Africa through developing language and literacy. It is suggested that the professions of speech-language pathology and audiology must be socially responsive and population-focused in order to make meaningful contributions to development in South Africa. The potential roles of SLTAs are discussed with suggestions for further actions required by the professions to enable a contextually relevant practice in a resource-constrained environment.
Open Access
Intervention for bilingual children with speech sound disorders: A description of three English/isiXhosa speaking children
(2016) Rossouw, Katherine; Pascoe, Michelle; Smouse, Mantoa
IsiXhosa is a language that is widely spoken in South Africa. Bilingualism is common in South Africa, with many children learning isiXhosa as a home language and English from a young age. This study investigated three case studies of bilingual children with speech sound disorders. It aimed to describe changes in their speech following intervention according to a tailor made intervention plan. The project aimed to add to the limited research available on intervention for bilingual children with speech sound disorders. The speech of Gcobisa* (4;2), Lulama* (4;0) and Ntando* (3;0) were assessed and their speech sound disorders categorized according to Dodd's diagnostic subcategories. From this, intervention was planned and the language of intervention was selected. Following intervention, the speech of the children was reassessed. Gcobisa's speech was categorized as a consistent phonological delay, and she was provided with intervention using a minimal pairs approach with isiXhosa targets, and showed evidence of generalizing the target phoneme to English words. Lulama's speech was categorized as a consistent phonological disorder, and she received intervention based on an adapted cycles approach in English, with little evidence of change in her phonological systems in English and isiXhosa, but increased intelligibility. Ntando's speech, although more difficult to categorize, was categorized as presenting with a consistent phonological disorder, and he received intervention based on core vocabulary in English. He showed an increase in his consistency and intelligibility in both English and isiXhosa. The data has theoretical implications regarding bilingual development of isiXhosa-English, as it highlights the ways bilingual development may differ from the monolingual development of this language pair, as well as adding to the small set of intervention studies investigating the changes in the speech of bilingual children following intervention. In addition, clinical implications can be drawn, as it provides a possible framework to guide intervention for isiXhosa-English bilingual children with speech sound disorders. *Pseudonyms were used to ensure anonymity.
Open Access
Interventions used by health care professionals to transition preterm infants and neonates from enteral feeds to full-oral feeds: A Scoping review
(2021) Rabbipal, Yajna; Norman, Vivienne; Pascoe, Michelle
Background: Preterm infants and neonates may present with dysphagia due to immaturity or the presence of medical conditions. Enteral feeds are used to ensure optimal nutrition is achieved while the neonates are developing appropriate oral feeding skills. Varied interventions may be used to transition neonates to full oral feeds as oral feeding is often a prerequisite for discharge from hospital. Aims: The main aim of this study was to summarize, interpret and analyse the literature on the different interventions used for the transition to full oral feeds in preterm infants and neonates to identify research gaps and to inform clinical practice on the best intervention options. A secondary aim was to validate the findings of the scoping review for the South African context. Methods: A scoping review was conducted. Relevant studies were identified by searching six databases, Google and Google scholar. Inclusion criteria included studies written in English, peer reviewed and published between 1998–2018, that described the interventions used to transition preterm infants and neonates to full oral feeds. Data were extracted from the articles using a data charting form and analysed descriptively and thematically. The findings were shared with health care professionals who work with premature infants and neonates who then participated in a semi-structured interview to provide feedback relevant to the South African context. Results: Forty-seven articles were included. Six broad intervention categories were identified: oral-motor, oral-sensory, other senses, timing, cue-based and utensils. Non-nutritive sucking (NNS) interventions were reported most frequently across single and combined interventions. Outcome measures reported included: time taken to full oral feeds, earlier hospital discharge, long-term feeding outcomes, weight and sucking proficiency. Improved outcomes were associated with NNS and NNS with oral stimulation. Nine health care professionals were interviewed. They confirmed using a number of the interventions, with NNS reported the most. Health care professionals also provided insight into the challenges of implementing some interventions due to limited resources and staffing in the South African context. Conclusions: There are a range of interventions reported in the literature and many of them are used in South Africa. Positive outcomes such as earlier transition to full oral feeds; earlier hospital discharge; improved weight gain and improved sucking proficiency have been reported with NNS and combined NNS and Oral Stimulation interventions, however further studies are needed.
Open Access
'It’s not just the learner, it's the system!' Teachers’ perspectives on written language difficulties: Implications for speech-language therapy
(OASIS Publishing, 2011) Navsaria, Indira; Pascoe, Michelle; Kathard, Harsha
The failure to achieve academic outcomes in linguistically diverse classrooms in poor areas of the Western Cape, South Africa, is well documented. A major contributing factor is the written language communication difficulties experienced in these classrooms. This paper describes the views of intermediate-phase teachers on why written language difficulties are experienced by learners and ways in which these difficulties might be overcome. A series of interviews were conducted with two class teachers in one urban school from which there had been a high number of referrals for speech-language therapy. The teachers were individually interviewed using an in-depth, semi-structured format. Teachers reported that 50 - 70% of learners in their classes were not meeting grade level academic outcomes. They were asked to explain the difficulties experienced with regard to written language, and the challenges and solutions linked to these. The findings suggest that there are barriers and opportunities at the school system, individual learner and home/social community levels. Major challenges identified at the school system level included limited training and lack of support for teachers, poor foundation skills in learners and difficulties with language. The current opportunities for the development of written language were insufficient and teachers identified further opportunities to promote the learners’ written language development. These included training and support for teachers, clear and consistent assessment guidelines, remedial assistance for learners and safe, nurturing home environments. There is a need to look beyond the learner as the site of the problem; a systemic approach is essential. In the light of these findings, suggestions are made for the role of the speech-language therapist.
Open Access
Maximising health literacy and client recall of clinical information: An exploratory study of clients and speech-language pathologists
(2010) von Wühlisch, Friderike Schmidt; Pascoe, Michelle
Limited research has been carried out in the field of speech-language pathology with regard to ways of maximising health literacy and client recall. However, speech-language pathologists (SLPs) frequently provide vast amounts of information that clients need to understand, apply and review in order to manage their (or their child’s) health. This exploratory study aimed to contribute information about ways in which SLPs can overcome low health literacy and poor client recall so that treatment effectiveness is improved. A case-study design was used with specific focus on four clients receiving treatment for dysphagia, voice disorders (including laryngectomies) and cleft lip and/or palate management in Cape Town. Strategies which may be able to maximise health literacy and client recall of clinical information were trialled and evaluated by clients and their SLPs, using semi-structured interviews. The researchers proposed a combination of high-tech strategies which assisted in all the cases. No single solution or universal tool was found that would be appropriate for all. There is a need to evaluate the long-term effectiveness of the combined strategies across a wider population, at different stages of rehabilitation and in diverse contexts. Implications and suggestions for future related research are presented.
Open Access
The norming of the "Evaluation du language Oral" and the prevalence of speech and language disorders in pre-school aged children from Yaoundé (Cameroon)
(2016) Tchoungui Oyono, Lilly; Singh, Shajila; Pascoe, Michelle
Research suggests that speech and language disorders are among the most prevalent childhood disabilities in many countries. Identification and intervention for children with communication disorders are sought at an early stage, to avoid the consequences of untreated childhood speech and language problems that can lead to academic underachievement and even persist into adulthood. However, no study has been reported on the prevalence of speech and language disorders in the general population in Cameroon. Despite the published literature on the national burden of disease suggesting that a significant number of Cameroonian children might have limitations in their speech and language abilities. This descriptive cross-sectional study aimed to determine the prevalence of speech and language disorders, specifically, articulation, expressive language, receptive language, fluency and voice disorders; in a representative sample of French-speaking preschool children in Yaoundé, the capital city of Cameroon. A total of 460 children aged 3 to 5 years were recruited from the seven communes of Yaoundé city using multi-stage random sampling method. As there was no validated speech and language test available for the population of French-speaking preschool aged children in Cameroon, this study has contributed in its first part, to provide norms on three subtests of a standardised French speech and language test, the 'Evaluation du Langage Oral' (ELO) for this population. These norms can be used for clinical practice and research purpose in Cameroon. In order to determine the prevalence of articulation, expressive and receptive language disorders, a cut-off of two Standard Deviations (SD) below the normative mean was applied. The identification of fluency and voice disorders among participants was based on clinical judgement. All the assessments were performed by the researcher who is a qualified speech-language therapist with experience of practice in Cameroon. The findings indicated that the prevalence of articulation disorders was 3.6%, expressive language disorders was 1.3%, receptive language disorders was 3%, fluency disorders was 8.4% and voice disorders was 3.6%. The overall prevalence of speech disorders was 14.7%, language disorders 4.3% and speech and language disorders 17.1%. There was no significant difference in the prevalence of speech and language disorders according to gender. The prevalence of speech and language disorders in the present study was higher than that of many previous investigations conducted in other countries. The findings of this research reveals and emphasises the urgent need to build a strategy to develop speech and language services to serve the Cameroonian population.
Open Access
Phonological development in Swahili a descriptive, cross-sectional study of typically developing pre-schoolers in Tanzania
(2012) Gangji, Nazneen; Pascoe, Michelle
Swahili is widely spoken in East African countries, but to date there are no culturally and linguistically appropriate materials available for speech language therapists working in the region. The challenges of assessing and managing Swahili speaking children with speech difficulties are further exacerbated by the limited research available on the typical acquisition of Swahili phonology. This exploratory study aimed to describe the phonological development of 24 typically-developing first language Swahili speaking children between the ages of 3;0 and 5;11 years in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. A cross-sectional design was used with six groups of four children in six month age bands.
Open Access
Phonological development of first language isiXhosa-speaking children aged 3;0-6;0 years a descriptive cross-sectional study
(2012) Maphalala, Zinhle; Pascoe, Michelle; Smouse, Mantoa
Includes abstract. Includes bibliographical references.
Open Access
The phonological development of typically developing first language Zulu-speaking children aged 2;6 - 6;5 years : a descriptive cross-sectional study
(2016) Jeggo, Zenia M; Pascoe, Michelle
Background: Zulu, one of the eleven official languages in South Africa, is the most spoken language in the country. However, research on children's phonological development in Zulu is minimal. To date there are no published Zulu speech assessments and associated normative data that speech-language pathologists (SLPs) can use to identify children with speech sound disorders who speak this language. Method: This descriptive, cross-sectional study aimed to document the phonological development of thirty-two typically developing first language Zulu-speaking children between 2;6 and 6;5 years. Participants attended school or crèche in Manguzi, KwaZulu-Natal, and were grouped into six month age categories. A single-word Zulu phonology assessment was developed and used to assess the participants. Assessments were audio recorded, and field transcriptions made using the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA). Speech development was described in terms of phoneme acquisition, word shape, phonological processes and percentage of vowels (PVC) / consonants correct (PCC). Consonant acquisition was assessed in the penultimate syllable only, according to the structure of Zulu.
Open Access
Segmental phonology and Black South African English speakers : communicative success with standard dialect listeners
(1999) Pascoe, Michelle; Tuomi, Seppo K
The study investigated the nature of the listener confusion which occurs when Black South African English (BSAE) speakers communicate a list of common English words to speakers of standard South African (StdSAE) English. BSAE and StdSAE subjects were grouped into 10 dyads. BSAE subjects read 120 monosyllabic English words to StdSAE subjects. Written data of StdSAE subjects were analysed to determine patterns of success and failure in the communication of single word items by BSAE subjects. Specific difficulties with vowels, dipthongs and consonants are discussed in terms of their effect on intelligibility. Findings are evaluated in the light of previous research, and in terms of Flege's Speech Learning Model (1987, 1991, 1995). It is suggested that all segmental features of BSAE relate to two distinct levels: a functional (meaning) level and an aesthetic level. This study focussed on the functional level, and aimed to describe the segmental features of BSAE speech which affect meaning. Such a distinction has particular relevance for speech and language therapists who need to have a clear rationale for their work with BSAE-speaking clients. Clinical implications specific to this emerging client group within South Africa are discussed.
Open Access
A Situational Analysis of Current Speech-Synthesis Systems for Child Voices: A Scoping Review of Qualitative and Quantitative Evidence
(2022-06-01) Terblanche, Camryn; Harty, Michal; Pascoe, Michelle; Tucker, Benjamin V
Background: Speech synthesis has customarily focused on adult speech, but with the rapid development of speech-synthesis technology, it is now possible to create child voices with a limited amount of child-speech data. This scoping review summarises the evidence base related to developing synthesised speech for children. (2) Method: The included studies were those that were (1) published between 2006 and 2021 and (2) included child participants or voices of children aged between 2–16 years old. (3) Results: 58 studies were identified. They were discussed based on the languages used, the speech-synthesis systems and/or methods used, the speech data used, the intelligibility of the speech and the ages of the voices. Based on the reviewed studies, relative to adult-speech synthesis, developing child-speech synthesis is notably more challenging. Child speech often presents with acoustic variability and articulatory errors. To account for this, researchers have most often attempted to adapt adult-speech models, using a variety of different adaptation techniques. (4) Conclusions: Adapting adult speech has proven successful in child-speech synthesis. It appears that the resulting quality can be improved by training a large amount of pre-selected speech data, aided by a neural-network classifier, to better match the children’s speech. We encourage future research surrounding individualised synthetic speech for children with CCN, with special attention to children who make use of low-resource languages.
Open Access
The acquisition of Setswana phonology in children aged 2;0 – 6;5 years
(2021) Mahura, Olebeng; Pascoe, Michelle
This study aimed to describe the phonological development of Setswana-speaking children between the ages of 2;0 and 6;5 years. The study objectives were to: 1) describe the acquisition of four aspects of phonology in these children, namely vowels, consonants, lexical tone and phonological processes; 2) contrast Setswana phonological development in monolingual vs multilingual children; and 3) contrast typical vs atypical Setswana speech acquisition and determine the occurrence and nature of speech sound disorders in children acquiring Setswana. The participant group comprised 81 children from the North-West Province of South Africa. All children were attending preschool and were acquiring one of two varieties of Setswana investigated in this study, namely Sekwêna and Setlhaping. Sixty-five participants were acquiring Sekwêna and were recruited from Hebron, and the remaining 16 participants were acquiring Setlhaping and were recruited from Dry-Harts village. The study used a cross-sectional design to detail the stages of phonological development in children aged 2;0–6;5 years. For each of the varieties studied, participants were assigned to groups of six-month age bands (e.g. 2;6– 2;11 years). Findings add to data from a preliminary pilot study on the acquisition of Setswana segmental phonology (Mahura, 2014; Mahura & Pascoe, 2020). Prior to obtaining speech samples from Setswanaspeaking children, revisions were made to the assessment developed in the pilot study. This was done by addressing a number of limitations which had been documented following its use, including ensuring that all consonant phonemes were targeted in the initial word and penultimate syllable positions, as well as including syllabic consonants in these word positions. The picture stimuli were also changed, and an expert panel assessed the revised word list to ensure that all words were linguistically and culturally appropriate. Participants' speech was transcribed online using IPA symbols and audio recorded for later re-transcription to ensure reliability. The findings indicate that children acquiring Setswana have a full set of vowels in their phonetic inventories as early as 2;6 years, and possibly earlier. A large number of consonant phonemes occurring in the Setswana phonological system had either been acquired or mastered by 2;6–2;11 years. This was seen word-initially and in the penultimate syllable position, with only three phonemes still to be acquired at this age word-initially: only two phonemes with rounding, velar plosive /kʷʼ/ and alveolar nasal /nʷ/, were still emerging at 2;6–2;11 years and seen to be acquired at 3;0–3;5 years in the initial word position and voiced palato-alveolar affricate /ʤ/ was absent at 2;6–2;11 years. This phoneme was, however, seen to emerge in the 3;0–3;5-year group. Heterorganic compounds in the initial word position mainly consisted of /fj/ and were only seen in the speech of children who speak the Sekwêna variety. Conclusions on the age at which heterorganic compound /fj/ is acquired could not be made as it was not used by all children acquiring the Sekwêna variety, but instead observed in the speech of several participants across the different age bands. Although consonant clusters were not included in the consonant phonemes elicited as part of this study, they were noted in the inventories of children across the different age groups. A clear reduction in the occurrence of phonological processes was seen across age group, a pattern of development that can be expected in typically-developing children. Some of the phonological processes seen in Setswana-speaking children included assimilation (eliminated after 6;5 years), fronting (eliminated at 3;6 yeas), and stopping (eliminated at 4;0 years). Correct use of lexical tone was observed as early as 2;6–2;11 years. Furthermore, the speech sound skills of bi/multilingual children were found to be comparable to their monolingual peers, and sometimes slightly more advanced. Findings are related to existing theoretical frameworks used to describe speech sound acquisition. While the findings from this study are not yet generalisable to all Setswana-speaking children, they indicate that theoretical frameworks such as Stackhouse and Wells' (1997) psycholinguistic approach and Dodd's (1995; 2005) diagnostic framework can be applied to Setswana. Language specific differences that should be taken into account are presented. This data adds to knowledge on speech sound acquisition in Setswana-speaking children, urgently needed for the early assessment and identification of children with speech difficulties, which has been lacking to date. When speech difficulties are identified and addressed early, children's academic, psychosocial and life outcomes can be improved, but Setswana-speaking children are often not well served by speech and language therapists in South Africa due to a lack of relevant information and resources. This study set out to redress this situation. Lines for future research include using a larger sample of participants to allow data to be more generalisable, developing assessments for speech input processing as well as production and considering aspects of tone more comprehensively.
Open Access
The effectiveness of the virtual reading gym online intervention for grade three to six learners with reading difficulties
(2019) Dean, Jessica; Pascoe, Michelle; Le Roux, Jane
Background: Research suggests that most South African learners are not achieving the expected literacy outcomes of their grades. Compounding the literacy crisis is the paucity of South African research related to information and communication technology (ICT)-based reading intervention, which may have potential for population-based service delivery. Aims and Objectives The aim of the study was to determine the effectiveness of the Virtual Reading Gym (VRG) online intervention for grade 3 to 6 learners with reading difficulties. The objective was to describe changes in learners’ reading skills (accuracy, rate, vocabulary and comprehension) after VRG intervention. Design Two studies were carried out: (1) A retrospective analysis used data from a previous study conducted in mainstream schools which used peer reading mentors; (2) A prospective study in a school for learners with special educational needs that had speech-language therapist led intervention. Both studies used matched subject pre/ post intervention designs. Methods and Procedures In Study 1, matched pairs were retrospectively created to form a sample (n=20, 8 males and 12 females, 10 intervention group and 10 control group) of grade 3 to 6 learners. In Study 2, the prospective study, participants (n=20, 14 males and 6 females, 10 intervention group and 10 control group) were grade 3 to 6 learners from a school for learners with special educational needs in Cape Town. For both studies, the intervention group received VRG intervention 3 times per week (30 minutes per session) for 10 weeks. The control group continued with regular school activities. Independent samples t-tests for gain scores were used to analyse results. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with intervention participants from the prospective study. Thematic analysis was used to interpret the transcribed interview data. 5 Results For the retrospective analysis there were no statistically significant differences between the intervention and control groups’ reading accuracy, rate, vocabulary and comprehension improvements at the completion of the VRG intervention. Similarly, the prospective study found no statistically significant differences between the reading accuracy, vocabulary or comprehension gains of learners in the intervention and control groups. However, there was a statistically significant difference between the groups’ gains on one measure of reading rate. The thematic analysis findings were that learners expressed enjoyment of the VRG and intervention experiences, valued the role of the reading partners, believed they had made literacy skill gains, described self-competency improvements, expressed the belief that the VRG could result in reading improvements, and portrayed positive attitudinal and behavioural changes related to reading. Discussion The study contributes by investigating the potential of one practical solution to South African learners’ reading difficulties and adding to the limited local evidence base on ICT reading intervention. Although an intervention effect could not be demonstrated in this study, the changes noted in reading rate and qualitative findings suggest the potential for impact. The discussion considers some explanations for the findings, suggestions for improving interventions such as the VRG, and lines of future research that could be developed to support South African children in their struggles with reading.