Browsing by Author "Tuomi, Seppo K"

Now showing 1 - 4 of 4
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    Open Access
    The effectiveness of a multi-sensory phonological awareness and letter knowledge training programme for disadvantaged first graders
    (1997) Nadler-Nir, Elizabeth Francis; Tuomi, Seppo K
    The study aimed to determine the effectiveness of a multi-sensory phonological awareness and letter knowledge programme for disadvantaged first graders. One control group and one experimental group, each consisting of 20 children, were matched for age, gender, school readiness, socio-economic status and phonological awareness. Twenty-nine sessions of phonological awareness and letter knowledge training were administered to the experimental group while the control group received vocabulary stimulation activities for the same length of time. Results indicated that the programme was highly effective in improving phonological awareness, letter knowledge, reading and spelling skills. The experimental group scored significantly higher than the control group on simple phonological awareness tasks such as segmenting the sounds in a word, letter knowledge and in their ability to read and spell real and pseudowords. The results are discussed in terms of the importance of both phonological awareness and letter knowledge in the process of literacy acquisition.
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    Open Access
    An investigation of the effects of nasogastric tubes on the young, normal swallowing mechanism
    (1996) Clarkson, Phillipa Sarah; Tuomi, Seppo K; Young, Christopher
    The aim of the present study was to objectively address the effects of nasogastric.tubes on normal swallowing physiology. In addition, the differential effects of fine and wide-bore nasogastric tubes on swallowing function, were targeted for investigation. Only young, normal subjects were studied, to eliminate age-related swallowing changes (Robbins et al., 1992). The method of videofluoroscopy was used to determine the relationship between different size nasogastric tubes on the temporal parameters of normal oropharyngeal swallowing movements and bolus transit motion. Each subject served as their own control, allowing comparison of the individual's normal swallowing patterns with their swallowing in the presence of a nasogastric tube.
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    Open Access
    Quality management in a private speech-language therapy practice
    (1998) Klop, Daleen; Tuomi, Seppo K
    This study investigated the principles of quality management and their application to a private speech-language therapy practice. The history of quality management and the development of quality management in industry and health care services were reviewed. Quality was defined in terms of the context of the author's private speech-language therapy practice and a working definition of quality was developed. The principles in the development of a quality management programme were described. These principles were used to develop and implement a quality management programme in the author's private speech-language therapy practice. Financial management and client satisfaction were selected as strategic quality factors in the initial stages of the quality management programme. Practice policies were revised to establish success criteria and to measure the practice's conformance to these criteria. The quality management programme enabled the author to improve the quality and effectiveness of her practice's financial management system and to demonstrate the client-centered orientation of the practice by implementing client satisfaction as a quality indicator.
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    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.