The guide describes teaching strategies, approaches to language remediation, and the selection and use of materials. Five strategies for language teaching (drill, interactive methods, informational drill, barrier games, and experience) are briefly considered, followed by 12 formats for language materials (including "analogy" cards, i.e., cards…

The paper describes a successful attempt to stimulate expressive language in Becky, a young child with Cornelia de Lange syndrome, a condition characterized by moderate to severe mental retardation, dwarfed stature, and excessive body hair. The child participated in infant stimulation and individual speech therapy and her expressive output has…

Communication prostheses are critical components of the nonvocal child's communication process, but are only one component. This article focuses on the steps involved in communicative interaction processes and the potential barriers to the development of effective interaction and analysis of nonvocal communicative interactions. A discussion of the…

A model of communicative development is described that includes seven progressively more complex levels of competence and a set of six criteria (communicative features) for individual assessment at particular developmental levels. Research evidence supporting the model is reviewed. Implications for assessment and intervention with communicatively…

Communication breakdowns occurring in the speech of seven language learning-disabled children (aged 9-11) were examined in conversation and narration and compared to normal peers. Length of communication unit and rate of communication breakdowns per communication unit were greater in narration than conversation compared to controls. No differences…

The two goals of this study were to examine factors affecting parents' teaching strategies with their children and to identify the effectiveness of different teaching strategies for engaging children in tasks. Results indicated that parents varied their teaching strategies according to both task and children's communicative status. (Author/LMO)

A speech and hearing-impaired adult male received social skills training consisting of modeling instruction and behavior rehearsal in a controlled multiple baseline design to increase his nonverbal interpersonal communication skills. Treatment resulted in improvement in objective behavioral components during role-played interactions and…

Investigated the use of the Kaufman Assessment Battery for Children (K-ABC)-Nonverbal Scale with severely hearing impaired children (N=49), using two instructional sets (American sign language (ASL) plus pantomime and gestures, or pantomime and gesture (PG) instructions only). Support is provided for the appropriateness of the K-ABC, for use with…

This guide to Asperger syndrome for teachers describes the underlying impairments of the condition, explains how these may lead to problems in school, and offers practical management suggestions. The first part gives an overview of Asperger syndrome and outlines the three core areas of impairment--social interaction, communication, and lack of…

This report describes using Environmental Communication Teaching (ECT) to assist students with autism spectrum disorder. The paper compares several key points of the ECT approach with other common intervention methods for students with autism and identifies the features of intervention programs or approaches that should be considered when planning…

Teachers can deal with language disordered children through discourse analysis, a conversational teaching process aimed at getting children to talk. Steps include selecting a topic to talk about during the remedial language session, having teacher and child take turns talking about the topic, using requests to constrain the child's responses so…

Discusses the development and current implementation of Idaho's three-tiered system of speech-language paratherapists. Support personnel providing speech-language services to learners with special communication needs in educational settings must obtain one of three certification levels: (1) speech-language aide, (2) associate degree…

The case study of an older woman with Alzheimer's disease shows that while her command of words and syntax had deteriorated, her ability to use other forms of communication had not. Her alternative forms of communication included use of gesture, facial expression, posture, and tone of voice. (MSE)

This article describes use of "comic strip conversations," a type of social story adapted for younger students or those with limited verbal communication skills. It utilizes simple symbols, stick figures, and color to identify key elements of a social interaction. Three steps to implementing the technique are explained and illustrated with…

A study investigated phonological skills of 8 African American English (AAE)-speaking 2-year-olds. They acquired and used the same phonemes and phonological processes as described in the literature for both AAE-speaking toddlers and toddlers speaking Standard American English. Results could not distinguish typical phonological development from…