Reading trajectories in children with language disorders

Capturing variability of change over time

Authors

  • Ryan Nelson University of Louisiana at Lafayette
  • Jack S. Damico University of Colorado at Boulder
  • Holly L. Damico University of Louisiana at Lafayette
  • Karen Lynch University of Colorado at Boulder
  • Kathleen J. Abendroth University of Louisiana at Lafayette
  • Christine Weill University of Louisiana at Lafayette
  • Laura E. Arrington University of Louisiana at Lafayette
  • Amanda Percle University of Louisiana at Lafayette

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.1558/jircd.19134

Keywords:

reading development, developmental trajectories, child language disorders, qualitative research

Abstract

Background: The literature on typically developing children’s literacy acquisition provides a conventional model of development; however, little is available regarding how children with communicative disorders develop literacy abilities over time. This study describes the temporal trajectories of reading development in three children with diagnoses of language disorders and histories of reading difficulty.

Method: A qualitative research design employing ethnographic data collection and analysis procedures was used. One male (age 8 years 9 months) and two females (ages 7 years 8 months and 7 years 11 months) identified as having impaired language and a history of reading difficulty were followed for 10 months as they engaged in literacy instruction.

Results: Each child demonstrated a unique trajectory of literacy improvement. Trajectories of development were observed across the complexity of the materials read, as well as across variables reflective of comprehension. Variables included formal miscue analysis data, retelling of stories read, and text complexity.

Discussion/conclusion: This study suggests that each language-impaired individual should be considered separately in how they progress and in how progression is manifested. If norm-referenced, standardized evaluation methods had been applied, or if only one sampling period had been used, the changes and progress noted in each of these participants may have been missed.

Author Biographies

  • Ryan Nelson, University of Louisiana at Lafayette

    Ryan L. Nelson is an associate professor and the department head of the Department of Communicative Disorders at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette. His research interests include language and literacy development in childhood with language disorders and interactional approaches to treating this population.

  • Jack S. Damico, University of Colorado at Boulder

    Jack Damico is a professor of speech, language, and hearing sciences at the University of Colorado at Boulder. He held the position of Doris B. Hawthorne Eminent Scholar in Special Education and Communication for 28 years at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette. His research interests involve qualitative research methodologies in communicative sciences and disorders in adults, children, and literacy.

  • Holly L. Damico, University of Louisiana at Lafayette

    Holly Damico is an associate professor in the Department of Communicative Disorders and the co-director of the language and literacy project at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette. Her areas of clinical interest and research involve language and literacy acquisition and disorders, qualitative research methods, and apprenticeship models of learning.

  • Karen Lynch, University of Colorado at Boulder

    Karen Lynch is an adjunct assistant professor at the University of Colorado at Boulder. She has worked as an SLP in public schools, early intervention, and rehabilitation hospitals, and has performed swallow studies for a mobile imaging company. She was an assistant professor at Southeastern University in Hammond, Louisiana, and an adjunct professor and clinical supervisor at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette. She served as president, president-elect, and communications director of the Louisiana Speech Language and Hearing Association.

  • Kathleen J. Abendroth, University of Louisiana at Lafayette

    Kathleen J Abendroth is a clinical supervisor at University of Louisiana at Lafayette. She has worked as an assistant professor at Southeastern Louisiana University, as an SLP in public schools and private practice. She has published in the areas of autism, literacy, language impairments, and qualitative research.

  • Christine Weill, University of Louisiana at Lafayette

    Christine Weill is the clinical director of the Department of Communicative Disorders at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette. Her clinical and research interests include autism spectrum disorders, language and literacy, literacy development, and social interaction.

  • Laura E. Arrington, University of Louisiana at Lafayette

    Laura Arrington is a visiting assistant professor in the Department of Communicative Disorders at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette. She has worked as a speech-language pathologist for over 15 years in a variety of settings. Her primary areas of interest are strengths-based intervention, literacy, mild traumatic brain injury, and qualitative research methodology.

  • Amanda Percle, University of Louisiana at Lafayette

    Amanda Percle is a speech-language pathologist in the Department of Communicative Disorders at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette. She is currently pursuing a doctoral degree in applied speech and language sciences. Her primary interests include literacy, language disorders in children, eye-movement analysis, and qualitative research methodology.

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Published

2021-11-20

Issue

Vol. 11 No. 2 (2020)

Section

Articles

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© Equinox Publishing Ltd.

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How to Cite

Nelson, R. ., Damico, J. S. ., Damico, H. L. ., Lynch, K. ., Abendroth, K. J. ., Weill, C. ., Arrington, L. E. ., & Percle, A. . (2021). Reading trajectories in children with language disorders: Capturing variability of change over time. Journal of Interactional Research in Communication Disorders, 11(2), 171–193. https://doi.org/10.1558/jircd.19134