Ana Manhani Cáceres

Aquisição de verbos em pré-escolares falantes do português brasileiro

PURPOSE: to quantitatively analyze the relationship between the spontaneous use of nouns and verbs by preschool children with normal language development, as well as to analyze the classification of the verbs used on the same speech sample. METHODS: speech samples of sixty preschoolers were gathered in educational context through playful interaction. For data analysis the children were divided into three groups, paired by gender and age: GI (between 2:0 and 2:11 years), GII (between 3:0 and 3:11 years) and GIII (between 4:0 and 4:11 years). RESULTS: data analysis showed that the use of verbs prevailed in all age groups, with no difference between genders. Regarding types of verbs, both genders had similar performance: intransitive verbs were more frequent, followed by copula in GI and GII and direct transitive verbs in GIII. CONCLUSION: the results showed that the preschoolers studied used more verbs than nouns since their second year of life. Intransitive verbs were the most frequently observed in all age ranges, followed by copula for two- and three-year-olds and by direct transitive verbs for four-year-olds. Finally, no significant differences were found between genders for any of the aspects studied.

Análise da diversidade de verbos enunciados na fala espontânea de pré-escolares brasileiros

BACKGROUND verb acquisition. AIM to verify quantitative and qualitative verb diversity in the spontaneous speech of Brazilian Portuguese-speaking preschoolers and verb acquisition from 2 to 4 years of age. METHOD participants were sixty preschoolers equally matched on gender and age, divided into three groups: GI (2-year-old children), GII (3-year-old children) and GIII (4-year-old children). Spontaneous speech samples obtained through playing interactions, in educational contexts, were collected, and verb productions were listed. RESULTS children used 167 different verbs. The quantitative analysis indicated significant statistical differences between all groups (p< .001), with gradual increase of verb usage from 2 to 4 years of age. However, no statistical difference (p= .956) was observed between genders. CONCLUSION preschoolers improved their use of verbs during the initial stages of language acquisition, irrespective of their gender.

The complexity of narrative interferes in the use of conjunctions in children with specific language impairment

PURPOSE To verify the use of conjunctions in narratives, and to investigate the influence of stimulis complexity over the type of conjunctions used by children with specific language impairment (SLI) and children with typical language development. METHODS Participants were 40 children (20 with typical language development and 20 with SLI) with ages between 7 and 10 years, paired by age range. Fifteen stories with increasing of complexity were used to obtain the narratives; stories were classified into mechanical, behavioral and intentional, and each of them was represented by four scenes. Narratives were analyzed according to occurrence and classification of conjunctions. RESULTS Both groups used more coordinative than subordinate conjunctions, with significant decrease in the use of conjunctions in the discourse of SLI children. The use of conjunctions varied according to the type of narrative: for coordinative conjunctions, both groups differed only between intentional and behavioral narratives, with higher occurrence in behavioral ones; for subordinate conjunctions, typically developing childrens performance did not show differences between narratives, while SLI children presented fewer occurrences in intentional narratives, which was different from other narratives. CONCLUSION Both groups used more coordinative than subordinate conjunctions; however, typically developing children presented more conjunctions than SLI children. The production of children with SLI was influenced by stimulus, since more complex narratives has less use of subordinate conjunctions.

Correlação entre vocabulário expressivo e extensão média do enunciado em crianças com alteração específica de linguagem

ABSTRACT Purpose: to check the influence of age on the lexical and grammatical performance, and investigate the correlation between the number of usual verbal description in expressive vocabulary test and measures for mean length of utterance in children with Specific Language Impairment. Method: thirty children with Specific Language Impairment between 4:0 and 6:11 year-old took part in the study, and ten were selected from each age range that had the Expressive Vocabulary Test (ABFW) and Mean Length of Utterance Test, independent gender or education. The study was retrospective, based on filming and recordings of those tests as for the data collection. Results: no statistical difference was found in the grammatical performance among ages, but positive correlation was observed among the usual verbal description and parameters MG-2 and EME-P for Mean Length of Utterance Test (p< 0.05). Conclusion: age alone is not enough to predict improvement of vocabulary and grammar; however the expansion of nouns in vocabulary promotes the increase in the length of produced utterances and the use of grammar function words. KEYWORDS: Child Language; Language Disorders; Language Tests; Vocabulary

Relação entre pausas silentes e classe gramatical em narrativas de crianças com distúrbio específico de linguagem

PURPOSE To determine whether word class has any influence on the mean duration of silent pauses in the spoken narratives of children with specific language impairment (SLI) and in those with typical language development (TLD). METHODS The study sample consisted of 60 children in the age range from 7 to 10 years: 20 with SLI; and 40 with TLD. Each child produced 15 narratives, each based on a set of four pictures (scenes) and each set of pictures being more complex than the last. The narratives were analyzed, and nouns, adjectives, verbs, conjunctions, prepositions, and pronouns were identified. A computer program was used in order to determine the duration (in milliseconds) of the silent pauses preceding words of each class. RESULTS In both groups, silent pauses were shortest before nouns and longest before conjunctions. For all word classes, the mean duration of silent pauses was longer in the SLI group than in the TLD group. CONCLUSION Word class influences the duration of silent pauses, which are shorter before nouns and longer before conjunctions. Children with SLI produce longer silent pauses, possibly because of their language processing difficulties.

Verificação da morfologia verbal em pré-escolares falantes do Português Brasileiro

PURPOSE: This study sought to quantitatively analyze the use of tense (present, past or future), mood (indicative, subjunctive or imperative), number (singular or plural) and person (first, second or third) of the verbs enunciated in spontaneous speech by Brazilian Portuguese-speaking preschoolers from the city of Sao Paulo with normal language development. METHODS: Speech samples from 60 preschoolers divided into three groups, paired by gender and age: GI (between 2:0 and 2:11 years), GII (between 3:0 and 3:11 years) and GIII (between 4:0 and 4:11 years). RESULTS: Within-groups analysis showed prevalence of the use of indicative mood, present tense, singular and third person. Between-groups analysis indicated that the use of the indicative mood increased with age, while imperative decreased and subjunctive almost did not occur in this sample. The present tense did not show differences between groups, while past and future increased. Regarding number, the use of singular prevailed, but both singular and plural increased with age. Finally, the use of third person was prevalent, and the use of second person decreased, while first person increased from GI to GIII. CONCLUSION: The results showed that the preschoolers studied perfected the use of verbal morphology during their development, showing a gradual evolution on the domain of the aspects analyzed. No statistically significant differences were found in gender comparisons.

Relação entre a porcentagem de consoantes corretas e a memória operacional fonológica na alteração específica de linguagem

PURPOSE: To verify whether age influences phonological performance and working memory, and whether there is correlation between phonological working memory and severity of phonological disorders in children with language impairment. METHODS: Participants were 30 children diagnosed with language impairment, with ages ranging from 4 to 6 years. Data from the assessment of phonological working memory and phonology (measured by the Percentage of Consonants Correct - Reviewed) were collected and statistically analyzed. RESULTS: Age did not influence phonology and phonological working memory, but there was positive correlation in the comparison between performances on phonological working memory and both phonology tasks. CONCLUSION: Age does not support the improvement of phonological abilities and phonological working memory. However, there is positive correlation between phonological working memory and the severity of phonological disorders, suggesting that the better the speech production, the better the phonological working memory.

Perfil linguístico de crianças com alteração específica de linguagem

OBJETIVO: Caracterizar o perfil linguistico de criancas com alteracao especifica de linguagem (AEL) utilizando a versao brasileira do Test of Early Language Development - 3rd edition (TELD-3); comparar as idades cronologica e linguistica, e classificar a severidade do quadro. METODOS: O teste foi aplicado individualmente a 46 criancas com idades entre 2 anos e 10 meses e 7 anos e 11 meses, diagnosticadas com AEL, que estavam em atendimento fonoaudiologico semanal. A partir dos dados obtidos, foi realizada a comparacao entre a media da idade cronologica e a media da idade linguistica equivalente. O tipo de comprometimento foi classificado em misto ou puramente expressivo e o grau de severidade foi estabelecido. RESULTADOS: O comprometimento misto foi o mais frequente nas criancas com AEL, porem a classificacao da severidade indicou que a categoria leve foi a mais frequente, tanto na recepcao quanto na expressao. A idade linguistica esteve abaixo da idade cronologica na maioria dos sujeitos, em ambos os subtestes. A linguagem expressiva foi a mais prejudicada, visto que os sujeitos apresentaram menor media de idade linguistica equivalente, alem de ter havido maior concentracao de sujeitos classificados com alteracao abaixo da media e com gravidade mais acentuada. CONCLUSAO: Nesta populacao predominam os quadros mistos, com maior prejuizo da expressao e cuja severidade e considerada leve. Alem disso, o TELD-3 mostrou ser um instrumento util no processo diagnostico destas alteracoes de linguagem.

Tempo de análise da pragmática em crianças com alteração específica de linguagem

PURPOSE: To verify whether the use of a shorter filmed sample influences the results of pragmatic assessment in children with language impairment. METHODS: Data was obtained from videotaped samples and protocols for pragmatic analysis of 30 children between 3 and 6 years old. Each 15-minute sample (total moment) was analyzed and divided into three moments with five minutes each (initial, medial and final moments). For data comparison, the number of communicative acts per minute, the percentage of communicative space, the predominant communicative functions and the percentage of each communicative mean (gestural, vocal and verbal) were registered in all moments. RESULTS: No differences were found between moments for number of communicative acts, communicative space used and communicative functions used. Regarding communicative functions, in all moments the most recurrent were Comment, Information Request and Performative, and the least frequent were Request for Social Routine, Non-Focused and Narrative. Regarding communicative means, a difference was found between initial and final moments (p=0.048) and a tendency of difference was found between initial and medial moments (p=0.097) only in the use of the gestural mean. CONCLUSION: Pragmatic assessment in children with language impairment can be reduced five-minute samples, as long as the first minutes are discarded and the medial or final minutes are used for analysis.

Language profiles in Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD), Specific Language Impairment (SLI) and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)

Rev Soc Bras Fonoaudiol. 2010;15(2):305-6 (1) Livre-docente, Professora Associada do Curso de Fonoaudiologia do Departamento de Fisioterapia, Fonoaudiologia e Terapia Ocupacional da Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de São Paulo USP São Paulo (SP), Brasil. (2) Fonoaudióloga assistente do Curso de Fonoaudiologia do Departamento de Fisioterapia, Fonoaudiologia e Terapia Ocupacional da Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de São Paulo USP São Paulo (SP), Brasil. Endereço para correspondência: Debora Maria Befi-Lopes. R. Cipotânia, 51, Cidade Universitária, São Paulo (SP), Brasil, CEP: 05360-160. E-mail: dmblopes@usp.br Language profiles in Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD), Specific Language Impairment (SLI) and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)