Harriet B. Klein

Learning to stress: a case study

A repertoire of polysyllabic words, produced by an approximately 2-year-old child, was analysed for primary stress application. A general rule for stress application did not emerge from the data. Instead, much variability existed among tokens of individual lexical items (which were imitative and/or spontaneous) and among different lexical items with the same stress contour, regarding the placement of primary stress. Intraword and interword variation suggested the existence of four groups of words treated differently with respect to primary stress placement. The word groups were separated by their characteristic stress contours, which were (1) conventional primary stress, (2) misplaced stress, (3) level stress, and (4) undetermined stress. In general, consistent application of conventional stress was related, significantly, with lexical items represented by primarily spontaneous tokens. Results support a view of lexical primacy during early stages of learning word stress.

Procedure for Maximizing Phonological Information from Single-Word Responses

Formal articulation test responses are often used by the busy clinician as a basis for planning intervention goals. This article describes a 6-step procedure for using efficiently the single-word responses elicited with an articulation test. This procedure involves the assessment of all consonants within a word rather than only test-target consonants. Responses are organized within a Model and Replica chart to yield information about an individuals (a) articulation ability, (b) frequency of target attainment, substitutions, and deletions, (c) variability in production, and (d) phonological processes. This procedure is recommended as a preliminary assessment measure. It is advised that more detailed analysis of continuous speech be undertaken in conjunction with early treatment sessions.

The acquisition of medial /t, d/ allophones in bisyllabic contexts

The acquisition of medial /t, d/ allophones was examined in four children between 2 and 5 years of age, over a period of 38 months. Children labelled pictures designed to elicit a sample of these allophones in iambic ([t]) and trochaic (flap, nasal and lateral release) contexts. Productions were analysed with reference to attainment of target allophones and use of non-target segmental (e.g., [d] or [t] in place of flap) and syllabic variants (e.g., unstressed syllable deletion). All children produced the target [t] allophone in iambic context. Across children, between 10 and 15 variants occurred in trochaic contexts. Nasal and lateral release allophones were never attained. Flap attainment was variable, with significant differences across children and across phonetic contexts. Results suggest a hierarchy of /t, d/ allophone production with reference to prosodic and phonetic contexts. Discussion includes implications of these findings for clinical intervention.

What’s happening? And other questions obligating complete sentences as responses

This study was designed to examine the strength of question types to obligate complete responses from children, and the effect of age and play context. Participants were typically developing children (mean ages 2;8, 3;4 and 4;7), who engaged in play with three speech-language pathologists in play contexts. Questions posed to the children were coded by semantic content (Epistemic, Procedural Action, External State, and Causal). Children’s responses were coded for syntactic complexity (complete or incomplete sentences). The effect of question type on response was analysed. All questions yielded high proportions of complete responses, which increased with age. There were no statistically significant differences between question type and completeness of response except for a significant difference found for External State when multi-verb responses were analysed. The results support the use of these question types in play settings with children to promote expression of complete sentences.

A progressive consonant-substitution pattern in a typically developing child

The purpose of this paper was to describe and explain an unusual consonant substitution (default) pattern in the early lexical repertoire of a typically developing boy. Ben was audiotape recorded monthly from age 2;2–2;8 (years; months), to follow an unusual substitution pattern, initially observed between 1;6 and 1;7 (diary notations). Data from each recording period were analysed with reference to (a) consonant repertoire, and (b) default and non-default features present. Data are presented for three periods of [l] substitution: initially, for a glide /w/ (age 1;6–1;7), next, as a substitution for word-initial fricatives /s/, /z/ and // (age 2;2–2;3), and finally, in place of /r/ in consonant + /r/ clusters, in place of /j/ in initial position, and as a between-word liaison (age 2;7–2;8). It is shown that preferences for specific features, consonant vowel interactions, and syllable positions may be implicated in motivating this [l] substitution at specific points over time. The observed pattern is explained with reference to universal and child-specific factors and adds further evidence for variability that exists among typically developing children.

An Approach to Assessing and Facilitating Causal Language in Adults with Learning Disabilities Based on Piagetian Theory.

Salient characteristics associated with Piagetian cognitive stages served as the basis for developing a linguistic taxonomy of causal semantic relations. Causal statements from adults with learning disabilities and normally achieving adults were analyzed and organized within this taxonomy. A relationship between Piagetian cognitive stages and verbal expressions of causality was identified. Based on this relationship, principles of Piagetian cognitive theory were used to design assessment and intervention plans for adults with learning disabilities.