Rosemary Lubinski

A New Era in Language Assessment: Data or Evidence

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the new developments in language assessment. Language training has shifted away from topological or product orientations toward more substantial issues, namely, the acquisition and use of cognitive-linguistic-communicative systems and processes or content, form, and use. Thus, speech–language pathologists are becoming true language experts in the clinical fields. This underscores the significance of clinical certification and the need for in-service training of the many clinicians in the field. The other major development is actually a product of the preceding developments. As such, it has lagged behind the first and has been somewhat informal and evident. Specifically, the second major development is a discernible movement in the maturation of speech–language pathology and audiology as a discipline similar to what occurred in the mid-1960s in psychology and in linguistics and psycholinguistics from the late 1950s to the early 1970s. It appears that the field of speech–language pathology and audiology has shown signs of becoming a more mature disciplined profession

Semantic judgment ability in adult aphasia.

Recent psycholinguistic literature suggests that language usage often involves the ability to make judgments or appraisals about various aspects of language. It was therefore the purpose of the present study to examine the semantic judgment or evaluation abilities of thirty persons with aphasia in comparison to these same behaviors in a group of thirty normal individuals. That is, this study examined subject ability to use knowledge to make comparisons or judgments in reference to specific criteria. Results support the existence of a judgment capacity and indicate that persons with aphasia are impaired in their ability to evaluate semantic material. Therefore, speech pathologists may wish to include semantic judgment tasks in their evaluation procedures and plan therapy directed toward the retrieval of judgment responses.

Communication therapy for the young adult

Speech clinicians are often frustrated in their assessment and therapeutic management of a young adult with speech and language problems. Procedures for children with language disorders and aphasic adults are often inadequate for the adult who has communication impairments that cannot be attributed to aphasia. This case study presents an account of a 29-year-old woman who had cognitive, linguistic, and pragmatic difficulties. Both diagnosis and therapy were based on recent innovations in the areas of cognition, linguistics, and interpersonal relations. Results indicated that therapy was successful when the client was responsible for therapy activities, when therapy combined tutorial as well as experimential sessions, and when each session focused on the development of cognitive, linguistic, and interpersonal domains. Specific examples of diagnostic and therapeutic activities are presented as well as the rationale underlying the approach to therapy.

Strategies for improving productive thinking in the language impaired adult

The purpose of this article is to discuss a cognitive approach to therapy with a language impaired adult. Two types of productive thinking are explored in this research: concept awareness and problem solving. These are dynamic and creative processes underlying the development and use of cognition and language. This single subject study follows an ABAB design and describes techniques used in therapy and methods for measuring productive thinking in a 66-yr-old moderately language impaired adult. Results indicate a sharp increase in the subjects thought productivity in a variety of contexts. A critical appraisal of reasons for therapy effectiveness are given.

A pragmatic study of child dysfluency

Abstract The purpose of this paper was to investigate the conversational breakdowns, repairs, and resolution strategies in a conversation between a young dysfluent female child and her mother. Analysis of the conversation revealed five types of breakdowns, four repair types, and two resolution strategies. The majority of dysfluent moments occured in one particular type of breakdown, where the child elaborated on a comment, thereby departing from the parents tightly formatted agenda that pervaded the interaction. This may have been an attempt of the child to gain control over the situation. This pragmatic analysis demonstrates a potentially useful way of defining the nature of interaction in which stuttering may occur. Therapeutic implications based on this type of pragmatic analysis are given.

Concept Formation by Aphasic Adults using Kendler's Reversal and Nonreversal Paradigm

This study investigates the ability of aphasic and nonlanguage impaired adults to form concepts using the reversal-nonreversal paradigm popularized by Kendler. Results indicate a significant difference between the groups to form and then switch concepts. Aphasic subjects perform similarly to the normal subjects on this task but at a slower rate. Implications for therapy and further research are given.

The Role of the Community College in Providing Language, Speech, and Hearing Services

Abstract A survey of community college personnel in Connecticut, New York, and New Jersey was conducted to determine (1) the extent and type of services in speech, hearing, or language screening, remediation, and improvement, (2) the extent and type of instruction in speech and language improvement, and (3) the extent and type of bilingual services in speech, hearing or language presently offered to students and community members within the community college setting. In addition, the existence of plans to offer these services in the future was ascertained. Responses indicated the existence of some services but a general unavailability of comprehensive screening, evaluation, and rehabilitation programs despite the widespread needs of the growing community college constituency. The results of the survey can assist community college personnel in needs assessment and planning within their own institutions by offering a context for consideration of the priority for providing language, speech, and hearing servi...