Suneeti Nathani Iyer

Effects of Parental Interaction on Infant Vocalization Rate, Variability and Vocal Type

Examination of infant vocalization patterns across interactive and noninteractive contexts may facilitate better understanding of early communication development. In the current study, with 24 infant-parent dyads, infant volubility increased significantly when parent interaction ceased (presenting a “still face,” or SF) after a period of normal interaction (“face-to-face,” or FF). Infant volubility continued at the higher rate than in FF when the parent re-engaged (“reunion,” or RE). Additionally, during SF, the variability in volubility across infants decreased, suggesting the infants adopted relatively similar rates of vocalization to re-engage the parent. The pattern of increasing volubility in SF was seen across all of the most common speech-like vocal types of the first half-year of life (e.g., full vowels, quasivowels, squeals, growls). Parent and infant volubility levels were not significantly correlated. The findings suggest that by six months of age infants have learned that their vocalizations have social value and that changes in volubility can affect parental engagement.

20 Ways for Classroom Teachers to Collaborate With Speech—Language Pathologists

Students with disabilities are increasingly receiving services in the general education classroom, and as a result, speech–language pathologists (SLPs) are using a variety of flexible models to meet the needs of these students. Although some schools continue to provide pullout service delivery models for speech–language therapy, many are increasing the number of hours SLPs spend in inclusive classroom settings (Katz, Fallon, Van Der Linden, & DiDonato, 2006). Collaboration among classroom teachers and SLPs is crucial to deliver effective treatment and services for students with speech–language impairments in an inclusive classroom setting (Ehren, Montgomery, Rudebusch, & Whitmire, 2007). Students who are at risk are more apt to receive appropriate intervention services and more continuity of care when a qualified team is establishing academic and communication objectives (Pena & Quinn, 2003). Banotai (2006) suggested that carryover and the long-term success of students with speech–language deficits depend on a collaborative approach because it allows the student to apply newly acquired communication skills in the general education classroom. Many challenges impede a successful collaborative relationship between classroom teachers and speech– language pathologists. MacDonald and Speece (2001) and Mastropieri (2001) asserted that effective classroom collaboration is difficult to implement and is often limited because of time constraints. Collaboration is also challenging given scheduling and planning difficulties (Kaff, 2004). Other constraints faced by teachers include the rigor of their curricula, large class sizes, lack of assistants in the classroom, and other responsibilities as faculty members. Challenges to collaboration for SLPs may include large caseloads, travel required between facilities to provide services, coordination of service delivery around curriculum blocks, and excessive paperwork (Katz et al., 2006; Whitmire & Eger, 2003). This column provides 20 practical strategies for classroom teachers and SLPs to work together collaboratively as they strive to meet the needs of the individual student in the least restrictive environment.

Fundamental frequency development in typically developing infants and infants with severe-to-profound hearing loss

Little research has been conducted on the development of suprasegmental characteristics of vocalizations in typically developing infants (TDI) and the role of audition in the development of these characteristics. The purpose of the present study was to examine the longitudinal development of fundamental frequency (F0) in eight TDI and eight infants with severe‐to‐profound hearing loss matched for level of vocal development. Results revealed no significant changes in F0 with advances in pre‐language vocal development for TDI. Infants with hearing loss, however, showed a statistically reliable higher variability of F0 than TDI, when age was accounted for as a covariate. The results suggest development of F0 may be strongly influenced by audition.

Effects of Social Games on Infant Vocalizations.

The aim of the present study was to examine the contextual effects of social games on prelinguistic vocalizations. The two main goals were to (1) investigate the functions of vocalizations as symptoms of affective arousal and symbols of social understanding, and (2) explore form-function (de)coupling relations between vocalization types and game contexts. Seventy-one six-month-olds and sixty-four twelve-month-olds played with their mothers in normal and perturbed tickle and peek-a-boo games. The effects of infant age, game, game climax, and game perturbation on the frequency and types of infant vocalizations were examined. Results showed twelve-month-olds vocalized more mature canonical syllables during peek-a-boo and more primitive quasi-resonant nuclei during tickle than six-month-olds. Six- and twelve-month-olds increased their vocalizations from the set-up to climax during peek-a-boo, but they did not show such an increase during tickle. Findings support the symptom function of prelinguistic vocalizations reflecting affective arousal and the prevalence of form-function decoupling during the first year of life.

Relationships Between Vocalization Forms and Functions in Infancy: Preliminary Implications for Early Communicative Assessment and Intervention

PURPOSE This preliminary study explored relationships between form and function in prelinguistic vocalizations to increase our understanding of early communicative development and to provide potential clinical implications for early communicative assessment and intervention. METHOD Twenty typically developing infants-5 infants in each of 4 age groups, from 3 to 20 months of age-were included. Vocalizations from these infants had previously been categorized for their form (Nathani, Ertmer, & Stark, 2006) and function (Stark, Bernstein, & Demorest, 1993) characteristics. In the present study, cross-classification tabulations between form and function were conducted to examine relationships between vocalization types and their apparent uses. RESULTS As anticipated, earlier developing forms were mostly associated with earlier developing functions, and later developing forms were mostly associated with later developing functions. However, there were some exceptions such that some forms were associated with a variety of functions, and vice versa. CONCLUSIONS The results suggest that some forms are more tightly coupled to function than others in the prelinguistic and early linguistic period. Preliminary implications for developmental theory, future research, and clinical applications are discussed. Larger, longitudinal studies with typical and atypical populations and stricter methodological controls are needed to validate these findings.

Volubility of the human infant: Effects of parental interaction (or lack of it).

ABSTRACT Although parental volubility, or amount of talk, has received considerable recent attention, infant volubility has received comparatively little attention despite its potential significance for communicative risk status and later linguistic and cognitive outcomes. Volubility of 16 typically developing infants from 2 to 11 months of age was longitudinally investigated in the present study across three social circumstances: parent talking to infant, parent not talking to infant and parent talking to interviewer while the infant was in the room. Results indicated that volubility was least in the Interview circumstance. There were no significant differences in volubility between the parent Talk and No Talk circumstances. Volubility was found to reduce with age. These results suggest that infants vocalise in a variety of circumstances, even when no one talks to or interacts with them. The presence of a stranger or perhaps overhearing adults speaking to each other, however, may significantly reduce infant volubility.

Early gesture, early vocabulary, and risk of language impairment in preschoolers.

BACKGROUND Gesture precedes vocabulary development and may be an early marker of later language impairment. AIMS Using data from the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development Study of Early Child Care and Youth Development, this study examined the contribution of childrens (N=1064) early gestures and early vocabularies to their risk of language impairment in preschool years. METHODS AND PROCEDURES At age 15 months, maternal reports on childrens use of gestures and vocabulary comprehension and production skills were measured using the MacArthur Communicative Development Inventories. At age 3 and 4.5 years, childrens language skills were assessed using the Reynell Developmental Language Scale and Preschool Language Scale-3, respectively. OUTCOMES AND RESULTS After controlling for child, maternal, and family sociodemographic factors, children at later risk for language impairment were found to exhibit significantly less early gesture use and vocabulary skills relative to their typically developing peers. Early use of gestures was also significantly correlated with early vocabulary skills. CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS The effect of early gesture on childrens later risk of language impairment was indirect and mediated by early vocabulary production. Early gesture may have the potential to serve as an early diagnostic tool and play a role in early intervention.