How to best deliver a programme about past tense production for children with DLD

Citation 

Calder, S. D., Claessen, M., Leitão, S., & Ebbels, S. (2021). Evaluating two different dose frequencies and cumulative intervention intensities to improve past tense production for early school‐aged children with developmental language disorder. International Journal of Language & Communication Disorders, 56(6), 1278-1295. 

Click here for video summary

Key terms that are in this paper 

Past-tense verbs: words that describe an action that happened in the past. “Ran,” “ate,” and “jumped” are all examples of past-tense verbs. 

Regular past-tense allomorphs: the past tense ‘-ed’ is pronounced differently depending on the word, e.g. walked, played, wanted 

Aim of the paper 

This paper aimed to test the best way of delivering a programme about past tenses to children with DLD. 

Children with DLD struggle with grammar. For example, they may find it difficult to use past tense verbs (like “jumped” or “ran”) correctly.  

The programme used the SHAPE CODING system, which uses colours and shapes to show grammar rules.  

Children practiced past tense forms through games and structured practice. 

One group of children with DLD took part in the programme once a week for 10 weeks. Another group did the programme twice per week for 10 weeks. 

The researchers also looked at how the programme helps children with DLD produce past tense allomorphs correctly. 

What was found 

The programme was effective at helping children understand and use past tense verbs.  

Children who did the programme twice per week improved more quickly. 

Those in the ‘twice per week’ group also showed better production of past tense verbs after the programme finished. 

Regular past tense allomorphs have verb endings that sound different depending on the word (like the “ed” in ‘pushed’ versus in ‘shoved’). The researchers found that all types of endings improved equally, meaning the programme helps with all past tense verb forms.  

What does this mean? 

This programme is useful for helping children with DLD produce

past tense. 

Children made the greatest gains with twice weekly sessions, though once per week was also effective.  

Understanding how often to deliver a programme can help speech therapists to plan realistic, effective therapy schedules. 

Clinicians should include all types of past tense verbs (not just easier ones) when teaching. 

Where can I read this paper? 

You can read this whole paper for free by following this link: https://doi.org/10.1111/1460-6984.12667 

YouTube summary: https://youtu.be/RCV8BqK3Mfo