1
|
Murray BK, Rhodes KT, Washington JA. The Growth of Complex Syntax in School-Age African American Children Who Speak African American English. JOURNAL OF SPEECH, LANGUAGE, AND HEARING RESEARCH : JSLHR 2024; 67:1832-1849. [PMID: 38758672 PMCID: PMC11192561 DOI: 10.1044/2024_jslhr-23-00494] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2023] [Revised: 12/22/2023] [Accepted: 03/04/2024] [Indexed: 05/19/2024]
Abstract
PURPOSE Syntax provides critical support for both academic success and linguistic growth, yet it has not been a focus of language research in school-age African American children. This study examines complex syntax performance of African American children in second through fifth grades. METHOD The current study explores the syntactic performances of African American children (N = 513) in Grades 2-5 on the Test of Language Development-Intermediate who speak African American English. Multilevel modeling was used to evaluate the growth and associated changes between dialect density and syntax. Analyzed data were compared both to the normative sample and within the recruited sample. RESULTS The results suggest that dialect density exerted its impact early but did not continue to influence syntactic growth over time. Additionally, it was not until dialect density was accounted for in growth models that African American children's syntactic growth resembled normative expectations of a standardized language instrument. CONCLUSION The current study suggests that failure to consider cultural language differences obscures our understanding of African American students' linguistic competence on standardized language assessments.
Collapse
|
2
|
Oetting JB, McDonald JL, Vaughn LE. Grammaticality Judgments of Tense and Agreement by Children With and Without Developmental Language Disorder Across Dialects of English. JOURNAL OF SPEECH, LANGUAGE, AND HEARING RESEARCH : JSLHR 2023; 66:4996-5010. [PMID: 37889217 DOI: 10.1044/2023_jslhr-23-00183] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/28/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE Within General American English (GAE), the grammar weaknesses of children with developmental language disorder (DLD) have been documented with many tasks, including grammaticality judgments. Recently, Vaughn et al. replicated this finding with a judgment task targeting tense and agreement (T/A) structures for children who spoke African American English (AAE), a dialect that contains a greater variety of T/A forms than GAE. In the current study, we further tested this finding for children who spoke Southern White English (SWE), another dialect that contains a greater variety of T/A forms than GAE but less variety than AAE. Then, combining the SWE and AAE data, we explored the effects of a child's dialect, clinical group, and production of T/A forms on the children's judgments. METHOD The data were from 88 SWE-speaking children (DLD, n = 18; typically developing [TD], n = 70) and 91 AAE-speaking children (DLD, n = 34; TD, n = 57) previously studied. As in the AAE study, the SWE judgment data were examined both with A' scores and percentages of acceptability, with comparisons between dialects made on percentages of acceptability. RESULTS As in AAE, the SWE DLD group had significantly different A' scores and percentages of acceptability than the SWE TD group for all sentence types, including those with T/A structures. Additional analyses indicated that the judgments of the TD but not the DLD groups showed dialect effects. Except for verbal -s, overt production and grammaticality judgments were correlated for the TD but not for the DLD groups. CONCLUSIONS Children with DLD across dialects of English present grammar difficulties that affect their ability to make judgments about sentences. More cross-dialectal research is needed to better understand the grammatical weaknesses of childhood DLD, especially for structures such as verbal -s that are expressed differently across dialects of English.
Collapse
|
3
|
Washington KN, Karem RW, Kokotek LE, León M. Supporting Culturally Responsive Assessment Practices With Preschoolers: Guidance From Methods in the Jamaican Context. JOURNAL OF SPEECH, LANGUAGE, AND HEARING RESEARCH : JSLHR 2023; 66:4716-4738. [PMID: 37549376 DOI: 10.1044/2023_jslhr-23-00106] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/09/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE There is a shortage of available methods to accurately inform the developmental status of children whose cultural and linguistic backgrounds vary from the mainstream. The purpose of this review article was to describe different approaches used to support the accurate characterization of speech, language, and functional communication in children speaking Jamaican Creole and English, an understudied paradigm in the speech pathology research. METHOD Approaches used across four previously published studies in the Jamaican Creole Language Project are described. Participants included 3- to 6-year-old Jamaican children (n = 98-262) and adults (n = 15-33). Studies I and II described validation efforts about children's functional communication using the Intelligibility in Context Scale (ICS; speech) and the Focus on the Outcomes of Communication Under Six (FOCUS; speech and language). Study III described efforts to accurately characterize difference and disorder in children's expressive grammar using adapted scoring, along with adult models to contextualize child responses. Last, Study IV applied acoustic duration (e.g., whole word) and an adapted scoring protocol to inform variation in speech sound productions in the Jamaican context where a post-Creole continuum exists. RESULTS Studies I and II offered promising psychometric evidence about the utility of the ICS and the FOCUS. Study III revealed strong sensitivity and specificity in classifying difference and disorder using adult models. Last, in Study IV, linguistically informed acoustic analyses and an adapted protocol captured variation in speech productions better than a standard approach. CONCLUSIONS Applying culturally responsive methods can enhance the accurate characterization of speech, language, and functional communication in Jamaican children. The innovative methods used offer a model approach that could be applied to other linguistic contexts where a mismatch exists between speech-language pathologists and their clientele. PRESENTATION VIDEO https://doi.org/10.23641/asha.23929461.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Karla N Washington
- Department of Speech-Language Pathology, University of Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, University of Cincinnati, OH
- Department of Communicative Sciences and Disorders, New York University, NY
| | - Rachel Wright Karem
- Department of Speech, Language and Hearing Sciences, Indiana University Bloomington
| | - Leslie E Kokotek
- Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, University of Cincinnati, OH
| | - Michelle León
- Department of Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences, Mount St. Joseph University, Cincinnati, OH
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Li T, Ke X, Li J. Public attitudes towards dialects: Evidence from 31 Chinese provinces. PLoS One 2023; 18:e0292852. [PMID: 37824597 PMCID: PMC10569595 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0292852] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/17/2023] [Accepted: 10/01/2023] [Indexed: 10/14/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Dialect Attitude is conceptualized as an individual's cognitive and affective evaluation of a dialect and its speakers. In the contemporary China, dialect is suffering from significant stigmatization, resulting in social inequalities, which hinder sustainable development. This study aims to reveal the Chinese public attitudes towards dialects, and clarify the potential determinants related to heterogeneous attitudes at a macro level. METHODS We combine the crawler technology and sentiment analysis to conduct a provincial cross-sectional study. We collect 1,650,480 microblogs about public attitudes towards dialects from Microblog across 31 specific Chinese provinces. Spatial regression models are utilized to clarify the influence of macro-level determinants on differences in public attitudes. RESULTS The present study reveals that: (1) The Chinese public generally holds positive attitudes towards dialects, with significant variation between provinces. (2) Political Resource (β = 0.076, SD = 0.036, P<0.05), Economic Development (β = 0.047, SD = 0.022, P<0.05), and Cultural Resource (β = 0.054, SD = 0.021, P<0.05) promote public positive attitudes towards dialects. (3) Political Resource and Culture Resource influence more significant in the relatively advantaged regions, and Economic Development poses a higher influence in the relatively disadvantaged regions. CONCLUSIONS Basing on the combination of crawler technology and sentiment analysis, the present study develops the most comprehensive database which takes 1,650,480 dialects-related microblogs from 31 Chinese provinces, and describes the following scenario: (1) Overall, the Chinese public shares a relatively positive attitude towards dialects with significant variations among different provinces, (2) Political Resource, Economic Development and Culture Resource pose positive effects on Chinese public attitudes towards dialects and (3) Political Resource and Culture Resource influence more significant in the relatively disadvantaged regions, and Economic Development poses a higher influence in the relatively advantaged regions.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Tianxin Li
- Department of Literature, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi’an, Shaanxi, China
| | - Xigang Ke
- Department of Literature, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi’an, Shaanxi, China
| | - Jin Li
- International School of Chinese Studies, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi’an, Shaanxi, China
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Kiernan R, Pearce W, Flanagan K. Home language variation in the narratives of urban First Nations Australian children in their first year of school. CLINICAL LINGUISTICS & PHONETICS 2023:1-16. [PMID: 37464905 DOI: 10.1080/02699206.2023.2233048] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/24/2022] [Revised: 05/26/2023] [Accepted: 06/30/2023] [Indexed: 07/20/2023]
Abstract
First Nations children may speak a dialect of English that has different grammatical rules from Standard Australian English (school language). Limited studies have investigated Aboriginal English (home language) dialect in First Nations children and its impact on differential diagnosis of language disorder. This study measured the density of home language dialect and grammatical accuracy in oral narratives produced by typically developing First Nations children. Non-standardised assessment narrative protocols were used to elicit language samples from 27 Australian First Nations children aged 4.5-6 years. Local home language dialectal features were coded into the sample and grammatical accuracy was calculated separately for school language and home language. All children displayed some use of home language features. The most common home language features used were alternative use of regular past tense and irregular past tense, zero use of regular and irregular past tense, and alternative use of pronouns. Dialect density varied highly amongst participants. Grammatical accuracy was higher for home language than school language. Speech pathologists and teachers need to be aware of differences between home and school language for First Nations children to avoid misdiagnosis of language disorder. More research is required to gain normative data that informs culturally appropriate assessment practices for this population.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Rachael Kiernan
- School of Allied Health, Australian Catholic University (Brisbane Campus), Brisbane, Australia
| | - Wendy Pearce
- School of Allied Health, Australian Catholic University (North Sydney Campus), North Sydney, Australia
| | - Kieran Flanagan
- School of Allied Health, Australian Catholic University (Brisbane Campus), Brisbane, Australia
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Chow JC, Sandbank M, Hampton LH. Guidance for Increasing Primary Study Inclusion and the Usability of Data in Meta-Analysis: A Reporting Tutorial. JOURNAL OF SPEECH, LANGUAGE, AND HEARING RESEARCH : JSLHR 2023:1-9. [PMID: 37263184 DOI: 10.1044/2023_jslhr-22-00318] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/03/2023]
Abstract
Meta-analyses can be used to comprehensively summarize the state of a given literature base, understand development and relations between constructs, and synthesize intervention effects to identify "what works for whom," all of which can directly inform research, practice, and policy. In this tutorial, we first argue that data reporting in primary studies can meaningfully affect the results of meta-analyses and, most importantly, the subsequent interpretations and use of the findings in research, practice, and policy in speech, language, and hearing sciences. Though reporting guidelines have been well established for the results of meta-analyses, there is limited focus on the essentials for primary study reporting that allow for inclusion in meta-analyses. To this end, we provide guidance for primary study authors to ensure their studies can maximize their contributions to research syntheses and, specifically, to meta-analyses. We discuss current and ongoing issues related to reporting, provide data-based examples of instances where lack of reporting or transparency has rendered a study ineligible from inclusion in a meta-analysis, encourage editorial teams and peer reviewers to be flexible in the inclusion of supplemental data reporting based on journal requirements and limits, and suggest being explicit and earnest about why these requests are important to advancing the field. Supplemental Material: https://doi.org/10.23641/asha.23117996.
Collapse
|
7
|
Terry JM, Thomas ER, Jackson SC, Hirotani M. African American English speaking 2nd graders, verbal-s, and educational achievement: Event related potential and math study findings. PLoS One 2022; 17:e0273926. [PMID: 36264958 PMCID: PMC9584506 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0273926] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/12/2021] [Accepted: 08/17/2022] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
A number of influential linguistic analyses hold that African American English (AAE) has no verbal-s, the-s that, for example, turns drink into drinks in more mainstream English varieties.On such accounts, sentences like Mary drinks coffee are ungrammatical in AAE. Previous behavioral studies suggest that in addition to being ungrammatical, AAE speaking children find these sentences cognitively demanding, and that their presence in mathematical reasoning tests can depress scores. Until now, however, no online sentence processing study nor investigation of neurophysiological markers has been done to support these findings. Aimed at addressing this gap in the literature, the auditory ERP experiment described herein revealed two different processes associated with AAE speaking 2nd graders listening to this type of sentence: a morphosyntactic structure building problem, reflected in a bilateral early anterior-central negativity; and an increase in working memory load, indicated by a bilateral late long-lasting anterior-central negativity. Study participants also took an orally administered test of math word problems. Consistent with previous findings, results showed they answered fewer questions correctly when those questions contained verbal-s than when they did not.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- J. Michael Terry
- Department of Linguistics, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, United States of America
- * E-mail: (JMT); , (MH)
| | - Erik R. Thomas
- Department of English, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina, United States of America
| | - Sandra C. Jackson
- Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, North Carolina Central University, Durham, North Carolina, United States of America
| | - Masako Hirotani
- Department of Linguistics, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, United States of America
- School of Linguistics and Language Studies, Carleton University, Ottawa, Canada
- * E-mail: (JMT); , (MH)
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Fitton L, Johnson L, Wood C, Schatschneider C, Hart SA. Language Variation in the Writing of African American Students: Factors Predicting Reading Achievement. AMERICAN JOURNAL OF SPEECH-LANGUAGE PATHOLOGY 2021; 30:2653-2667. [PMID: 34723624 PMCID: PMC9132061 DOI: 10.1044/2021_ajslp-20-00263] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/03/2020] [Revised: 04/06/2021] [Accepted: 07/25/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Purpose This study aims to examine the predictive relation between measures obtained from African American students' written narrative language samples and reading achievement, as measured by standardized academic assessments. Method Written language samples were elicited from 207 African American students in Grades 1-8. The samples were examined for morphosyntactic variations from standardized written Generalized American English (GAE). These variations were categorized as either (a) specific to African American English (AAE) or (b) neutral across AAE and standardized written GAE (i.e., considered ungrammatical both in AAE and in standardized written GAE). Structural equation modeling was employed to then examine the predictive relation between the density of AAE-specific forms in students' writing and their performance on standardized assessments of literacy and reading vocabulary. This relation was examined while accounting for the density of dialect-neutral morphosyntactic forms, reported family income, age, and written sample length. Results The written samples were highly variable in terms of morphosyntax. Younger students and those from lower income homes tended to use AAE-specific forms at higher rates. However, the density of AAE-specific forms did not significantly predict standardized literacy scores or reading vocabulary after accounting for dialect-neutral variations, income, and sample length. Conclusions These results support the ongoing need to better understand the language, literacy, and overall academic development of students from all backgrounds. It may be essential to focus on dialect-neutral language forms (i.e., morphosyntactic forms that are consistent across both AAE and standardized written GAE) in written samples to maximize assessment validity across students who speak varying dialects of English. Supplemental Material https://doi.org/10.23641/asha.16879558.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Lisa Fitton
- Communication Sciences & Disorders Department, University of South Carolina, Columbia
| | - Lakeisha Johnson
- School of Communication Science & Disorders, Florida State University, Tallahassee
| | - Carla Wood
- School of Communication Science & Disorders, Florida State University, Tallahassee
| | | | - Sara A. Hart
- Department of Psychology, Florida State University, Tallahassee
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Easton C, Verdon S. The Influence of Linguistic Bias Upon Speech-Language Pathologists' Attitudes Toward Clinical Scenarios Involving Nonstandard Dialects of English. AMERICAN JOURNAL OF SPEECH-LANGUAGE PATHOLOGY 2021; 30:1973-1989. [PMID: 34463535 DOI: 10.1044/2021_ajslp-20-00382] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Purpose Variation within languages, including dialects, takes on an indexical function, marking belonging and connection. Meanwhile, attitudes toward these speech varieties become marked by linguistic bias. Within the speech-language pathology profession, research evidence, assessment tools, and intervention programs have largely been designed for and by the White, English-speaking middle class. As such, linguistic bias with a preference for standardized dialects is prevalent in the training and practice of the speech-language pathology profession, resulting in discriminatory and racialized practices. Method To investigate the influence of linguistic bias upon speech-language pathologists' (SLPs') clinical decision making, data were collected from 129 Australian SLPs via an online survey. Inferential statistics were used to investigate the relationship between clinical decision making and SLPs' attitudes toward nonstandard dialects as well as personal and professional factors. A content analysis of extended responses was conducted to identify themes in clinical decision making. Results SLPs with more years of experience and those who had received professional development were significantly more likely to seek out more information before making a diagnosis, while those with more negative attitudes toward linguistic diversity were significantly more likely to identify a disorder than a difference. SLPs provided a range of justifications for their clinical decision making, but few acknowledged the influence of their own attitudes and bias upon their decision making. Conclusions SLPs' linguistic bias towards speakers of nonstandard dialects has the potential to impact upon their clinical judgment of difference versus disorder and lead to inequality of service provision for speakers who do not express themselves in standardized forms. Before the profession can truly move toward an antiracist approach of equitable service provision for all, SLPs must engage in critical self-reflection to disrupt the adherence of the speech-language pathology profession to standardized "White" norms of communication.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Catherine Easton
- School of Community Health, Charles Sturt University, Albury, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Sarah Verdon
- School of Community Health, Charles Sturt University, Albury, New South Wales, Australia
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
Mahurin-Smith J, Mills MT, Chang R. Rare Vocabulary Production in School-Age Narrators From Low-Income Communities. Lang Speech Hear Serv Sch 2021; 52:51-63. [PMID: 33464972 DOI: 10.1044/2020_lshss-19-00120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Purpose This study was designed to assess the utility of a tool for automated analysis of rare vocabulary use in the spoken narratives of a group of school-age children from low-income communities. Method We evaluated personal and fictional narratives from 76 school-age children from low-income communities (M age = 9;3 [years;months]). We analyzed children's use of rare vocabulary in their narratives, with the goal of evaluating relationships among rare vocabulary use, performance on standardized language tests, language sample measures, sex, and use of African American English. Results Use of rare vocabulary in school-age children is robustly correlated with established language sample measures. Male sex was also significantly associated with more frequent rare vocabulary use. There was no association between rare vocabulary use and use of African American English. Discussion Evaluation of rare vocabulary use in school-age children may be a culturally fair assessment strategy that aligns well with existing language sample measures.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jamie Mahurin-Smith
- Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, Illinois State University, Normal
| | - Monique T Mills
- Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, University of Houston, TX
| | - Rong Chang
- Khoury College of Computer Sciences, Northeastern University, San Francisco, CA
| |
Collapse
|
11
|
Caesar LG, Kerins M. Language and Literacy Predictors of Dialect Density Among School-Age African American Children From Two Geographic Regions. Lang Speech Hear Serv Sch 2020; 51:807-820. [PMID: 32379522 DOI: 10.1044/2020_lshss-19-00063] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Purpose The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between oral language, literacy skills, age, and dialect density (DD) of African American children residing in two different geographical regions of the United States (East Coast and Midwest). Method Data were obtained from 64 African American school-age children between the ages of 7 and 12 years from two geographic regions. Children were assessed using a combination of standardized tests and narrative samples elicited from wordless picture books. Bivariate correlation and multiple regression analyses were used to determine relationships to and relative contributions of oral language, literacy, age, and geographic region to DD. Results Results of correlation analyses demonstrated a negative relationship between DD measures and children's literacy skills. Age-related findings between geographic regions indicated that the younger sample from the Midwest outscored the East Coast sample in reading comprehension and sentence complexity. Multiple regression analyses identified five variables (i.e., geographic region, age, mean length of utterance in morphemes, reading fluency, and phonological awareness) that accounted for 31% of the variance of children's DD-with geographic region emerging as the strongest predictor. Conclusions As in previous studies, the current study found an inverse relationship between DD and several literacy measures. Importantly, geographic region emerged as a strong predictor of DD. This finding highlights the need for a further study that goes beyond the mere description of relationships to comparing geographic regions and specifically focusing on racial composition, poverty, and school success measures through direct data collection.
Collapse
|
12
|
Puranik C, Branum-Martin L, Washington JA. The Relation Between Dialect Density and the Codevelopment of Writing and Reading in African American Children. Child Dev 2019; 91:e866-e882. [PMID: 31612998 DOI: 10.1111/cdev.13318] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Abstract
The purpose of this longitudinal study was to examine the influence of spoken dialect density on writing and on the codevelopment of reading and writing in African American English-speaking (AAE) children from first through fifth grades. The sample included 869 students, ranging in age from 5.8 to 12.5 years. Results indicated that dialect density had a negative influence concurrently and longitudinally on reading and writing in AAE-speaking children. High dialect users tended to have weak reading and writing skills and heavier dialect density slowed growth in reading and writing. However, this effect was moderated by the effects of reading and writing on each other. Reading had a facilitative effect on writing even in the presence of heavy dialect use.
Collapse
|
13
|
Chow JC. Prevalence of Publication Bias Tests in Speech, Language, and Hearing Research. JOURNAL OF SPEECH, LANGUAGE, AND HEARING RESEARCH : JSLHR 2018; 61:3055-3063. [PMID: 30458500 DOI: 10.1044/2018_jslhr-l-18-0098] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2018] [Accepted: 06/11/2018] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE The purpose of this research note is to systematically document the extent that researchers who publish in American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) journals search for and include unpublished literature in their meta-analyses and test for publication bias. METHOD This research note searched all ASHA peer-reviewed journals for published meta-analyses and reviewed all qualifying articles for characteristics related to the acknowledgment and assessment of publication bias. RESULTS Of meta-analyses published in ASHA journals, 75% discuss publication in some form; however, less than 50% test for publication bias. Further, only 38% (n = 11) interpreted the findings of these tests. CONCLUSION Findings reveal that more attention is needed to the presence and impact of publication bias. This research note concludes with 5 recommendations for addressing publication bias. SUPPLEMENTAL MATERIAL https://doi.org/10.23641/asha.7268648.
Collapse
|
14
|
Dexter CA, Johnson A, Bowman M, Barnett D. Using Kindergarten Language, Dialect Variation, and Child Behavior to Predict Second Grade Reading Ability in African American Children. READING PSYCHOLOGY 2018. [DOI: 10.1080/02702711.2018.1538650] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
Affiliation(s)
| | - Alex Johnson
- MGH Institute of Health Professions, Boston MA, United States
| | - Margo Bowman
- Department of Psychology, Wayne State University, MI, United States
| | - Douglas Barnett
- Department of Psychology, Wayne State University, MI, United States
| |
Collapse
|
15
|
Washington JA, Branum-Martin L, Sun C, Lee-James R. The Impact of Dialect Density on the Growth of Language and Reading in African American Children. Lang Speech Hear Serv Sch 2018; 49:232-247. [PMID: 29621803 PMCID: PMC6105135 DOI: 10.1044/2018_lshss-17-0063] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2017] [Revised: 10/18/2017] [Accepted: 11/30/2017] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Purpose The goal of the current study was to examine the impact of dialect density on the growth of oral language and reading skills in a sample of African American English (AAE)-speaking children reared in urban communities. Method Eight hundred thirty-five African American children in first through fifth grades participated. Using an accelerated cohort design, univariate and bivariate growth models were employed to examine dialect density, oral language and reading, and the relationships between these variables. Results For the univariate models, results indicated that (a) dialect density decreased over time by approximately 5% per year beyond first grade, (b) language skills improved approximately 0.5 SD per year, and (c) reading comprehension increased significantly from first to second grade and slowed 23% per year in second through fifth grades. Results from the bivariate models revealed that (a) dialect density and language ability are negatively associated, although dialect density did not affect change in language over time, and (b) higher dialect density is related to slower growth in reading. Conclusions Findings from this investigation provide converging evidence for accounts in the extant literature particularly supporting a negative relationship between dialect density and oral language and between dialect density and reading while also contributing novel longitudinal evidence that suggests that changes in dialect use over time may be driven by oral language skills and that reading and dialect have a reciprocal relationship.
Collapse
|
16
|
Bühler JC, von Oertzen T, McBride CA, Stoll S, Maurer U. Influence of dialect use on early reading and spelling acquisition in German-speaking children in Grade 1. JOURNAL OF COGNITIVE PSYCHOLOGY 2018. [DOI: 10.1080/20445911.2018.1444614] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/17/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Jessica C. Bühler
- Department of Psychology, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
- Neuroscience Center Zurich, University of Zurich and ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Timo von Oertzen
- Department of Psychology, Universität der Bundeswehr München, Neubiberg, Germany
| | - Catherine A. McBride
- Department of Psychology, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, N.T, Hong Kong
- Brain and Mind Institute, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, N.T, Hong Kong
| | - Sabine Stoll
- Department of Comparative Linguistics, Psycholinguistics Laboratory, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Urs Maurer
- Department of Psychology, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, N.T, Hong Kong
- Brain and Mind Institute, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, N.T, Hong Kong
| |
Collapse
|
17
|
Gatlin B, Wanzek J. Elementary Students' Use of Dialect and Reading Achievement: Examining Students with Disabilities. EXCEPTIONAL CHILDREN 2017; 84:97-115. [PMID: 30369625 PMCID: PMC6201251 DOI: 10.1177/0014402917727248] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Nonmainstream American English, or dialect, among children may have important implications for reading research and practice. However, much of the research involving relations between dialect and literacy has analyzed dialect use in only one context and has omitted students with speech, language, and learning disabilities. Consequently, we examined dialect use in an oral narrative and two writing samples in relation to concurrent and longitudinal reading outcomes in a diverse sample of students, including those with diagnosed disabilities. Overall, most students used features of dialect in oral and written language. Dialect use was significantly and negatively predictive of reading outcomes the same year and 2 years later. Moderator analyses indicated a similar relationship between dialect use and reading for students with speech, language, and learning disabilities, suggesting that students with these disabilities who also use dialect may be at increased risk for reading difficulties. Implications for practice and future research are provided.
Collapse
|