Sampling Utterances and Grammatical Analysis Revised (SUGAR): Quantitative Values for Language Sample Analysis Measures in 7- to 11-Year-Old Children

Effects of task variations on language productivity, syntactic complexity, and stuttering in children who stutter

PURPOSE

The aim of this preliminary study was to compare the effects of variations in task demands on: (a) language productivity in sentences categorised into stuttered vs. non-stuttered sentences; (b) syntactic complexity in stuttered vs. non-stuttered sentence categories, and (c) stuttering and typical disfluencies in school-age children who stutter (CWS). Language Sample Analysis (LSA) was conducted on samples from three tasks - Conversation, fable retell, and critical thinking based on the fables.

METHODS

Participants were 14 CWS categorised into younger (9 to 12-year-olds, n = 8) and older age groups (13 to 15-year-olds, n = 6). The Computerized Language ANalysis program was used to conduct language and disfluency analyses. Repeated measures analysis of variance and nonparametric statistical analyses were used to investigate: (a) Language productivity in total number of words and sentences by task and sentence category; (b) Syntactic complexity at the word- (use of metacognitive verbs), phrase- (use of verb phrases), and utterance (Mean Length of Utterances in words, MLUw) levels by task and sentence category; and (c) Disfluencies measured using % stuttered syllables (%SS) and % typical disfluencies (%TD).

RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS

Task effects in language productivity did not differ by sentence category and suggested limited influences of propositionality and volubility in stuttering. In contrast, higher syntactic complexity was obtained in the stuttered compared to non-stuttered sentences at the word, phrase, and utterance levels and it was the same task - conversation, that elicited the effect. Additionally, variations in task demands did not result in significant differences in %SS. The findings inform assessment planning with the selection of tasks guided by task demands and assessment requirements.

Growth of Complex Syntax: Coordinate and Subordinate Clause Use in Elementary School-Aged Children

PURPOSE

Production of complex syntax is a hallmark of later language development; however, most of the research examining age-related changes has focused on adolescents or analyzed narrative language samples. Research documenting age-related changes in the production of complex syntax in elementary school-aged children in conversational language samples is limited. Therefore, the purpose of this article is to examine age-related changes in the production of coordinate and subordinate clauses in children between 5 and 10 years of age obtained from 50-utterance conversational language samples.

METHOD

The analytic sample included 196 children with typical language development, who ranged in age from 5;0 to 10;11 (years;months; girls = 103; boys = 96; three cases were excluded). Fifty-utterance conversational language samples were examined for use of coordinate and subordinate clauses.

RESULTS

Results of regression analyses indicated that the production of coordinate and subordinate clauses could be predicted from age. The proportion of utterances that included subordinate clauses increased 0.20% for every month increase in age (p < .001). Coordinate clauses also continued to grow, although at a slower rate (0.10% increase for every month increase in age, p < .001). Finally, the proportion of simple utterances (i.e., utterances without coordinate or subordinate clauses) decreased with age (0.40% decrease for every month increase in age, p < .001).

CONCLUSIONS

This study indicated that as children's age increased, they used fewer, simple, one-clause sentences and more utterances that included subordinate clauses, with or without coordinate clauses. These results were obtained from 50-utterance language samples, further supporting use of language sampling to develop intervention goals and monitor progress in therapy.

SUPPLEMENTAL MATERIAL

https://doi.org/10.23641/asha.25262725.

Syntactic Complexity Across Language Sampling Contexts in School-Age Children, Ages 8-11 Years

PURPOSE

Syntax has been called the structural foundation of language, as its development allows for more efficient and effective communication. Complex syntax production is known to lag in children and adolescents with language impairment. Conversation, narrative, and expository language sampling contexts are recommended tools for the comprehensive assessment of school-age children, including syntactic abilities. Despite these recommendations, few studies have examined syntactic differences obtained from these three sampling contexts in a within group sample of school-age children, (i.e., ages 8-11 years). Information about similarities and differences in syntactic measures obtained from these three sampling contexts is needed to identify the optimal sampling context(s) for eliciting complex syntax.

METHOD

Conversational, narrative, and expository language samples were elicited from 85 children with typically developing language ages 8;0-11;11 (years;months). Samples were transcribed and analyzed for the mean length of utterance in words and clausal density, or the number of clauses per communication unit as measured by the subordination index.

RESULTS

Syntactic measures differed significantly across the three sampling contexts. Namely, narrative and expository language samples elicited longer utterances and more syntactically complex language than conversation samples. Age-related differences in the syntactic measures were not detected.

CONCLUSIONS

Differences in syntactic measures between conversation and narrative samples and conversation and expository samples within children ages 8-11 years support use of narrative and expository contexts as the most appropriate language sampling contexts for elicitation of complex syntax in school-age children ages 8-11 years. Conversation sampling is unlikely to elicit children's capacities for complex sentence production.