Research/Evidence

Use of an animated tutor

Bosseler, A. & D. W. Massaro (2003). "Development and evaluation of a computer-animated tutor for vocabulary and language learning in children with autism." J Autism Dev Disord 33(6): 653-72.

Embedding language goals in the context of a story

Swanson, L. A., (M. E.) Fey, M. E., et al. (2005). "Use of narrative-based language intervention with children who have specific language impairment." Am J Speech Lang Pathol 14(2): 131-43.

Vocabulary Learning

- Storybook reading

Senechal, M. (1997). The differential effect of storybook reading on preschoolers' acquisition of expressive and receptive vocabulary. Journal of Child Language, 24(1), 123-138.

-Explicit instruction of vocabulary: child is given information

- Implicit instruction of vocabulary: child is exposed to words

Robbins, C., & Ehri, L. C. (1994). Reading storybooks to kindergartners helps them learn new vocabulary words. Journal of Educational Psychology, 86 (1), 54-64

National Institute of Child Health and Human Development. (2000). Report of the National Reading Panel. Teaching children to read: an evidence-based assessment of the scientific research literature on reading and its implications for reading instruction. Retrieved April 21, 2006 from http://www.nichd.nih.gov/publications/nrp/smallbook.htm

-Teach words in clusters
- Engage in word learning tasks that relate to definitions, associations, categorization, negative examples, solving problems
-Repetition

Nagy, W. (1988). Teaching vocabulary to improve reading comprehension. Urbana, IL: National Council for Teachers of English; and Newark, DE: International Reading Association

Improving Narrative Skills

Repeated listening/reading a story with adult scaffolding

Belllon, M. & Ogletree, B. 2000. Focus on autism and other developmental disabilities, 15 (1), 52-58.

Comprehension aid:
Providing “scaffolded” stories or stories with detailed and explicit
information

Sundbye, N. (1987). Text explicitness and inferential questioning: Effects on story understanding and recall. Reading Research Quarterly, 22, 82-98).

Repeated practice with re-telling a story

Morrow, L. M. (1985). Retelling stories: A strategy for improving young children’s comprehension, concept of story, structure, and oral language complexity. Elementary School Journal, 85(5), 647-664.

Exposure to well formed text

Westby, C. (1984) Development of narrative language abilities, In G. Wallach and K. Butler(ed.)< Language learning disabilities in school aged children 9pp.103-127)

Use of scaffolding: leading questions

Page, J. & Stewart, S. (1985). Story grammar skills in school- age children. Topic in language disorders, 5 (2), 16-30.

Improving syntax skills

Children learned syntax constructions after repeated storybook reading

Kaderavek, J. N., & Sulzby, E. (2000). Issues in emergent literacy for children with language impairments. In L. R. Watson, E. R. Crais, & T. L. Layton (Eds.), Handbook of early language impairment in children (pp. 199-244). Albany, NY: Delmar – Thomson Learning.