LEAPing on with language: An on-line language programme to support classroom teachers and parents of primary school children (aged 5–11 years) M Clare Allen1, Andrew Kendrick 2, Sue Archbold 1, Suzanne Harrigan 1 1

The Ear Foundation, Nottingham, UK, 2Cochlear Ltd, Australia

The Leaping on with Language programme provides a combination of strategies and activities to accelerate children’s spoken language use from simple sentences to complex language. Using a conversational philosophy it expands the building blocks of language (vocabulary, grammar, speech), whilst emphasising the importance of developing independent social communication and acknowledging a child’s developing self esteem and self identity between the ages of 4–11. Three pilot projects evaluated the programme with a total of 51 delegates. The outcomes were hugely positive. Changes in behaviour were reported from the 3rd pilot 1 month later. Comments regarding the length of training, practical strategies and more film clips were implemented. Leaping on with language is now a free to access resource available on line. Keywords: Cochlear implants, Course for children, Families, Spoken language skills

Introduction Young children with cochlear implants are developing effective spoken language skills, leading to more preschool children with cochlear implants entering their local schools and being educated with their hearing peers, but outcomes continue to be variable relative to age at implantation (Archbold and Mayer, 2012). Following school entry, support for the child shifts from the home into school, and there are changes in the number of visits and style of service provided by both Cochlear Implant Teams and local teams. However, home continues to be a vital learning environment for the child in terms of language, social communication, and psychosocial development. ‘We have found the jump between school years a big leap in terms of language, vocabulary and the challenge of work for our daughter. She is in a good mainstream local school, but we have to work hard to ensure that she continues to access and understand lessons.’ Parent In response to this, The Ear Foundation developed a programme for parents of deaf children and their professionals. It aims to provide information, activities, Correspondence to: M. Clare Allen, Speech and Language Therapist, The Ear Foundation, 83 Sherwin Road, Lenton, Nottingham, NG7 2FB. Email: [email protected]

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and practical strategies in order to accelerate a deaf child’s spoken language development from simple sentences to complex language. The programme described in this paper is called LEAPing on with Language. It incorporates a conversational language learning approach, while expanding the building blocks required in order to use more complex structures in a socially independent way, while emphasizing children’s’ developing self identity. The aim is that, with thought and planning using LEAPing on with language, children will move towards learning language incidentally. She doesn’t pick up incidental language naturally. So we are starting to realise there’s a gap between her understanding of the world, and different vocabulary, compared to her hearing peers’ Parent LEAPing on with Language stands for Listen and have a conversation Expand the building blocks of language (vocabulary, grammar, speech) Achieve independent social communication Promote yourself; your self-esteem and selfidentity.

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This paper describes the outcomes of the pilot project to develop the LEAPing on with language programme.

Methods During the pilot project the content and format of LEAPing on with language were presented as 1-day courses in local areas across the UK. Three 1-day pilot courses were evaluated using simple questionnaires. Immediate feedback was obtained by participants completing an anonymous questionnaire at the end of each course. To evaluate the longer term impact upon changes in family behaviour, parents on the third course were interviewed over the telephone by a familiar teacher 1 month later. Their responses were reported anonymously to the author. 3 pilot courses

Participants

Communication

1

Parents: Oral Specialist classes within hearing school

2

Professionals: Special school, Local specialist classes Parents: Local schools with individual support

3

Signing

Oral

Background Inner city, diverse cultural background Diverse home spoken languages Small town and rural settings. Monolingual home spoken language Rural setting, long distances between deaf peers. Monolingual home spoken language

Fifty-one participants attended over the three pilot courses. Evaluation forms completed

N1 = 21

18/21

N2 = 17 N3 = 13

14/17 10/13

N3 = 13 1 month later

Parents’ comments What did you find most useful about LEAPing on with language? • ‘Loved it!’ • ‘The whole day was an eye opener!’ • ‘There is so much we can do everyday just naturally that will make such a big difference to our children’ • ‘Practical, realistic and very informative’

Were there any topics you would have liked to have seen included or you feel could have been omitted? How was the balance of the day? • ‘Well covered in one 6-hour day, might not be enough time to cover all? So much to fit in’ • ‘Just more time to explore some topics further’ • ‘Too fast pace’, ‘Too long’ • ‘More clips of children is always positive’ • ‘Ask parents for ideas of things they do’

Most negative comments related to the length and delivery of the pilot courses, not the content. Many of these evaluation forms added a very positive comment in ‘Other comments’. For example, ‘I’ve found this course fantastic and have come away with 13 points to put into practice over time within the family for me as well as my daughter’. Changes as a result of the LEAPing on with language 3rd course, 1 month later? All of them mentioned • Making more effort to use and create opportunities for conversation • Talking about emotions more • Asking less questions

Most mentioned • Building listening stamina • Not avoiding idioms and telling jokes now

Several parents said they were

Results

Number of participants

LEAPing on with language

11/13 Telephone feedback

• Introducing alternative words into conversations • Encouraging more independence

Discussion Comments One form represented a couple. Two parents left early due to childcare needs i.e. 86% feedback i.e. 82% Two forms represented two participants each. One form was not returned i.e. 77% feedback One person, from each of the two couples who attended, gave telephone feedback i.e. 85%

Research has provided us with abundant outcomes and projections of progress. Areas which children are finding difficult are beginning to be highlighted. LEAPing on with language attempts to take some of the research and theory and apply it in practical ways. Home is an important environment within which to learn spoken language. Families are often busy, with siblings and visitors intermingled with the demands of school, clubs, and social activities. Focussing upon a conversational approach enables the programme to be planned and implemented within every day family life rather than requiring intensive 1:1 ‘work’. LEAPing on with language was developed in response to parents’ comments and requests. Overall

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the evaluation has been hugely positive. Parents on the pilot courses from all backgrounds, valued the support, and envisaged that they could implement specific practical activities and strategies. • Due to the varied and complex language issues when children are aged 5–11 years the programme is large. The development of a website has therefore been a priority. The sections L-E-A-P have been developed as more discreet entities, with the two parent’s questionnaires for each section taking on more importance. The questionnaires aim to empower parents to selfidentify the areas they would like to focus upon. One considers the parent’s skills and the other reflects upon the child’s skills. Each item on the questionnaire gives direct links to specific threads or subsections in the programme. A whole section can be read in its entirety, or a sub section with its associated strategies and activities can be followed. • Practical suggestions for resources at home were requested. There are now over 100 strategies, activities and games in LEAPing on with Language. • Film clips were highlighted. Compilation films have been created from across the world for the website. They provide examples of conversational strategies and specific activities as well as interviews with parents and the author. • Ongoing evaluation of the website will be facilitated by the questionnaires being completed on line. This will enable the monitoring of anonymous responses to each statement and possibly changes in responses over time. From these responses, target strategies or resources could be created.

Conclusion ‘With all that we have learned from basic research concerning language, learning, and cognition among

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deaf adults and children, there has been surprisingly little impact upon practice’ (Marschark and Spencer, 2010, p. 1). LEAPing on with Language attempts to highlight some of what we know about the areas which impact upon, or which are resistant to, progress following cochlear implantation. By providing parents with accessible information summaries, practical strategies, and activities, it is hoped that every day family practice can be influenced positively to produce major changes in high-level language skills. In the future the author agrees with Spencer and Marschark (2010, p. 473) that ‘Increased focus is needed on the development and evaluation of interventions’. Initial evaluation of parent’s comments and changes 1 month later is very positive. The programme is now available in a free to access pdf format prior to its launch as an interactive website. It will continue to be evaluated and enhanced in response to the questionnaire data collected, website communication, and the application of future research and outcomes work.

References Archbold S., Mayer C. 2012. Deaf education: the impact of cochlear implantation? Deafness & Education International, 14(1): 2–15. Marschark M., Spencer P.E. 2010. The promises (?) of deaf education: from research to practise and back again. In: Marschark M., Spencer P.E., (eds.) The Oxford handbook of deaf studies, language, and education volume 2. New York, USA: Oxford University Press, p. 1–14. Spencer P.E., Marschark M. 2010. Paradigm shifts, difficult truths, and an increasing knowledge base in deaf education. In: Marschark M., Spencer P.E., (eds.) The Oxford handbook of deaf studies, language, and education volume 2. Oxford University Press, p. 473–478.

LEAPing on with language: An on-line language programme to support classroom teachers and parents of primary school children (aged 5-11 years).

The Leaping on with Language programme provides a combination of strategies and activities to accelerate children's spoken language use from simple se...
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