Use of Imitation Training for Targeting Grammar: A Narrative Review.

Purpose The purpose of this narrative review was to examine the evidence for imitation training for targeting grammar in children with developmental language disorder. Method Studies investigating imitation training were compiled from two databases-PsycINFO and Linguistics and Language Behavior Abstracts-as well as from reference lists of several books and articles reviewing language therapy. Results Twenty-one studies were reviewed.

Eliciting the Language Sample for Developmental Sentence Scoring: A Comparison of Play With Toys and Elicited Picture Description.

Purpose: This study investigated whether language samples elicited during play and description of pictured events would yield the same results for developmental sentence scoring (DSS).

Method: Two language samples were elicited from 58 three-year-olds. One sample was elicited during play with a parent, and the other sample was elicited by an examiner asking children to talk about pictured events in response to elicitation questions.

Percent Grammatical Responses as a General Outcome Measure: Initial Validity.

Purpose: This report investigated the validity of using percent grammatical responses (PGR) as a measure for assessing grammaticality. To establish construct validity, we computed the correlation of PGR with another measure of grammar skills and with an unrelated skill area. To establish concurrent validity for PGR, we computed the correlation of PGR with a previously validated measure of grammaticality, percent grammatical utterances (PGU), and examined the extent to which PGR and PGU agreed upon pass/fail decisions for children.

Sample size for measuring grammaticality in preschool children from picture-elicited language samples.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate whether a shorter language sample elicited with fewer pictures (i.e., 7) would yield a percent grammatical utterances (PGU) score similar to that computed from a longer language sample elicited with 15 pictures for 3-year-old children.

Differentiating children with and without language impairment based on grammaticality.

Purpose: This study compared the diagnostic accuracy of a general grammaticality measure (i.e., percentage grammatical utterance; PGU) to 2 less comprehensive measures of grammaticality--a measure that excluded utterances without a subject and/or main verb (i.

How grammatical are 3-year-olds?

Purpose: This study investigated the level of grammatical accuracy in typically developing 3-year-olds and the types of errors they produce.

Method: Twenty-two 3-year-olds participated in a picture description task. The percentage of grammatical utterances was computed and error types were analyzed.

Using standardized tests to inventory consonant and vowel production: a comparison of 11 tests of articulation and phonology.

Purpose: This report considered the validity of making conclusions about a child's phonetic inventory (the sounds a child can and cannot produce spontaneously without a prior model or other stimulation) based on the data from standardized single-word tests of articulation or phonology.

Method: We evaluated the opportunities for production of word-initial consonants, word-final consonants, and vowels within the words included on 11 tests. Only words that met specific phonetic criteria (termed phonetically controlled words) were counted as opportunities for each consonant or vowel.

Noun phrase elaboration in children's spoken stories.

Purpose: One feature of literate language, noun phrase elaboration, was examined in the oral fictional narratives of school-aged children.

Method: Two narratives were elicited from 5-, 8- and 11-year-old children, 1 in response to a picture sequence and 1 in response to a single picture. Noun phrases were categorized into 4 types.

The index of narrative microstructure: a clinical tool for analyzing school-age children's narrative performances.

Purpose: This research was conducted to develop a clinical tool-the Index of Narrative Microstructure (INMIS)-that would parsimoniously account for important microstructural aspects of narrative production for school-age children. The study provides field test age- and grade-based INMIS values to aid clinicians in making normative judgments about microstructural aspects of pupils' narrative performance.

Method: Narrative samples using a single-picture elicitation context were collected from 250 children age 5-12 years and then transcribed and segmented into T-units.

The development of expressive elaboration in fictional narratives.

Purpose: This study analyzed the development of expressive elaboration in fictional narratives for school-age children.

Method: The analysis was derived from high-point analysis, but it was tailored to capture the artful aspects of fictional storytelling. Narratives were elicited with a short picture sequence of a likely life event from 293 children whose ages ranged from 5 to 12 years.