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Developmental Phonological Disorders
A PRACTICAL GUIDE FOR FAMILIES AND TEACHERS
Caroline Bowen © 1998
Reviews and Comments
Dr Mary Rohl Edith Cowan University, Australia
Aline Murphy, Sydney, Australia
Anne-Marie Brown West Leeming, Australia
Professor Brenda Louw, University of Pretoria, South Africa
"This little book will be a real 'find' for early childhood teachers and students, for other professionals working with young children and for parents and carers of young children who are concerned about their children's speech development. In a recent survey of early childhood teachers it was found that the teachers' greatest concerns for the children in their classes were in the speech/language area. Many felt that they needed information about normal and abnormal development in the area, as well as diagnostic procedures and effective strategies to use with children experiencing difficulty (Milton & Rohl, 1998). This monograph fulfils such a need in terms of children experiencing developmental phonological disorders.
Dr Bowen explains that developmental phonological disorders, which teachers may call speech or articulation problems, affect children's ability to produce intelligible speech by 4 years of age, as the sound patterns of language are disrupted. She describes the course of normal speech development, with suggestions for ages at which young children's articulation 'errors' normally disappear and she outlines the research-based therapy model that she has shown, in her own research, to be effective for children with the disorder. The role that early childhood teachers may play in reinforcing a program prepared by the speech-language pathologist is described, with brief reference to the relationship between knowledge of the sounds of a language and learning to read and write. Then a number of highly specific therapy techniques are clearly presented which, in addition to helping resolve children's developmental phonological problems, should also help to raise their level of metalinguistic awareness. In conclusion, some advice is addressed to parents.
I particularly liked the way in which important information is presented concisely and directly, with excellent use of tables and diagrams throughout. Dr Bowen does not talk down to her audience: she uses technical terms (with definitions provided) and phonetic symbols (with a key). Many readers will appreciate the highly accessible section Questions families often ask about phonological therapy. It is gratifying to find a book of this kind that encourages the sharing of information between parents/caregivers, early childhood teachers and other professionals, and the participation of all in programs to help young children's speech/language development. As waiting lists for assessment and treatment by speech-language pathologists continue to grow, this informative book will be of particular interest to the many early childhood teachers who have children with speech/language difficulties in their centres or classrooms.
Reference
Milton, M. & Rohl, M. (1998). Children (K-2) who are of concern to their teachers: A survey. Australian Journal of Learning Disabilities, 3(1), 9-18.
Dr Mary Rohl Edith Cowan University, Australia
"I am confident that this practical book would be a useful and informative guide to all those who use it".Aline Murphy, Sydney, Australia
"This excellent little book is set out in a user-friendly format and simple, meaningful examples and tables clearly demonstrate phonological processes... Highly recommended..."
Anne-Marie Brown West Leeming, Australia
"An admirably practical and positive approach is adopted which should help to dispel many of the concerns expressed by parents and teachers".Trish Miles, Birmingham, UK
"Developmental Phonological Disorders fills a gap in the current literature and can serve as a valuable resource".Professor Brenda Louw, University of Pretoria, South Africa
Review by Professor Brenda Louw Department of Communication Pathology, University of Pretoria
Dr Caroline Bowen is an experienced Australian speech-language pathologist who recently (1996) completed her doctoral dissertation on establishing the efficacy of a phonological therapy model for children with developmental phonological disorders, by evaluating the therapy model after treating a group of pre-school-aged children and comparing them to a control group of untreated children.
The research was conducted at Macquarie University, in Sydney, Australia. This text attempts to put her dissertation to practical use by providing a guide for families and teachers. The book is based on the important concept of including parents and teachers in the phonological remediation process.
According to Dr. Bowen, the importance about communicating accurate information about the nature of the disorder to families is the first principle of intervention and she emphasises the value of involving families and teachers in therapy. Parents are assigned a valuable role in the remediation process but in order for them to be able to participate meaningfully, an effective means to explain a phonological remediation programme is needed. The text, Developmental Phonological Disorders. A Practical Guide for Families and Teachers fulfils this need.
The guide is organised in 8 sections and concludes with a selected bibliography. The aim of the first three sections is to clearly outline the major milestones of phonetic and phonological development and consists of an Introduction for Parents and Teachers, Phonetic Development and Phonologic Development.
Dr. Bowen puts forward the view that speech-language therapists should confidently use quite technical terms when talking to parent's about their child's problems. This approach, she suggests, enables parents to better understand the nature of the disorder and the reasons for the type of therapeutic programme being employed. This involves giving the parents information about the normal speech sound system of English and about the process of normal speech development, especially characteristic pattern's in children's speech production throughout the period of speech development. Fundamental to this view is that this disorder is developmental and phonological (Grunwell, p v)
This information is clearly presented at an appropriate level of detail which includes well-organised and readable tables. This information is judged to be of great value to therapists in their interactions with parents and teachers. The second half of the guide (sections 4-8) focuses on the assessment and treatment of children with a phonological disorder.
Assessment is described in terms of the importance of the results for planning an individualised therapy programme. A highlight of this section is the presentation of questions, based on Dr Bowen's clinical experience, that are often asked by families about phonological therapy. This serves to support parents in the notion that they are not alone in their anxieties and emphasises the ways in which they can contribute to their child's therapy programme. This is followed by a section, which outlines the phonological therapy itself. Detailed descriptions are provided of metalinguistic training, phonetic production training, auditory bombardment and the use of minimal contrasts. An understanding of the therapeutic approach and treatment procedures will enable parents and teachers to more readily carry out homework exercises and facilitate generalisation and carry-over into everyday speech. The role of pre-school teachers is spelt out and linked too later educational success.
Specific treatment techniques, namely modelling, revision and repair, judgement of correctness, reinforcement and reading stories are described by providing examples throughout. The author indicates the importance of empowering parents through knowledge and skills to be proactive in the treatment of their child and in the monitoring of his or her development ( Grunwell, p vi).
Key points of importance such as being positive, constantly modelling and reinforcing the child's attempts to speak more clearly, participating in teamwork and the advice that as learning is gradual, so the child's progress will be gradual, are discussed in conclusion.
Although the guide uses speech-language pathology terminology and describes fairly complex concepts, it is written in a clear, accessible manner to English speaking parents. Dr. Bowen's ability to present core information in limited space is impressive as the whole guide encompasses 40 pages.
The active involvement of parents and teachers in the therapy programme is highly recommended and this publication provides clear guidelines for empowering parents and teachers as well as for facilitating teamwork. According to the author this should also contribute to the efficacy of therapy.
Currently there is limited material available for parents regarding the treatment of children with phonological disorders and as such this guide can provide a very useful resource. This guide is recommended IF the therapist is using the standard approach to the treatment of phonological disorders as described in the text and it is deemed suitable for use with parents who have a secondary level of education. In a developing context, use of the guide may have to be adapted and the content would have to be simplified by the therapist for sharing of information with parents and teachers, rather than presenting the guide as such to these important role players.
In conclusion Developmental Phonological Disorders. A Practical Guide for Families and Teachers fills a gap in the current literature and can serve as a valuable resource.
Professor Brenda Louw, University of Pretoria, South Africa
About the Book Page updated 07 Apr 2009
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