Individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) face many barriers to meaningful inclusion, including limited language and communication skills. Professionals, such as speech-language pathologists (SLPs), can provide personalized instruction to promote skill development and inclusion. Providing opportunities for individuals to…

Language and drawing each have their own sets of symbols that they use to convey messages. It is still unclear whether the development of these two expression mechanisms is similar or distinct. There are various approaches to supporting language and communication skills, including structured and naturalistic methods. The goal of this in-depth case…

This study evaluated whether an implementation support package using collaborative goal setting, nondirective consultation, feedback, and reinforcement would result in an increase in the implementation of planned speech and language programs in a classroom for students with autism spectrum disorders. Additional measures were collected to assess…

Getting it Right from the Start (GIRFTS) is a research study that aims to implement a response to intervention (RTI) framework in early primary school (Foundation and Grade 1) to improve oral language and reading. RTI is a multi-tiered conceptual framework that supports student learning through delivery of high-quality classroom instruction, early…

This paper investigates the implementation of a reading program designed for third grade elementary school classrooms in Austria. Using a mixed-methods approach, lesson types were identified, respective class compositions analyzed, and the effects on students' reading gains examined. The results show that the lesson types seem to reflect learner…

Language and communication improvement approaches designed by SLT services for delivery by early years practitioners can be effective in principle, but what helps or hinders initial and ongoing success? In this implementation study, we investigated the experiences of 10 practitioners who became Language Leads (LLs) and delivered the Language Lead…

Dialogic reading is a shared reading intervention which has been shown to increase children's oral language skills. Although dialogic reading has been heavily researched and replicated with a variety of populations, this study uniquely focused on outcomes when parents of children with a developmental delay from low socioeconomic status homes were…

The strong association of early language skills to later reading ability suggests that supporting the development of these skills in children who enter preschool or kindergarten with below-average language abilities may lead to stronger reading skills. Despite this, few evidence-based supplemental language instructional programs exist for…

Children entering kindergarten vary greatly in their language and literacy skills. Therefore, up-to-date information about evidence-based practices is essential for early childhood educators and policymakers as they support preschool children's language and literacy development. This study used a process modeled after the What Works Clearinghouse…

This Study Snapshot highlights key findings from a study that examines up-to-date information about evidence-based practices that are essential for early childhood educators and policymakers as they support preschool children's language and literacy development. The study used a process modeled after the What Works Clearinghouse (WWC) methodology…

The "Effectiveness of Early Literacy Instruction: Summary of 20 Years of Research" study examined information about evidence-based practices that are essential for early childhood educators and policymakers as they support preschool children's language and literacy development. The study used a process modeled after the What Works…

RFA's three-year mixed methods evaluation of Children's Literacy Initiative's language and literacy supports found positive impacts despite higher-than-typical teacher turnover. In pre-K centers receiving CLI supports, teachers were more able to implement effective instructional practices and created richer classroom literacy environments, and…

Parents are the logical intervention agents for young children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The early start Denver model (ESDM) is a promising early intervention approach for children with ASD that can be implemented by parents. This study evaluated the effects of training parents in the use of the ESDM. We used a non-concurrent multiple…

Early Words with Childminders is a programme aiming to support the practice of childminders by providing them evidence-based activities and strategies that foster children's early language development, and confidence and skills to engage with parents. Piloted between September and December 2023, the programme provides practitioners with training…

This research formulates and tests an AI-integrated e-book to increase English for Specific Purposes (ESP) learning by health science students in order to enhance speaking performance. Conventional ESP materials in health sciences are typically static and non-interactive, limiting opportunities for real-time communicative practice. Using a…