ERIC Number: EJ1433317
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2024-Jul
Pages: 17
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0161-1461
EISSN: EISSN-1558-9129
Available Date: N/A
Writing in Elementary Students with Language-Based Learning Disabilities: A Pilot Study to Examine Feasibility and Promise
Language, Speech, and Hearing Services in Schools, v55 n3 p959-975 2024
Purpose: Although children with language-based learning disabilities (LLD) demonstrate significant difficulties with writing, empirical evidence to support interventions is sparse. Therefore, the purpose of this pilot study was to examine the feasibility and promise of a writing intervention for fourth- and fifth-grade students with LLD (WILLD: writing in students with LLD). The intervention components included word-, sentence-, and discourse-level writing processes and instructional practices using self-regulation strategies. Method: Participants for this study were 15 students with LLD, recruited from three different schools. Students' writing was assessed using a sentence probe task and obtaining an informative paragraph writing sample as a measure of proximal writing outcomes. Trained speech-language pathologists (SLPs) and special educators delivered the intervention in a small-group format over 12 weeks. Using a within-group pre--post design, we examined changes in writing outcomes before and after the intervention. Results: Results indicated that the intervention helped students improve their informative writing skills; students' writing quality showed a statistically significant increase, and grammatical errors showed a significant decrease. Conclusions: Evidence from this pilot effort indicates that WILLD was feasible and appears to show promise for improving writing outcomes for fourth- and fifth-grade students with LLD when delivered by SLPs and special educators in a small-group format. Implications of the results and directions for future research are discussed.
Descriptors: Students with Disabilities, Learning Disabilities, Elementary School Students, Language Impairments, Grade 4, Grade 5, Intervention, Writing Skills, Program Effectiveness, Special Education Teachers, Speech Language Pathology, Allied Health Personnel, Role, Small Group Instruction
American Speech-Language-Hearing Association. 2200 Research Blvd #250, Rockville, MD 20850. Tel: 301-296-5700; Fax: 301-296-8580; e-mail: lshss@asha.org; Web site: http://lshss.pubs.asha.org
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: Elementary Education; Grade 4; Intermediate Grades; Grade 5; Middle Schools
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: Institute of Education Sciences (ED)
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: New Jersey
IES Funded: Yes
Grant or Contract Numbers: R324A200046
Author Affiliations: N/A