| This research studies the effect of explicit phonological sensitivity and metaphonological interventions in elementary age children. Explicit phonological sensitivity and metaphonological interventions were provided to 172 children, ages 5 years 2 months to 10 years 10 months, who had been previously diagnosed with a moderate to severe speech and/or language disability. Explicit phonological sensitivity and metaphonological interventions, referred to as phonological sensitivity intervention (PSI), were implemented by licensed speech-language pathologists twice weekly for fifteen-minute sessions over a twelve-week period. Pre- and post-test assessment measures were administered in order to assess skills involving phonology, morphology, syntax, phonological sensitivity and decoding skill areas. The performance of the children who received this treatment was compared to a control group of peers who did not receive the treatment. The intervention resulted in a statistically significant, positive effect for the children who received the explicit phonological sensitivity intervention (PSI). These findings suggest that explicit phonological sensitivity and metaphonological interventions administered to elementary age children by speech-language pathologists using a small-group instruction model (i.e. two to three children per group) positively affect phonology, morphology, syntax, phonological sensitivity and word attack skills. Moreover, the findings indicate that children in kindergarten through fourth grades who received the phonological sensitivity intervention out-performed their peers who did not receive this explicit intervention.; The clinical implications of the study include the need for an educator model that reflects collaboration among general educators, special educators and speech-language pathologists who work with children that are at-risk for developing language-based reading disabilities. Every educator must increase their understanding of language-based reading disabilities and interventions, work cooperatively with, and expedite referrals to, the professional who is most likely to remediate the potential academic failure. Since the speech-language pathologist has significant training and expertise in oral language, then it is likely that the speech-language pathologist is the professional of choice when providing intervention to a child with a language-based reading disability. |
