Website wins Speechwoman site of the month award

The Multilingual Children's Speech website has won the Speechwoman site of the month award
"Multilingual Children's Speech
This is Speechwoman's final 'pick' for 2012, and what an amazing site it is! This freely accessible online resource is for SLPs/SLTs worldwide who have children who are learning to communicate in more than one language on their caseloads. The site includes The Multilingual Children with Speech Sound Disorders: Position Paper, information for over 40 languages, speech assessments, and a parent report measure entitled the Intelligibility in Context Scale. Developed by Sharynne McLeod and colleagues at Charles Sturt University, with contributions by fonoaudiólogas / logopedas / logopedists / logopédistes / orthophonistes / patóloga de habla y lenguaje / speech pathologists / speech-language pathologists / speech therapists / and speech and language therapists from around the world, the Multilingual Children's Speech is a great credit to all concerned. Wonderful! Merveilleux! ص.رائع, مدهش, عجيب, بديع , Wunderbar! Admirável! Дивовижний! Portentoso! Asombroso! Harika! Fantastisk! Ka rawe! Adori! Rhyfeddol!"

Australian Association for Research in Education conference

The joint International Conference of the Australian Association for Research in Education (AARE) and the Asia Pacific Educational Research Association (APERA) has been held in Sydney from 2-6th December. The conference has also hosted the 2012 Focal Meeting of the World Education Research Association (WERA).

One symposium I really enjoyed attending was titled: "Implications of cultural and societal aspects for educational environments of children with disabilities in Austria, Thailand and Ethiopia" lead by
Gottfried Biewer from the University of Vienna. The presenters and discussant are pictured below.

L-R: Michelle Proyer, Michalea Kramann, Alemayehu Teklemariam,
Gottfried Biewer, Sharynne McLeod, Ilektra Spandagou

I was coauthor of the following presentations based on analyses of data from the Longitudinal Study of Australian Children

McLeod, S., Walker, S., Whiteford, C., & Harrison, L. J. (2012, December). The impact of bilingualism when 4- to 5-years-old on literacy, numeracy and social-emotional outcomes when 8- to 9-years-old. International Conference of the Australian Association for Research in Education (AARE) and the Asia Pacific Educational Research Association (APERA). Sydney, Australia.

Verdon, S. & McLeod, S. (2012, December). Longitudinal and cross-sectional changes in the cultural and linguistic diversity of Australian children. International Conference of the Australian Association for Research in Education (AARE) and the Asia Pacific Educational Research Association (APERA). Sydney, Australia.

Multilingual Children's Speech website: Page views!

The Multilingual Children's Speech website (www.csu.edu.au/research/multilingual-speech) has been live since 14th November. During November there were 4,363 page views, with the following countries being the top visitors:

• United States
• Slovenia
• Netherlands
• United Kingdom
• Japan

 Thanks to everyone for your interest in the site, and for your emails to let me know that it is useful to you in the work that you do.

Indigenous Australian children's speech and language competence

Footprints in Time: Longitudinal Study of Indigenous Children (LSIC) is a national study of approximately 1600 children. Over the past few weeks Sarah Verdon and I have been working with members of the Australian Government Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs: Laura Bennetts-Kneebone, Fiona Skelton, and Jason Brandrup. We have been analysing data from approximately 600 children in waves 1 and 3 of the child cohort (when the children were aged 3-5 and 5-7 years). These children spoke up to eight languages each including: English (wave 1: 91.2%, wave 3: 99.6%), Indigenous languages (wave 1: 24.4%, wave 3: 26.8%), and foreign languages (wave 1: 2.5%, wave 3: 5.4%). The children’s language environments were rich, with many family members and friends telling oral stories, reading books, and listening to the children read. We hope to submit a journal article about Indigenous children’s speech and language competence next year.

Excellence in Research in Early Years Education

Over the past 2 days I have been in Sydney for a meeting of the Excellence in Research in Early Years Education (EREYE) Collaborative Research Network (CRN). This group of Australian researchers have an impressive breadth and depth of expertise. Combined we were successful recipients of almost half of the last round of Australian Research Council Discovery Grants awarded to education researchers across the country. We have been discussing a large-scale collaboration that could have a major impact on Australian early childhood education.

Disseminating research: Reading, writing, and publishing

The following book chapter has been published:

McLeod, S. (2013). Disseminating research: Reading, writing, and publishing. In N. Müller & M. J. Ball (Eds). Research methods in clinical linguistics and phonetics: A practical guide (pp. 288-309). Chichester: Wiley-Blackwell.

The opening paragraphs read:

The previous chapters have provided guidelines for undertaking research in the field of clinical linguistics and phonetics. Once new knowledge has been generated through research it is important to disseminate findings with others to change understanding and practice. Dissemination of findings can occur within public, professional and academic contexts via the internet, presentations and publications. Ultimately, publishing research in journal articles and books enables the creation of a permanent and accessible record. Longevity of research is typically achieved through such avenues and once work is published, people from across the globe can draw on these findings to create new ideas, understandings and directions. Therefore, researchers should think about the message they wish to convey through their research: “What is your dialogue with the future?”  This chapter outlines how to read and critique research, then how to write for publication in order to disseminate research findings…

One of the tables within the chapter lists English-language journals that publish papers in the field of clinical linguistics and phonetics as well as details about these journals. Here is the list:

1.      American Journal of Speech-Language Pathology

2.      Aphasiology

3.      Applied Psycholinguistics

4.      The ASHA Leader

5.      Asia Pacific Journal of Speech, Language and Hearing

6.      Augmentative and Alternative Communication

7.      Child Language Teaching and Therapy

8.      Clinical Linguistics and Phonetics

9.      Communication Disorders Quarterly

10.  Communication Disorders Review

11.  Contemporary Issues in Communication Science and Disorders

12.  Evidence-Based Communication Assessment and Intervention

13.  Folia Phoniatrica et Logopaedica

14.  International Journal of Language and Communication Disorders

15.  International Journal of Speech-Language Pathology

16.  Journal of Child Language

17.  Journal of Clinical Practice in Speech-Language Pathology

18.  Journal of Communication Disorders

19.  Journal of Interactional Research in Communication Disorders

20.  Journal of the International Phonetic Association

21.  Journal of Linguistics

22.  Journal of Medical Speech-Language Pathology

23.  Journal of Speech, Language, and Hearing Research

24.  Language, Speech, and Hearing Services in Schools

25.  Logopedics Phoniatrics Vocology

26.  New Zealand Journal of Speech-Language Therapy

27.  Seminars in Speech and Language

28.  South African Journal of Communication Disorders, Die Suid-Afrikaanse Tydskrif vir Kommunikasie-afwykings

29.  Topics in Language Disorders

30.  Topics in Stroke Rehabilitation

Media attention about multilingual website

CSU released a media statement about the launch of the multilingual speech website and position paper.  As a result, Sarah Verdon and I have been interviewed on the radio. This afternoon we were interviewed by National Radio News and the interview has gone to 100 community radio stations around Australia with an audience of about 1.3 million listeners. Then we were interviewed by Janeen Hosemans at local radio station 2BS. The interviewers were interested in the world wide relevance of the information on the website, and the international collaboration that went into creating the information on the website.

Sarah Verdon at 2BS radio station

Launch of the Multilingual Children's Speech website

Today the Multilingual Children's Speech website has been launched:
http://www.csu.edu.au/research/multilingual-speech/
The purpose of this website is to present a compilation of resources for SLPs who are working with multilingual children with speech sound disorders and to partially address the following question:

How do we “close the gap between the linguistic homogeneity of the profession and the linguistic diversity of its clientele”? (Caesar & Kohler, 2007, p. 198)

The website contains the following information:

• Overview: an overview about the site
• Position paper: description of the Multilingual Children with Speech Sound Disorders: Position Paper
• Languages: comparative information about 25 languages
• Speech acquisition: a summary of speech acquisition for English + a compilation of information from 250 studies of monolingual speech acquisition around the world
• Speech assessments: a list of speech assessments (articulation and phonology) in languages other than English (including purchasing information where available)
• Intelligibility in Context Scale: translated into 29 languages
• Information about publications and the research team

Some of the content on this website also may be useful for others who support monolingual and multilingual children’s speech skills  including educators, interpreters, other health and education professionals, families, and communities.

Funding for this website has been made available from the Australian Research Council Future Fellowship (FT0990588) and I appreciate the support from colleagues from Charles Sturt University, as well as speech-language pathologists, phoneticians, linguists and others around the world have contributed to the development of this website. Specific contributions are acknowledged throughout the website; however, the generosity of others within the wider international community is acknowledged.

Launch of the Position Paper on Multilingual Children with Speech Sound Disorders

Today is the launch of the Multilingual Children with Speech Sound Disorders: Position Paper that was created by the International Expert Panel on Multilingual Children's Speech. Here is the reference:

International Expert Panel on Multilingual Children’s Speech (2012). Multilingual children with speech sound disorders: Position paper. Bathurst, NSW, Australia: Research Institute for Professional Practice, Learning and Education (RIPPLE), Charles Sturt University. Retrieved from http://www.csu.edu.au/research/multilingual-speech/position-paper

An international expert panel was assembled comprising 57 researchers (SLPs, linguists, phoneticians) with specialist knowledge in multilingual children’s speech, or children with speech sound disorders. Combined, they had worked in 33 countries and used 26 languages in their professional practice. Fourteen panel members met for a one-day workshop to discuss the challenges of working with multilingual children, and to develop guidelines and key points for inclusion in the first draft of the position paper. Subsequently, 42 panel members joined the group and participated online to make further contributions and comment on drafts of the position paper. Finally, a moderator with international expertise in children with speech sound disorders facilitated the incorporation of the panel’s recommendations. The resulting position paper provides guidelines for the provision of culturally competent services to multilingual children with speech sound disorders. It is structured using the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health: Children and Youth Version (WHO, 2007) incorporates recommendations for (i) children and families, (ii) SLPs’ assessment and intervention, (iii) SLPs’ professional practice, and (iv) SLPs’ collaboration with other professionals. 

Purpose of the position paper
“The position paper is an aspirational document for individuals who strive for the development of policies and best practices for multilingual and/or multicultural children with speech sound disorders. It is based on international understandings of professional practice. It suggests a foundation for speech-language pathologists (SLPs) working in health/medical, education, and community sectors, as well as professional associations, governments, and universities that prepare SLPs to promote speech and language competence for all children in the languages of their communities. It is also relevant for everyone involved with enhancing the communicative competence of multilingual children, including interpreters, educators, and other professionals, families and communities.” (International Expert Panel on Multilingual Children’s Speech, 2012, p.1)
“Within the position paper the International Expert Panel on Multilingual Children’s Speech: 

1. Acknowledges that children are competent, capable, and creative and have individual characteristics, interests, and circumstances. 
2. Recognizes, values, and promotes genuine, reciprocal and respectful partnerships between children, families, communities, SLPs, interpreters, educators, and all who support the acquisition of communicative competence.
3. Acknowledges that recent technological advances have increased access to and availability of information about languages (including real-time international audiovisual linkages) that enable re-envisioning of best practice.
4. Encourages critical reflection on established policies and practices and their underlying assumptions.” (International Expert Panel on Multilingual Children’s Speech, 2012, p.1)

Position statement
“The International Expert Panel on Multilingual Children’s Speech recommends that:

1. Children are supported to communicate effectively and intelligibly in the languages spoken within their families and communities, in the context of developing their cultural identities.
2. Children are entitled to professional speech and language assessment and intervention services that acknowledge and respect their existing competencies, cultural heritage, and histories. Such assessment and intervention should be based on the best available evidence.
3. SLPs aspire to be culturally competent and to work in culturally safe ways.
4. SLPs aspire to develop partnerships with families, communities, interpreters, and other health and education professionals to promote strong and supportive communicative environments.
5. SLPs generate and share knowledge, resources, and evidence nationally and internationally to facilitate the understanding of cultural and linguistic diversity that will support multilingual children’s speech acquisition and communicative competency. 
6. Governments, policy makers, and employers acknowledge and support the need for culturally competent and safe practices and equip SLPs with additional time, funding, and resources in order to provide equitable services for multilingual children.” (International Expert Panel on Multilingual Children’s Speech, 2012, p. 2) 

   

   Sharynne McLeod and Sarah Verdon (co-chairs) of the International Expert Panel
   with the final version of the position paper