Speaking my languages

May 12, 2020

University of Iceland Science and Innovation Prize

Congratulations to Dr. Jóhanna Einarsdóttir, Dr Thora Masdottir (Þóra Másdóttir), Dr Kate Crowe, Þóra Sæunn Úlfsdóttir, Kriselle Jónsdóttir, Ewa Czaplewska, and Sigurgrimur Skúlason who received a University of Iceland Science and Innovation Prize (Vísinda- og nýsköpunarverðlaun Háskóla Íslands) in the category Society tonight (9pm Australian time).
https://english.hi.is/university/the_universitys_science_and_innovation_award

Here is the description of the event from Jón Atli Benediktsson, Rector of the University of Iceland:

The University of Iceland Science and Innovation Prizes will be presented on Tuesday 12 May...The prizes, previously called the University of Iceland Applied Science Prize, are now awarded for the 22nd time. The competition is run as a collaboration between the University of Iceland, the New Business Venture Fund, Árnason|Faktor, Innovation Center Iceland and the Technology Transfer Office Iceland.

A total of 38 valid applications were submitted this year, which is a record number. Prizes will be awarded for the best ideas in four categories: Health, Technology and Progress, Society, and the Motivational Prize. An overall competition winner will also be selected from among the prize recipients in the above categories.

Due to current restrictions on mass gatherings and the two metre rule, only the prize recipients and the evaluation committee will physically attend this year, but the ceremony will be live-streamed online: https://livestream.com/hi/visindaognyskopunarverdlaunhi

On this occasion, Martin Ingi Sigurðsson, professor at the Faculty of Medicine, will also give a talk on the project that medical student Halldór Bjarki Ólafsson completed under his supervision, which won the President of Iceland's Innovation Award at the beginning of the year.

COVID-19 good news for NSW

Exciting news for today - no new cases in NSW - the first time since 29th February 2020.
Wonderful news for our state.

My conversations across the world are not as cheerful. My speech pathology colleagues in the US, UK and other countries are working hard in their communities amongst a lot of stress, sickness and sadness. Here is a series of webinars from RCSLT in the UK that discuss the role of speech pathologists (therapists) in the UK in intensive care working with people with COVID-19
https://www.rcslt.org/learning/covid-19/rcslt-guidance#section-3

CSU promotion committee and mentoring

I have been invited to be involved in the CSU promotion process this year as a mentor and panel member (as I had done last year).

I attended an information session this morning to learn about the 2020 round. I was pleased to see information that teaching evaluations for the first semester of 2020 will not be included (unless requested) to accommodate the disruptions as a result of COVID-19.
This information on promotion readiness was useful:

Don't repeat information. Don't use the same evidence from previous applications. Referees should be able to independently comment on your career trajectory within the disciplinary context. They should comment knowledgably about where you sit based on academic standards. They should be outside of CSU, and typically should not include your PhD supervisor or recent co-authors. Applicants are encouraged to contact their supervisors and request a mentor early in the process.

May 11, 2020

Vietnamese children's television shows about Vietnamese letters

May 7, 2020

Masters students in Vietnam

Our masters students in Vietnam were very happy today. This week Vietnam has allowed students to return to school and university staff to return to work for the first time since 1st February 2020 (14 weeks) due to lifting COVID-19 restrictions. They also shared their proposals in Vietnamese. Dr. Ben Pham and I were really pleased with how hard they have been working.

CSU Adjunct Research Associate

Congratulations Nicole McGill who has been appointed an Adjunct Research Associate of Charles Sturt University.

May 5, 2020

IJLCD top dowloaded paper

https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/1460-6984.12416

Speech pathology waiting lists - two publications today

Today, two of our publications about speech pathology waiting lists were published:

McLeod, S., Davis, E., Rohr, K., McGill, N., Miller, K., Roberts, A., Thornton, S., Ahio, N. & Ivory, N. (2020). Waiting for speech-language pathology services: A randomised controlled trial comparing therapy, advice and device. International Journal of Speech-Language Pathology, Advance online publication. doi:10.1080/17549507.2020.1731600
50 free reprints: https://www.tandfonline.com/eprint/F8ASRC26JS7BT8YJHUJV/full?target=10.1080/17549507.2020.1731600
McGill, N., Crowe, K., & McLeod, S. (2020). “Many wasted months”: Stakeholders’ perspectives about waiting for speech-language pathology services. International Journal of Speech-Language Pathology, Advance online publication. doi:10.1080/17549507.2020.1747541
50 free reprints: https://www.tandfonline.com/eprint/SUPJSPDNMSZKSIG3TNZE/full?target=10.1080/17549507.2020.1747541

The first paper was funded by a NSW Health Translational Research Grant and the second was funded by a Charles Sturt University RIPPLE Scholarship and was part of Nicole McGill's PhD.

May 4, 2020

Children’s English consonant acquisition in the United States: A review

The following manuscript has been accepted for publication.
Crowe, K. & McLeod, S. (2020, in press May). Children’s English consonant acquisition in the United States: A review. American Journal of Speech-Language Pathology.

It accompanies this manuscript (that won the AJSLP editor's award)
McLeod, S. & Crowe, K. (2018). Children’s consonant acquisition in 27 languages: A cross-linguistic review. American Journal of Speech-Language Pathology, 27(4), 1546-1571. doi:10.1044/2018_AJSLP-17-0100

Here is the abstract

Purpose: Speech-language pathologists’ (SLPs) clinical decision-making and consideration of eligibility for services relies on quality evidence, including information about consonant acquisition (developmental norms). The purpose of this review is to describe the typical age and pattern of acquisition of English consonants by children in the United States.
Method: Data were identified from published journal articles and assessments reporting English consonant acquisition by typically developing children living in the United States. Sources were identified through searching 11 electronic databases, review articles, and the Buros database, and contacting experts. Data describing studies, participants, methodology, and age of consonant acquisition were extracted.
Results: Fifteen studies (six articles and nine assessments) were included, reporting consonant acquisition of 18,907 children acquiring English in the United States. These cross-sectional studies primarily used single-word elicitation. Most consonants were acquired by 5;0 years. The consonants /b, n, m, p, h, w, d/ were acquired by 2;0-2;11 (years;months); /ɡ, k, f, t, ŋ, j/ by 3;0-3;11; /v, ʤ, s, ʧ, l, ʃ, z/ by 4;0-4;11; /ɹ, ð, ʒ/ by 5;0-5;11; and /θ/ by 6;0-6;11 years (ordered by mean age of acquisition, 90% criterion). Variation was evident across studies resulting from different assessments, criteria, and cohorts of children.
Conclusions: These findings echo the cross-linguistic findings of McLeod and Crowe (2018) across 27 languages that children had acquired most consonants by 5;0 years. On average all plosives, nasals, and glides were acquired by 3;11, all affricates by 4;11, all liquids by 5;11 and all fricatives by 6;11 (90% criterion). As SLPs apply this information to clinical decision-making and eligibility decisions, synthesis of knowledge from multiple sources is recommended.

VietSpeech team meeting

We had another very constructive VietSpeech team meeting today. There is so much to discuss and plan due to the restrictions from COVID-19.

Dr Sarah Verdon, Prof Sharynne McLeod, Dr Audrey Wang, Kate Margetson, Dr Van Tran

May 2, 2020

Holistic communication assessment for young children with cleft palate using the ICF-CY

The following manuscript has been accepted for publication.
Cronin, A., McLeod, S., & Verdon, S. (2020, in press May). Holistic communication assessment for young children with cleft palate using the ICF-CY. Language, Speech, and Hearing Services in Schools.

It forms part of Anna's PhD thesis. Congratulations Anna!
Here is the abstract:

Purpose: Children with a cleft palate (+/- cleft lip; CP±L) can have difficulties communicating and participating in daily life, yet speech-language pathologists typically focus on speech production during routine assessments. The International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health: Children and Youth (ICF-CY, World Health Organization, 2007), provides a framework for holistic assessment. This paper describes holistic assessment of children with CP±L illustrated by data collected from a non-clinical sample of seven 2-to 3-year-old children, 13 parents, and 12 significant others (e.g., educators and grandparents).
Method: Data were collected during visits to participants’ homes and early childhood education and care centers. Assessment tools applicable to domains of the ICF-CY were used to collect and analyze data. Child participants’ Body Functions including speech, language, and cognitive development were assessed using screening and standardized assessments. Participants’ Body Structures were assessed via oral motor examination, case history questionnaires, and observation. Participants’ Activities and Participation, and Environmental and Personal Factors, were examined through case history questionnaires, interviews with significant others, parent-report measures and observations.
Results: Valuable insights can be gained from undertaking holistic speech-language pathology assessments of children with CP±L. Using multiple tools allowed for triangulation of data and privileging different viewpoints, to better understand the children and their contexts. Several children demonstrated speech error patterns outside of what is considered cleft speech characteristics which underscores the importance of broader assessment.
Conclusion: SLPs can consider incorporating evaluation of all components and contextual factors of the ICF-CY when assessing and working with young children with CP±L to inform intervention and management practices.

May 1, 2020

Charles Sturt University’s results in The Times World University Rankings

Charles Sturt University’s 2020 results in The Times World University Rankings were celebrated this morning. Of the 600+ universities surveyed globally, CSU ranked 10th in terms of Australian universities and 61st globally for performance against the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals in terms of research, outreach and stewardship.

Specifically CSU ranked

4th globally for reducing inequalities (SDG 10)
6th globally for gender equality (SDG 5)
37th globally for climate action (SDG 13)

Postponed events

There are a number of events in late April/May that I am no longer speaking at.

Last week I was meant to be a keynote speaker in Cardiff, Wales at the Craniofacial Society of Great Britain and Ireland
Today, I was meant to be the speaker at a 1-day workshop on the Gold Coast in Queensland with 65 speech pathologists from the South East Region of Queensland.
Later in May our team had a number of papers accepted to be presented at the Speech Pathology Australia National Conference in Darwin.

I look forward to when these are rescheduled. Meanwhile, I am working hard with my team to write up more research so that when these are rescheduled I'll have even more to share.