What is it about?
This study explored how speech-language pathologists (SLPs) in New Zealand and Australia measure child-directed speech (CDS) in clinical practice, given its importance for children’s language development. An online survey completed by 116 clinicians found that most use informal methods, such as observing adult–child interactions, checklists, and discussions with adults, to assess CDS. Key barriers included limited time, challenges in collaborating with adults, and the lack of reliable tools. The study highlights a need for validated tools to assess CDS effectively. Automated speech analysis technology could offer a promising solution for more precise and efficient CDS measurement in clinical settings.
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Why is it important?
Supporting adults in using language facilitating strategies is a common area of practice for speech language pathologists as it can boost children's language development. However measuring how adults and children interact is not easy to do in a time-efficient, reliable and valid way. This study surveyed New Zealand and Australian clinicians' current practices in this area, and summarised recommendations from the research literature on measurement of child directed speech. Recommendations are made for stronger measurement practices to be used in many clinics.
Perspectives
This publication is a really useful contribution to the challenge of measuring child directed speech. It covers how researchers measure child directed speech, and compares this with current practices of clinicians. A marked difference in measurement is seen, which likely impacts on the accuracy of child directed speech assessment in many clinics. Hopefully more time efficient systems of measurement using computerised metrics and artificial intelligence will become readily available in the future at a fair price to better support clinical practice. It is set within western culture however and may not be applicable to all communities.
Jayne Newbury
University of Canterbury
Read the Original
This page is a summary of: Measurement of child-directed speech: A survey of clinical practice, International Journal of Speech-Language Pathology, August 2019, Taylor & Francis,
DOI: 10.1080/17549507.2019.1650111.
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