Masters Degrees (Speech-Language and Hearing Therapy)

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Browsing Masters Degrees (Speech-Language and Hearing Therapy) by Author "Acker, Twanette"

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    The patterns of development in generated narratives of a group of typically developing South African children aged 5 to 9 years
    (Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2012-03) Acker, Twanette; Klop, Daleen; Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Health Sciences. Dept. of Interdisciplinary Health Sciences. Speech Language and Hearing Therapy.
    ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Narrative skills have found to be a predictor of academic success with clear correlations to later reading and writing abilities in children. The quality of narratives and the language disorders displayed in specific clinical populations has also been correlated, making narratives a useful diagnostic tool. To be able to know what is atypical, one has to know what is normal. Normative based assessment materials are very limited in South Africa. Commercially available assessments are often inappropriate because of the complex nature of narratives and the influence of socio-economic, linguistic and cultural factors. There is therefore a need not only to develop appropriate assessment materials but also to obtain normative data for use in the South African context. The main research question this study attempted to answer is: What are the patterns of narrative development in normally developing children? A total of 62 typically developing children from schools in a middle class residential area was selected. Three different age groups were identified: Grade R (5 to 6 years), Grade 1 (6 to 7 years) and Grade 3 (8 years 6 months to 9 years 6 months) based on their different exposure to literate language. It was assumed that they would display distinct patterns of narrative development, with an increase in the complexity of narrative features with age. A wordless picture book, regarded as appropriate for the South African context, was developed and used to elicit a narrative from each participant. Narratives were analysed using a comprehensive narrative assessment protocol. Assessment areas included macrostructure, microstructure, use of literate language and the use of abstraction. Results were compared in terms of group differences and developmental trajectories. The assessment protocol showed similar story lengths in all age groups, suggesting that when the developed wordless picture book was used as elicitation stimulus, any significant differences between groups could be of diagnostic value. Results showed clear developmental trajectories in terms of macrostructural measures. The group differences between Grade R and Grade 1 in terms of microstructural measures were not significant. There was, however, a significant increase in terms of syntactic complexity and lexical diversity from Grade R to Grade 3. No significant development was observed in terms of the use of literate language features across the year groups and a group effect was offered as a possible explanation. In contrast to concrete statements, children as young as 5 years old used mainly abstractions in their generated narratives.