Morrisette, M. & Gierut, J. (2003)
Morrisette, M. & Gierut, J. (2003). Unified treatment recommendations: A response to Rvachew and Nowak (2001). Journal of Speech, Language, and Hearing Research, 46, 382-386. Retrieved March 17, 2008, from ASHA Journals (http://journals.asha.org).
TAP
The topic of this article was the selection of targets for phonological treatment and the generalizability of the targets.The article is intented for students and speech langauge pathologists. Specifically those working with children who have a phonological disorder. The purpose of this particular article is to show that the findings of Rvachew and Rowland do not challenge earlier findings but extend the generalizability of those results in positive ways.
Claim(s)
The authors made the following claims:
1. Targeting sounds that the child has the least knowledge of and sounds that are later developing results in greater change across the child’s sound system.
2. Targeting sounds that the child has the least knowledge of and sounds that are later developing results in generalization to untreated sounds.
3. Targeting sounds that the child has the least knowledge of and sounds that are later developing results in changes to sounds from other manner classes.
4. Parents were most satisfied with the changes in their child’s speech when the early developing/least knowledge sounds were targeted.
Evidence
The authors used many sources to support their claims. The sources consisted of articles in scholarly journals, texts, and studies. The main source that the authors referred to was Rvachew & Nowak (2001). The authors referred to three related studies by Gierut et al to support the claims that were made.
Connections
Text-to-self: I am confused about the contradiction between what the author claimed about more change occuring when later developing sounds are targeted and the parents being most satisfied about their child’s progress when the earlier developing sounds are targeted. As I think about this contradiction, I can only explain this as an issue with time. I assume the parents are more satisfied when early sound are targeted because the change occurs quickly. Whereas when later developing sounds are targeted the change occurs more slowly because there is more for the child to learn because was no knowledge of the targets before treatment was initiated.
Text-to-text: This article connected to a previous article written by Rvachew and Nowak. This article also connects with other articles regarding phonological treatment because target selection and generalization was discussed in many articles I have read for the course reading list and during my research for my treatment position paper.
Text-to-world: This article is relevant to clinical treatment because speech language pathologists want to elicit the most change possible during phonological treatment. This article provides information and resouces that can be used for the selection of treatment targets.
