A Book Reading Intervention with Mothers of Children with Language Difficulties

Abstract

MOTHERS OF CHILDREN WITH significant language delays were trained to use two key strategies: first, pausing to allow child language initiations and, second, asking an open-ended question to build a conversation based on a topic chosen by the child. These strategies were implemented within a book-reading context, with generalisation to a wider range of contexts being encouraged within naturalistic settings. Significant improvements in expressive and spoken language skills, coupled with large-effect sizes on all measures, including receptive language, were achieved over a four-month period in the intervention group. A post hoc analysis confirmed that the benefits were partly dependent on an initial child vocabulary of at least 60 words. The mothers' capacity to learn and successfully use a set of simple new strategies confirms the importance of direct parent involvement in child language learning. Further, the mothers reported that the strategies were easy to implement and that they enjoyed the program.