Speech Therapy Experiences in the Public Schools-2 (STEPS-2)

PROJECT SUMMARY

STEPS-2 is a longitudinal study designed to examine the linguistic characteristics of Speech-Language Pathologists’ (SLP) child-directed talk during school-based therapy sessions and the contributions of such talk to the change of children’s language over time.

The project has four main goals in two phases.

Phase 1: Using secondary data from its preceding study and automatic speech analysis tools

to examine the dimensions of SLP child-directed talk — quantity, complexity, and responsivity — over time,
to identify SLP characteristics that are meaningfully associated with the dimensions of SLP talk, and
to identify the precise dimensions of SLP talk that contribute uniquely to children’s language growth over time.

Phase 2:

to explore the feasibility and acceptability of an adaptive feedback intervention designed to prescribe values of SLP talk and provide real-time feedback to enhance characteristics and/or dimensions of SLP talk during therapy.

— Funding —

This project has been funded by the Institute of Education Sciences, U.S. Department of Education.

— Timeline —

Phase 1: July 2021-June 2024
Phase 2: July 2024-June 2025

WE ARE NOW SEEKING SPEECH-LANGUAGE PATHOLOGISTS AND SLP GRADUATE STUDENTS TO PARTICIPATE IN PHASE 2 OF THIS STUDY

We have put together an information page for Speech-Language Pathologists and graduate students in SLP about participating in the STEPS-2 project. We invite Speech-Language Pathologists and SLP graduate students to click on the button below to learn more.

WE ARE ALSO SEEKING PRESCHOOL-AGED CHILDREN TO PARTICIPATE IN PHASE 2 OF THIS STUDY

We have put together an information page for families of preschool-aged children about having their child participate in the STEPS-2 project. We invite families to click on the button below to learn more.