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Doctoral Degrees (Speech Language Pathology)

Permanent URI for this collectionhttps://hdl.handle.net/10413/6761

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Browsing Doctoral Degrees (Speech Language Pathology) by Author "Flack, Penelope Susan."

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    Development and validation of a bilingual language battery for language-based learning disabilities.
    (2018) Mazibuko, Xolisile Innocentia.; Flack, Penelope Susan.; Kvalsvig, Jane Dene.
    There are social, linguistic, cultural, and political dimensions that impact on health and education in South Africa. The evolving nature of these dimensions demand the use of language assessment tools that are developed and validated for the South African population. Speech-language assessment informs parents and educators of the nature of speech and language difficulties the learner may have and guides the intervention. IsiZulu is the most widely spoken African language in South Africa. Therefore, development of a tool to assess expressive, receptive, and written language skills of learners with language-based learning disorders in isiZulu, is imperative. The aim of this study was to develop and validate a tool for language assessment of isiZulu-English speaking learners in grades 1, 2, and 3 who may have language-based learning disabilities. An assessment tool was designed to assess core language skills and identify early indicators of language-based learning disabilities that may result in academic difficulties. The tool development process aimed to construct an innovative test that is linguistically and culturally sensitive to bilingual or isiZulu-English speakers while the content is rich for identifying indicators of language-based learning disability. Elements in expressive and receptive language, phonological awareness, listening, reading, and mathematically-based language concepts were considered. The conceptual tool development phase involved a systematic literature review, pretesting with two existing tools and consultation of a five member Delphi review panel for advice and reviews. Field trials contributed to the development of test items and procedures and tested the tool’s application in mainstream and remedial schools as well as rural and urban communities of learners in KwaZulu-Natal. A combination of qualitative and quantitative methods were used to collect and analyse data. The results indicated that the new tool was linguistically and culturally appropriate. The majority of the subtests provided good reliability and valid results. The study makes a worthy contribution to the body of knowledge in the field of speech-language therapy and basic education. The results and guidelines from this study set out the basic elements required for development of language assessment tools in other African languages. The development of the assessment tool will yield standardization of a bilingual language assessment tool in South Africa.
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    The use of an English language assessment test on South African English additional language (EAL) speakers from an indigenous language and cultural background : a critical evaluation.
    (2013) Mdlalo, Thandeka.; Flack, Penelope Susan.; Joubert, Robin Wendy Elizabeth.
    The aim of the study is to provide an in-depth interrogation and critique of the use of language assessment tools on populations from indigenous language and cultural backgrounds, culminating in a framework for guiding the adaptation of language assessment tools to be culturally and linguistically relevant for the indigenous South African populations on which they are used. As South Africa is a multilingual and multicultural country, it contributes to understanding the factors that need to be taken into account for acquiring reliable and valid findings with multilingual and multicultural populations. The isiZulu language and culture is used as a basis for the study as the study is conducted in KwaZulu-Natal. This study critically evaluates the assessment of English Additional Language (EAL) speakers who are from an indigenous linguistic and cultural background, using an English expressive language screening tool, the Renfrew Action Picture Test (RAPT) as an example. The cultural and linguistic relevance of this commonly used screening tool is interrogated from four different viewpoints, firstly, the perspective of the children, who are the target population of the tool; secondly, that of the parents and community, who play a significant role in the socialisation of the children; thirdly, from the perspective of the academics from an indigenous language and cultural background, who provide an academic perspective of the tool; and finally, Speech-Language Therapists (SLTs) who administer the tool and interpret the findings. This study uses a mixed methods approach. Multiple data collection methods are used, such as a survey, focus group, individual interviews, test administration and consensus methods. The survey and Delphi technique form the quantitative parts of the research methodology. Patterns of responses from all the sources are analysed and interpreted. Methodologically, the research is unique as it uses children as a source of primary data collection. Children, in research, are usually only used in the administration of the test and their opinion of the tool is not sought. In this study the voice of the children is the main contributor to the data collection. The findings also show that adults, who are often relied on as primary data sources in research on language tools used on children, may have certain misconceptions about children’s knowledge and views. A key finding of this study is that the cultural and linguistic background of the child assessed plays a crucial role in determining and interpreting the responses to the presented material of the language assessment tool. The conscientisation of the Speech Language Therapist and the redefining of her role emerge as pivotal aspects facilitating change. Based on this finding, recommendations, such as that the therapist equips herself with knowledge of the language of the client, the cultural and linguistic background of the child assessed, the type of bilingual that the child is, are made so that the reliability and validity of the findings are not compromised.