1 A Functional Approach to Language Assessment, Intervention & Parent/Professional Interactions By Dr. Harold Johnson/Michigan State University 2007 Michigan Early Hearing Detection & Intervention Annual Conference

2 Outline Participant Identification & Expectations Functional Language… …Goals …Assessment …Intervention Resources References Q&A Contact Information

3 Participant Identification & Expectations My professional background and why I am doing this presentation. Who is in attendance today? Parents… Teachers… Speech Pathologist… Audiologist… Others… What do you hope to take away from this presentation?

4 Functional Language: Goals 1.Recognize and support parents as the experts on their children. Why is this goal important? 2.Provide parents with objective, comprehensible and timely information and resources. Why is this goal important? 3.Assist parents in understanding, responding, documenting and sharing their childrens evolving patterns of interactional, communicative and linguistic behaviors. Why is this goal important? 4.What additional goals would you suggest we add to this list? Why is this goal important?

5 Functional Language: Assessment Goal #1: Recognize and support parents as the experts on their children. Assessment: Parental evolving ability to gather and share accurate, in depth information concerning their childs history, abilities and needs Product: Longitudinal Case Study How difficult would it be to do this?

6 Assessment (cont.) Goal #2: Provide parents with objective, comprehensible and timely information and resources. Assessment: Parents questions and available resources…changes over time. Product: Longitudinal Q&A Log & Resource Map How difficult would it be to do this?

7 Assessment (cont.) Goal #3: Assist parents in their ability to establish an effective language learning environment for their child. Assessment: Evolving ability of the parent to effectively and efficiently observe, recognize, respond to, document, and share their childs emerging patterns of interactional, communicative and linguistic behaviors. Increasing ability of the child to understand and be understood, i.e., Topics…focus of the interaction Tasks…purpose of the interaction Turns…length of the interaction Modalities…sign and/or speech Contexts…physical & interpersonal Product: Longitudinal, Multimedia Baby Book How difficult would it be to do this? (cont. next page)

8 Assessment (cont.) Goal 3: Assessment (cont.) *Level 1 : (*Bromwich, R. (1981) The parent enjoys her child Level 2 : The parent is sensitive observer of her child, reads his behavioral cues accurately, and is responsive to them Level 3 : The parent engages in a quality of interaction with her child that is mutually satisfying and that provides opportunity for the development of attachment. Level 4 : The parent demonstrates an awareness of materials, activities, and experiences suitable for her child's current stage of development. Level 5 : The parent initiates new play activities and experiences based on principles that she has internalized from her own experiences, or on the same principles as activities suggested to or modeled for her. Level 6 : The parent independently generates a wide range of developmentally appropriate activities and experiences, interesting to the child, in familiar and new situations, and at new levels of the child's development. Product: Longitudinal Observational Notes How difficult would it be to do this?

9 Assessment (cont.) Goal #4: [provided by the participants] Assessment: Why is this goal important?

10 Functional Language: Intervention Goal #1: Recognize and support parents as the experts on their children…*Strategies: (*Bromwich, R. (1981) 1.enabling parents to remain in control 2.avoiding the "authority-layman" gap 3.dealing with parents' priorities and concerns 4.building on parents strengths 5.respecting parents' goals for their children 6.involving parents in planning 7.respecting individual styles of parent-child interaction 8.using reinforcements is not enough 9.giving parents an "out" 10.sharing how it feels to get no response *Bromwich, R. (1981) How difficult would it be to do this?

11 Intervention (cont.) Goal #2: Provide parents with objective, comprehensible and timely information and resources…*Strategies: We wish for Choices Unbiased information about communication options. Provide us with the information we need to make well informed decisions. Respect the choices that families make. Let us, the parents, make the final decision. We wish for Information When we ask for your professional opinion, don't be afraid to give it, but please don't deliver your opinion in "absolutes". Give us books, pamphlets, phone numbers, support groups, anything that will be helpful to us in understanding our child's hearing loss and where to find help. If we ask a question, and you don't have the answer, help us find the resource where we can find the answer. As children and parents grow, their choices and need for information grows.*Hands & Voices (2007) How difficult would it be to do this?

12 Intervention (cont.) Goal #3: Assist parents in their ability to establish an effective language learning environment for their child…*Strategies: (*Spencer, P. (2003) Sensitivity to infant visually aware and responsive to opt. to interact…treat behavior as intentional…expect com. Topic responsiveness follow childs lead Talking to infant melodic & repetitive Use visual & tactical cues… pointing & stroking

13 Intervention (cont.) Goal #3: Strategies (cont.) Exaggerated facial expression Establish mutual eye gaze moving into childs line of vision Commenting on what the child is doing & feeling associating language with actions Expanding on childs communicative behavior providing more conventional communicative models Waiting for the child to look up Producing short utterances, w/ repetition, of single signs or words Pointing or tapping objects being discussed…

14 Intervention (cont.) Goal #3: Strategies (cont.) Moving interesting objects up to face Tapping the child to signal look at me Attempting to prolong the interaction for as many turns as possible Use action orientated vs. naming activities Provide opportunities for parents of newly identified children to talk with parents of older children who are d/hh + observe the parents interacting with their children How difficult would it be to do this?

15 Intervention (cont.) Goal #4: [provided by the participants] Strategies:

16 Resources Communication Choice Decision Wisconsins babies & hearing: An interactive notebook for families with a young child who is deaf or hard of hearing - Building blocks for communication. Web Site: National Center for Hearing Assessment & ManagementNational Center for Hearing Assessment & Management (

17 Resources (cont.) Comprehensive Guide Hearing & Amplification Language & Learning Decisions…Decisions Building Conversations Building Concepts Positive Parenting Learning from my family Learning through play Parent to Parent Web Site: my babys hearing (

18 Resources (cont.) Speech & Language Developmental Milestones What are speech and language? How do speech and language normally develop? What are speech and language developmental milestones? How do I know if my child is reaching the milestones? What should I do if my child's speech or language appears to be delayed? What research is being conducted on developmental speech and language problems? Where can I get additional information? Web site: National Institute on Deafness and Other Com. Disorders ( )

19 Resources (cont.) Parent to Parent Resources Services Chapters Events Web Site: Hands & Voices ( What additional resources would you suggest?

20 References Bromwich, R. (1981). Working with parents and infants: An interactional approach. University Park Press: Baltimore, MD. Hands & Voices (nd). Early intervention: The parent perspective. Downloaded on February 14, 2007 from: on/wishlist_early_int.html on/wishlist_early_int.html Spencer, P.E. (2003). Parent-Child interaction: Implications for intervention and development. In Bodner-Johnson & Sass-Lehrer. The young deaf or hard of hearing child: A family-centered approach to early education. Paul Brooks, Baltimore, MD.

21 Q&A What questions would you like to ask? What information would you like to share?

22 Contact Information Harold Johnson/Professor – Deaf Education Dept. of CPSE 343A Erickson Hall East Lansing, MI IP