JCPSLP VOL 15 No 1 March 2013

Resource reviews

Speech pathology resources

Gawned, S., & Lee, M. (2012). Booksharing: Successful interaction with your child & books . Perth: Noah’s Ark (WA) Inc.; book: ISBN 978 0 646 57359 5, 33 pages; DVD. Available from noahsarkwa.org.au for AU$24.95. Elizabeth Lea

Hilari, K., & Botting, N. (Eds.) (2011). The impact of communication disability across the lifespan . London: J&R Press; ISBN 978 1 907826 03 0; pp. 298; £24.99 (paperback) plus postage and packing; www.jr-press.co.uk Jane McCormack

Booksharing: Successful Interaction with Your Child & Books is a resource book and DVD created by speech pathologists Sue Gawned and Mary Lee from Child

While numerous books are available that describe the prevalence and characteristics of specific communi­ cation disorders (impairments), few document the way in which such communication disorders influence and impact on the lives of those who experience them. Knowledge of the effects of communication disorders is important to ensure interventions aimed at alleviating

Development Services at WA Health. Gawned and Lee define booksharing as “interacting with your child when you read books together” (p. 10) and aim to provide parents with the strategies to support their child “to develop a love of books and language” (p. 6). After introducing the reader to research related to booksharing, the authors identify a number of ways that booksharing empowers parents to support their child’s learning and development. Colour photographs of parents and their children depict different examples of booksharing and we revisit these families when watching the DVD, which is useful for recalling key points made in the book. After highlighting the importance of booksharing, Gawned and Lee introduce four strategies to assist parents to engage in successful booksharing interactions with their children. The first strategy is the “Booksharing triangle”, which describes the optimal way for parents to sit with their child so that both parties can interact with the story and see each other’s faces. Strategy two outlines how parents can use their face and voice to make the story come alive and the book directs parents to the DVD for further examples of how to implement this strategy. The third strategy addresses the need for turn-taking during booksharing and presents several examples of the ways parents and children can take turns. Strategy four discusses the use of words and text and provides a rationale for parents to use their own words to talk about a story rather than reading every word on a page. The authors also explain when parents should adhere to the text in a story, for example, when reading rhymes and singing songs. Each of the four booksharing strategies is clearly described but without the use of too much text and the authors use dot points to provide examples for further information. Photographs of parents and children demonstrating each strategy and the DVD film clips provide the parent with a clear understanding of how to implement each strategy. As both a speech pathologist and parent to a toddler, I found that this resource reinforced the importance of sharing books with children and will be useful for parents looking for clear, practical strategies to further assist them to instil a love of books in their children.

the effects are functional, relevant, and delivered in a timely manner. This book aims to address the current gap in the literature by presenting the impact of communication disorders, rather than the nature of the disorders. The book is divided into two sections: the first contains chapters which describe the impact of developmental (childhood) communication disorders (including autism, developmental speech sound disorders/language impairment, learning disabilities, stuttering, and deafness); the second contains chapters which describe the impact of communication disorders in adulthood (including aphasia, dementia, acquired motor speech, TBI, voice, and head and neck cancer). Each chapter, written by an expert in the field, contains a brief overview of a particular communication disorder; the focus then shifts to a description of the areas of impact most relevant to that communication disorder. For instance, authors of the chapters relating to developmental communication disorders describe a range of potential and wide-reaching effects; however, common impacts are educational and/or social difficulties. The authors often discuss factors that may influence the extent of the impact, including persistence/progression of the disorder, and support networks available (including family context). All chapters within the book include a section on clinical implications, which provide evidence of the impact of communication disorder and interventions available to address the impact. Current gaps in knowledge are identified and directions for future research are highlighted. In addition, the final chapter in each section is co-written by people with communication disabilities. These two chapters provide individuals with communication disabilities with a voice to describe their lived experiences, and provide readers with an insight into communication disorders from the perspective of those who live with them. The child/ youth chapter includes artwork completed by the co- authors and is used to help illustrate their experiences. This book provides a useful summary of research investigating the impact of particular communication

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JCPSLP Volume 15, Number 1 2013

Journal of Clinical Practice in Speech-Language Pathology