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Fresh science and pioneering practice
120
JCPSLP
Volume 17, Number 3 2015
Journal of Clinical Practice in Speech-Language Pathology
KEYWORDS
AUTISM
SHARED
READING
SPECIFIC
LANGUAGE
IMPAIRMENT
THIS ARTICLE
HAS BEEN
PEER-
REVIEWED
Alison Arndt
(top) and
Joanne Arciuli
the
Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders
,
5th edition (DSM-V), a diagnosis of ASD is characterised by
impairments in social interaction/communication, and
restricted, repetitive, and/or sensory behaviours (American
Psychiatric Association, 2013). A seminal study explored
the reading performance of 41 children with ASD aged
6–16 years (Nation et al., 2006). Half the sample obtained
scores that were age-appropriate or above on tests of
reading accuracy. Of these children, more than half had
relatively poor comprehension. This suggests that
regardless of how well some children with ASD can decode
words, reading comprehension can sometimes be adversely
affected. This finding was supported in a study by Arciuli,
Stevens, Trembath, and Simpson (2013), and in a recent
review which highlighted that some children with ASD
experience particular difficulties with reading comprehension,
despite having adequate word identification skills (El Zein,
Solis, Vaughn, & McCulley, 2014).
Specific language impairment refers to the presence of
impaired oral language, despite no other physical or cognitive
impairments (Bishop & Adams, 1990). Some children
diagnosed with SLI experience difficulty with literacy
development (Catts, Bridges, Little, & Tomblin, 2008; Catts,
Fey, Tomblin, & Zhang, 2002). It has been estimated that
51% of children with SLI have impaired reading (McArthur,
Hogben, Edwards, Heath, & Mengler, 2000). A study by
Botting, Simkin, and Conti-Ramsden (2006) examined the
reading ability of 200 children with SLI at age 7, and again
at age 11. They found that 82% of poor word readers at
age 7 had poor reading accuracy at age 11. This pattern of
results mirrored earlier data which suggested that children
with persisting language difficulties at age 5½ had reading
difficulties at age 8½ (Bishop & Adams, 1990). Of course,
poor reading accuracy is often related to poor reading
comprehension. Some studies have highlighted that children
with SLI can also show weakness in reading comprehension
(Botting et al., 2006; Catts et al., 2008; Nation, Clarke,
Marshall, & Durand, 2004). Despite this, there appears to
be less evidence of particular weaknesses in
comprehension in the SLI literature than the ASD literature.
In summary, children with ASD or with SLI can present
with a variety of reading profiles. Some children perform
at average or even well above average levels, when
compared with typically developing peers, while others face
difficulties learning to read. These reading difficulties may
involve accuracy and/or comprehension. Much of what we
know about reading in children with ASD or SLI has come
from studies that have used standardised tests of reading
Shared reading (SR) has many benefits for
children’s reading development, yet we know
little about SR in families where children have
a developmental disability. This study reports
on 2 cases of SR in mother–child dyads. One
child was diagnosed with autism spectrum
disorder (ASD), and the other with specific
language impairment (SLI). SR interactions
were video-recorded and each mother’s
utterances were analysed. Results revealed
some evidence to suggest that the mothers in
our study were able to adapt their utterances
during SR to address their children’s specific
needs. With speech-language pathologists
increasingly being asked to advise on
children’s literacy, this study provides a
framework for monitoring the input that
parents provide to their children during SR.
S
hared reading (SR, also referred to as “shared book
reading”, “home-based reading”, “family literacy”, or
“parent–child reading”), where a parent reads with
their child, has a number of positive benefits with regard to
children’s reading acquisition. By engaging in SR, adults
provide a structured, yet naturalistic, setting to develop
children’s language and literacy skills (e.g., Audet, Evans,
Williamson, & Reynolds, 2008; Barachetti & Lavelli, 2011;
Evans, Barraball, & Eberle, 1998). As some children with
autism spectrum disorder (ASD) or with specific language
impairment (SLI) are at risk for literacy difficulties (Catts,
Bridges, Little, & Tomblin, 2008; Nation, Clarke, Wright, &
Williams, 2006), it may be especially beneficial for these
children to engage in SR interactions. However, to date, the
majority of SR research has examined typically developing
children. There has been much less research on SR within
special populations. In the current study, we were interested
in exploring mothers’ input during SR for a child with ASD
and a child with SLI. The overarching aim was to provide a
framework for monitoring mothers’ input during SR that can
be used by speech-language pathologists.
ASD and SLI
Autism spectrum disorder is a group of neurodevelopmental
disorders which affect the way individuals function and
interact with people and their environment. According to
Shared reading between mothers
and children with autism or
specific Language Impairment
An exploratory study
Alison Arndt and Joanne Arciuli