The New Training Method For Speech And Language Delay: Learning The New Words By Suepl

Abstract

Objective: Language and speech should be taught in the natural flow of the life. For this purpose, we developed the new training method for speech and language delay: Learning the new words by "Synchronously-understanding the Unplanned Event and Os Picture through Listening" (SUEPL). The aim of this study was to use the SUEPL to determine expressive speech skills in children with receptive and expressive language delay. Materials and Methods: Nine children with receptive and expressive language delay with the mean age of 37 months were included into the study. They were applied the training method of learning the new words by SUEPL. In SUEPL method, the family draws a picture of the actual event that is experienced at that moment. Pictures are shown to the child while asking the question appropriate to the word one wanted to teach. Question about the picture was answered other than the child. Child only listened to the answer. Every day, question is asked to other person by showing the drawn picture with the intervals of 1-2 hours or more. Child listened to the answer. This procedure went on until the answer is taken from the child by self. When making sure about the child's learning the word, picture is teared. The number of daily drawn pictures depends on the child's age and learning performance. At first, 5-10 words per day; then 10-20 words; later 20 - 30 words. To evaluate the effects of SUEPL training method on hearing, language and speech; and to determine in how many months the children talked, we calculated the number of new learned words and learning time. By Language scale test 4, it was assessed when they reached to language skills as appropriate to their chronological age level. Results: It was determined that the children who received SUEPL training began to improve their expressive speech in 6 months (ranged 4 to 8 months) with a learned word number of 200 (range 150 to 250 words). Normally developed speech was achieved within 13 months (ranged 8 to 18 months) with a learned number of 375 words (range 250 to 500 words). Conclusion: It was concluded that the new training method for speech and language delay "Synchronously-understanding the Unplanned Event and its Picture through Listening" (SUEPL) was an effective method to improve language and speech in a short time. With this method, children learn words related to everyday life more quickly. As they know which words to use (word retrieval) in the event or condition they encountered in daily life, their communicating with speech skills increased. In conclusion, with this training method of SUEPL, the plasticity of the auditory system may be increased with the help of continuous stimuli. Therefore, children may be able to understand the ongoing speech at that moment, they heard; and may be able to continue mutual conversation.