Text-Based Intervention




Text-based intervention is based on the idea of using fiction and non-fiction texts as the primary language teaching tool.


Text-based strategies (Pro's)



As outlined in shared book reading, text-based language instruction is considered best practice for teaching oral anfd written language skills to school-age students. One of its strengths is that text-based instruction provides a context for the language impaired child to work within.


When a child learns language within a familiar context (such as a familiar picture book) they are better able to retain and generalize any new information.


Text-based strategies (Con's)



In the past, one of the chief criticisms of text-based language instruction is that it fails to appreciate that language is made up of separate but integrated systems.


This has elements of truth to it, but is not the full story. I have known a number of students that have strong language skills in most areas but may struggle with one aspect of language.


An example of this is a student who has adequate oral language and reading skills but struggles with written grammar and syntax.


For this student, it's best to use systematic language techniques that target those skills specifically.


It's important to point out that an advantage of modern text-based language therapy is that it is systematic and structured.


The techniques detailed by Kathryn DeKemel and Geraldine Wallach in their books combine text-based language intervention principles with systematic clinician-directed techniques. font>



References

DeKemel, K.P. (2003) Intervention in Language Arts: A Practical Guide for Speech-Language Pathologists. Butterworth-Heinemann.

Wallach, G.P. (2008) Language Intervention for School-Age Students: Setting Goals for Academic Success. Mosby Elsevier


Content Updated 8/11


Return from Text-Based Intervention to Oral Language Strategies

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