Concurrent task sequencing in single-phoneme phonologic treatment and generalization

Phonologic treatments have traditionally been designed to teach a target speech sound starting with presumed easy teaching tasks and progressing to harder tasks. This investigation evaluated the effects on single-phoneme acquisition, generalization, and maintenance of Concurrent Treatment, which randomly intermixed presumed easy and hard teaching tasks were utilized. A multiple-baseline-across-subjects design was used with 4- to 7-year-old participants with /s/ misarticulations. All four participants rapidly acquired /s/ and showed generalization to untaught exemplars ranging from syllables to connected speech. Two participants showed generalization to within-clinic conversations and across settings. Results suggested that an easy-to-hard task sequence may be unnecessary for successful treatment outcomes and that the concurrent sequence may be beneficial. Implications for treatment design and future research are discussed.

(1) As a result of this activity, the participant will be able to explain the difference between incremental and concurrent task sequence. (2) As a result of this activity, the participant will be able to explain the procedures of Concurrent Treatment. (3) As a result of this activity, the participant will be able to explain the results of the experimental investigation of Concurrent Treatment.