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Speech and articulatory rates of school-age children in conversation and narrative contexts
Jennifer A Sturm1, Carol H Seery
1University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Communication Sciences & Disorders Department, P.O. Box 413, Enderis Hall 873, Milwaukee, WI 53201-0413, USA.
Purpose:
This study provides preliminary reference data for speech and articulatory rates of school-age children in conversational and narrative speaking contexts.
Method:
Participants included 36 typically developing children in 3 groups of 12 participants at ages 7, 9, and 11 years. Conversational and narrative speech rates were measured in words per minute, syllables per minute, and syllables per second.
Results:
Speaking rates increased with age between ages 7 and 9, but rates were similar between ages 9 and 11. Between contexts, only the words per minute measure was significantly higher (faster) in narrative than in conversation.
Implications:
These results are important to the assessment, treatment, and management of children with communication disorders in clinical or school settings.
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