Maximizing Treatment Effectiveness: Six Critical Elements of a Successful Intensive Preschool Language Program for...

This clinical focus article examines six critical elements of a successful and evidence-based summer Intensive Preschool Language Program and the lessons learned over the 9 years of its implementation. The program serves a heterogeneous group of children who have been diagnosed with a language disorder, including children with developmental language disorder, children who are dual language learners, and children identified with other associated conditions such as autism spectrum disorder, all of whom share the goal of expanding expressive language skills.

Each critical element is discussed in terms of its significance to the program's success, how it has been adapted to better meet the needs of the children based on ongoing observations and progress monitoring, and the key clinical insights gained throughout the program's duration.

We present three case studies illustrating analysis of pretreatment language samples, selection of goals and treatment methods, and documentation of client progress in syntax and narrative development to showcase different profiles of client growth within the program. We provide a comparison of a high- versus low-intensity program and demonstrate that a lower intensity program was effective for children with high self-regulation needs.

The results highlight the value of implementing a child-focused treatment approach, utilizing efficient and targeted language sample analysis to identify goals and monitor progress, the effectiveness of addressing syntax and narrative macrostructure at increasing levels of elaboration and complexity for preschool children, and the importance of aligning program intensity with the child's self-regulation needs.