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Redirects: a strategy to increase peer initiations
C M Schuele1, M L Rice, K A Wilcox
1Department of Speech Pathology and Audiology, University of Nevada, Reno, USA.
Journal of Speech and Hearing Research
|December 1, 1995
Summary
Teachers can help preschoolers with specific language impairment (SLI) improve peer interactions. A "redirect" strategy successfully encouraged children with SLI to initiate conversations with peers, enhancing social communication skills.
Area of Science:
- Child Development
- Speech-Language Pathology
- Early Childhood Education
Background:
- Preschoolers' verbal abilities significantly impact peer interactions.
- Children with specific language impairment (SLI) often interact more with adults than peers.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate a teacher-implemented strategy called "redirects" to encourage peer initiations in preschoolers with SLI.
- To assess the effectiveness of redirects in facilitating social communication between children with SLI and their peers.
Main Methods:
- Four preschool boys diagnosed with SLI participated.
- Teachers were trained to use redirects, redirecting child-initiated adult interactions towards peers.
- Data were collected on teacher redirection frequency and child peer initiations.
Main Results:
- Teacher training effectively increased the use of redirects.
- Children with SLI consistently initiated peer interactions in response to redirects.
- Most redirected initiations resulted in conversational responses from peers.
- Two participants demonstrated generalization of spontaneous peer initiations post-intervention.
Conclusions:
- The redirect strategy is a viable method for increasing peer-directed initiations in preschoolers with SLI.
- Teacher-implemented interventions can effectively enhance social communication skills in young children with language impairments.
- Facilitating peer interactions is crucial for the social development of children with SLI.