Evaluating Teacher Language Within General and Special Education Classrooms Serving Elementary Students with Autism

Overview

Journal J Autism Dev Disord

Publisher Springer

Date 2021 Jun 9

PMID 34106392

Authors

Nicole Sparapani

Vanessa P Reinhardt

Jessica L Hooker

Lindee Morgan

Christopher Schatschneider

Amy M Wetherby

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

This study examined how teachers and paraprofessionals in 126 kindergarten-second grade general and special education classrooms talked with their 194 students with autism, and further, how individual student characteristics in language, autism symptoms, and social abilities influenced this talk. Using systematic observational methods and factor analysis, we identified a unidimensional model of teacher language for general and special education classrooms yet observed differences between the settings, with more language observed in special education classrooms-much of which included directives and close-ended questions. Students' receptive vocabulary explained a significant amount of variance in teacher language beyond its shared covariance with social impairment and problem behavior in general education classrooms but was non-significant within special education classrooms. Research implications are discussed.

References

Hamre B, Pianta R . Can instructional and emotional support in the first-grade classroom make a difference for children at risk of school failure?. Child Dev. 2005; 76(5):949-67. DOI: 10.1111/j.1467-8624.2005.00889.x. View

Qian X . Differences in teachers verbal responsiveness to groups of children with ASD who vary in cognitive and language abilities. J Intellect Disabil Res. 2018; 62(6):557-568. DOI: 10.1111/jir.12495. View

Irvin D, Boyd B, Odom S . Child and setting characteristics affecting the adult talk directed at preschoolers with autism spectrum disorder in the inclusive classroom. Autism. 2014; 19(2):223-34. DOI: 10.1177/1362361313517398. View

Connor C, Kelcey B, Sparapani N, Petscher Y, Siegal S, Adams A . Predicting Second and Third Graders' Reading Comprehension Gains: Observing Students' and Classmates Talk during Literacy Instruction using COLT. Sci Stud Read. 2020; 24(5):411-433. PMC: 7450709. DOI: 10.1080/10888438.2019.1698583. View

Williford A, LoCasale-Crouch J, Whittaker J, DeCoster J, Hartz K, Carter L . Changing Teacher-Child Dyadic Interactions to Improve Preschool Children's Externalizing Behaviors. Child Dev. 2016; 88(5):1544-1553. DOI: 10.1111/cdev.12703. View

Connor C . A Lattice Model of the Development of Reading Comprehension. Child Dev Perspect. 2016; 10(4):269-274. PMC: 5110216. DOI: 10.1111/cdep.12200. View

Mashburn A, Pianta R, Hamre B, Downer J, Barbarin O, Bryant D . Measures of classroom quality in prekindergarten and children's development of academic, language, and social skills. Child Dev. 2008; 79(3):732-49. DOI: 10.1111/j.1467-8624.2008.01154.x. View

Sparapani N, Solari E, Towers L, McIntyre N, Henry A, Zajic M . Secondary Analysis of Reading-Based Activities Utilizing a Scripted Language Approach: Evaluating Interactions Between Students With Autism and Their Interventionists. J Speech Lang Hear Res. 2020; 63(9):3130-3154. DOI: 10.1044/2020_JSLHR-19-00146. View

Girolametto L, Weitzman E . Responsiveness of Child Care Providers in Interactions With Toddlers and Preschoolers. Lang Speech Hear Serv Sch. 2002; 33(4):268-281. DOI: 10.1044/0161-1461(2002/022). View

10.

. Prevalence of autism spectrum disorder among children aged 8 years - autism and developmental disabilities monitoring network, 11 sites, United States, 2010. MMWR Surveill Summ. 2014; 63(2):1-21. View

11.

Dobbs J, Arnold D . The Relationship Between Preschool Teachers' Reports of Children's Behavior and Their Behavior Toward Those Children. Sch Psychol Q. 2010; 24(2):95-105. PMC: 2860963. DOI: 10.1037/a0016157. View

12.

Hamre B, Pianta R, Downer J, DeCoster J, Mashburn A, Jones S . TEACHING THROUGH INTERACTIONS: Testing a Developmental Framework of Teacher Effectiveness in over 4,000 Classrooms. Elem Sch J. 2021; 113(4):461-487. PMC: 8423353. DOI: 10.1086/669616. View

13.

OConnor E . Teacher-child relationships as dynamic systems. J Sch Psychol. 2010; 48(3):187-218. DOI: 10.1016/j.jsp.2010.01.001. View

14.

Gotham K, Pickles A, Lord C . Standardizing ADOS scores for a measure of severity in autism spectrum disorders. J Autism Dev Disord. 2008; 39(5):693-705. PMC: 2922918. DOI: 10.1007/s10803-008-0674-3. View

15.

Yoshikawa H, Hsueh J . Child development and public policy: toward a dynamic systems perspective. Child Dev. 2002; 72(6):1887-903. DOI: 10.1111/1467-8624.00384. View

16.

Dykstra J, Sabatos-DeVito M, Irvin D, Boyd B, Hume K, Odom S . Using the Language Environment Analysis (LENA) system in preschool classrooms with children with autism spectrum disorders. Autism. 2012; 17(5):582-94. DOI: 10.1177/1362361312446206. View

17.

Connor C, Morrison F . Individualizing Student Instruction in Reading: Implications for Policy and Practice. Policy Insights Behav Brain Sci. 2018; 3(1):54-61. PMC: 5935258. DOI: 10.1177/2372732215624931. View

18.

Hus V, Gotham K, Lord C . Standardizing ADOS domain scores: separating severity of social affect and restricted and repetitive behaviors. J Autism Dev Disord. 2012; 44(10):2400-12. PMC: 3612387. DOI: 10.1007/s10803-012-1719-1. View

19.

Hamre B, Hatfield B, Pianta R, Jamil F . Evidence for general and domain-specific elements of teacher-child interactions: associations with preschool children's development. Child Dev. 2013; 85(3):1257-1274. DOI: 10.1111/cdev.12184. View

20.

Morgan L, Hooker J, Sparapani N, Reinhardt V, Schatschneider C, Wetherby A . Cluster randomized trial of the classroom SCERTS intervention for elementary students with autism spectrum disorder. J Consult Clin Psychol. 2018; 86(7):631-644. PMC: 6457665. DOI: 10.1037/ccp0000314. View