Intervention for children with word-finding difficulties: a parallel group randomised control trial

Abstract

Purpose: The study investigated the outcome of a word-web intervention for children diagnosed with word-finding difficulties (WFDs). Method: Twenty children age 6-8 years with WFDs confirmed by a discrepancy between comprehension and production on the Test of Word Finding-2, were randomly assigned to intervention (n ¼ 11) and waiting control (n ¼ 9) groups. The intervention group had six sessions of intervention which used word-webs and targeted children's meta-cognitive awareness and word-retrieval. Result: On the treated experimental set (n ¼ 25 items) the intervention group gained on average four times as many items as the waiting control group (d ¼ 2.30). There were also gains on personally chosen items for the intervention group. There was little change on untreated items for either group. Conclusion: The study is the first randomised control trial to demonstrate an effect of word-finding therapy with children with language difficulties in mainstream school. The improvement in word-finding for treated items was obtained following a clinically realistic intervention in terms of approach, intensity and duration.

Semantic fluency difficulties in developmental dyslexia and developmental language disorder (DLD): poor semantic structure of the lexicon or slower retrieval processes?

“…Similarly, using either phonological or semantic approaches to intervention for word‐finding difficulties, as devised by Best et al . (), might help identify where the locus of the word retrieval difficulty is and whether focused intervention improves semantic fluency performance.…”

“…It remains to be investigated though whether a semantic therapy designed to improve children's lexical retrieval processes has a positive effect on semantic fluency tasks in particular. Similarly, using either phonological or semantic approaches to intervention for word-finding difficulties, as devised by Best et al (2017), might help identify where the locus of the word retrieval difficulty is and whether focused intervention improves semantic fluency performance.…”

The effectiveness of semantic intervention for word-finding difficulties in college-aged students (16–19 years) with persistent Language Disorder

“…In contrast, Wing (1990) found significant progress in five children receiving intervention focused on phonology (and perceptual features of objects), but not in five children receiving semantic intervention. Best et al (2018) describe a randomised controlled trial with 20 6 to 8-year-old participants. Five children received semantic intervention, six received phonological intervention and nine served as untreated controls.…”

Word Retrieval and Lexical Organization in Children With Hearing Loss and Developmental Language Disorder

“…Why do many children from these populations experience difficulties recalling words? Best et al (2018) describe that “WFDs [word finding difficulties] may arise for a variety of reasons within a complex developing language production system and the pattern of strengths and difficulties can differ across children” (p. 709). The example above with the homemade present illustrates an ongoing challenge for many children with DLD and HL.…”

“…The example above with the homemade present illustrates an ongoing challenge for many children with DLD and HL. It may have exacerbating consequences for their everyday interaction, communication with peers, and their ability to maintain and manage friendships (Best et al, 2018). According to Dockrell et al (1998), around 25% of children with language difficulties in language support services have word finding difficulties.…”