The effect of enhanced conversational recast on the learning of serial verb constructions in Cantonese-speaking preschool children : a single case experimental design study

Abstract

A recent meta-analysis and systematic review concluded that conversational recast is an input-based intervention approach that promotes the learning of morphemes and grammatical constructions in children with language disorders. Studies on typically developing children have shown that learning of syntactic constructions may be enhanced by skewed-frequency input that highlights shared similarities among items. The feasibility study examined if a new enhanced version of conversational recast incorporating skewed constructional input would yield positive outcomes in the learning of serial verb constructions (SVCs) in Cantonesespeaking preschoolers. A within-participant single-baseline experimental design with control item was conducted. Three typically developing children participated in a 5-week training (14 sessions), with 24 doses delivered in each session. Two children showed significant results with large effect sizes in the trained construction in a probe. The gains were maintained at follow-up. One child showed gains in the use of the trained SVC at training but not in the probe. For the untrained construction, one child showed significant generalization effect while one child showed gains. Positive results from the study suggested that the approach was feasible, and the next step of research could be an early efficacy study with children with DLD using a single-subject experimental design.