Teachers’ talk styles: communicating with learners with severe and complex learning difficulties

Abstract

A small-scale, in-depth study of teachers’ talk in interaction with learners with severe and complex learning disabilities and very limited communication abilities is reported. The teachers had all participated in training on Intensive Interaction, a method based on the model of caregiver-infant interaction and focused on the quality of interpersonal interactions. Sequential systematic observation was used to analyse video samples of interaction, focusing on teachers’ talk styles compared with the ‘motherese’ linguistic style used with infants, and addressing whether engagement in the communication process was achieved.

Examination of the communication interface between students with severe to profound and multiple intellectual disability and educational staff during structured teaching sessions

“…Thus, the potential influence of contextual factors on interactive contributions of people with S‐PMID cannot be ignored. This finds resonance in Nind et al . (2001, p. 144) recognition of the ‘bidirectional influences in communication’, where an individual's difficulties with communication are viewed as by‐products of the interactional process, rather than deriving solely from the primary cognitive deficit.…”

“…It has been argued that adoption of a sensitive, responding approach to interaction helps teachers to engage students in reciprocal exchanges, which are enjoyable and which scaffold further communicative development (Nind & Thomas 2005). Nind et al . (2001) illustrated how teacher talk can be fine‐tuned to evoke engagement in interaction with students with severe and complex learning difficulties using an ‘intensive interaction’ approach (see Nind & Hewett 1994; Hewett & Nind 1998).…”

“…It has been argued that adoption of a sensitive, responding approach to interaction helps teachers to engage students in reciprocal exchanges, which are enjoyable and which scaffold further communicative development (Nind & Thomas 2005). Nind et al (2001) illustrated how teacher talk can be fine-tuned to evoke engagement in interaction with students with severe and complex learning difficulties using an 'intensive interaction' approach (see Nind & Hewett 1994;Hewett & Nind 1998). In a review of related studies on adult-child interaction, Marfo et al (1998) identified two parameters affecting communication: (1) the directiveness or the extent to which the adult 'directs' the actions of the child; and (2) the sensitivity to child behaviour or the degree to which the adult is 'tuned-in' to the child's response repertoire.…”

Chapter 10 Interventions Aimed at Improving Child Language by Improving Maternal Responsivity

“…Maternal adjustments in reaction to child behaviors are examples of responsivity because they demonstrate sensitivity to and adjustment toward the child’s perceived level of development. For example, the terms “motherese” or “infant/child-directed speech” describe use of exaggerated prosody, higher pitch, slower rate, and repetitious speech toward infants (Fernald, 1993), as well as older individuals perceived as having cognitive disabilities (Nind, Kellet, & Hopkins, 2001). However, these distinctive speech patterns typically dissipate as the child grows older (D’Odorico, Salerni, Cassibba, & Jacob, 1999).…”

Intensive Interaction Training for Paid Carers: ‘Looking, Looking and Find Out When They Want to Relate to You’

“…Much of the research surrounding II focuses on the social and communication outcomes of the clients as evidence of relative success of II staff training, largely through small‐sample case studies (Sharma & Firth ) – for example, Nind et al . ; Leaning & Watson ; Zeedyk et al . – with pre‐ and post‐test studies being less prevalent (e.g.…”