Abstract
Introduction
Intelligibility Enhancement is an intervention approach aimed at improving the intelligibility of multilingual speakers’ consonants, vowels, and prosody when they are speaking a language other than their home language. Previous research with Vietnamese and Mandarin speakers using a single-case experimental design (SCED) has demonstrated the effectiveness of the Intelligibility Enhancement Assessment and Intervention Protocols. Further research is required to examine its effectiveness with speakers of other/non-Asian languages.
Implementation
The participant was a 56-year-old multilingual female, whose home language was Spanish who believed her intelligibility was impacting her promotion prospects. She required a high level of intelligibility in English because she was employed to support university students. English intelligibility was assessed pre-, post- and during intervention with speech pathology students. Intelligibility Enhancement intervention consisted of 12 weekly 1-hour sessions targeting consonants, vowels, and prosody.
Outcomes
Pre-assessment revealed systematic variations in English pronunciation consistent with expectations of differences between Spanish and Australian English phonetic inventories and phonotactics (e.g., devoicing, stopping of fricatives). Post-intervention changes in intelligibility include percentage of consonants correct, production of final consonants, consonant clusters, and syllables, acceptability of speech rate, volume, and word stress, and self-perceptions of intelligibility, confidence, and ease communicating in English within her workplace.
Conclusion
Intelligibility Enhancement is relevant for speakers of a wide range of languages and the Intelligibility Enhancement Assessment and Intervention Protocols can be applied with fidelity within clinical education programs. This study extends the evidence base for the Intelligibility Enhancement Protocols paving the way for larger-scaled research (e.g., randomised controlled trial).
Keywords: Intelligibility Enhancement; multilingual; single-case experimental design (SCED); Spanish
Submission statement: Delegates will be encouraged to reflect on evidence-based methods for supporting multilingual speakers’ intelligibility, respecting clients’ motivations for seeking intervention, and the need to provide responsive services in an increasingly diverse community.
Intelligibility Enhancement is an intervention approach aimed at improving the intelligibility of multilingual speakers’ consonants, vowels, and prosody when they are speaking a language other than their home language. Previous research with Vietnamese and Mandarin speakers using a single-case experimental design (SCED) has demonstrated the effectiveness of the Intelligibility Enhancement Assessment and Intervention Protocols. Further research is required to examine its effectiveness with speakers of other/non-Asian languages.
Implementation
The participant was a 56-year-old multilingual female, whose home language was Spanish who believed her intelligibility was impacting her promotion prospects. She required a high level of intelligibility in English because she was employed to support university students. English intelligibility was assessed pre-, post- and during intervention with speech pathology students. Intelligibility Enhancement intervention consisted of 12 weekly 1-hour sessions targeting consonants, vowels, and prosody.
Outcomes
Pre-assessment revealed systematic variations in English pronunciation consistent with expectations of differences between Spanish and Australian English phonetic inventories and phonotactics (e.g., devoicing, stopping of fricatives). Post-intervention changes in intelligibility include percentage of consonants correct, production of final consonants, consonant clusters, and syllables, acceptability of speech rate, volume, and word stress, and self-perceptions of intelligibility, confidence, and ease communicating in English within her workplace.
Conclusion
Intelligibility Enhancement is relevant for speakers of a wide range of languages and the Intelligibility Enhancement Assessment and Intervention Protocols can be applied with fidelity within clinical education programs. This study extends the evidence base for the Intelligibility Enhancement Protocols paving the way for larger-scaled research (e.g., randomised controlled trial).
Keywords: Intelligibility Enhancement; multilingual; single-case experimental design (SCED); Spanish
Submission statement: Delegates will be encouraged to reflect on evidence-based methods for supporting multilingual speakers’ intelligibility, respecting clients’ motivations for seeking intervention, and the need to provide responsive services in an increasingly diverse community.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Publication status | Published - May 2023 |
| Event | Speech Pathology Australia 2023 National Conference - Hotel Grand Chancellor, Hobart, Australia Duration: 21 May 2023 → 24 May 2023 https://conference.speechpathologyaustralia.org.au/speech-pathology-australia-2023-national-conference/ https://conference.speechpathologyaustralia.org.au/speech-pathology-australia-2023-national-conference/program (Program) |
Conference
| Conference | Speech Pathology Australia 2023 National Conference |
|---|---|
| Abbreviated title | Reflect respect respond |
| Country/Territory | Australia |
| City | Hobart |
| Period | 21/05/23 → 24/05/23 |
| Other | On behalf of the Conference Planning Committee, I warmly welcome everyone to join us for the Speech Pathology Australia 2023 National Conference in Hobart. For many, the 2023 conference will be an opportunity to reunite with colleagues across the country and the globe for the first time in years. The 2023 conference will be a place for us to reconnect and share our collective enthusiasm for real and sustained progress in our profession. We look forward to you joining us as we take time to reflect on our experiences and passions, respect our resilience and diversity, and respond with energy and innovation. |
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