Task and language in Spanish–English narratives (Wofford et al., 2022)

Purpose: This study examined performance of dual language learners (DLLs) on Spanish- and English-language narrative story retells and unique tells. Transcription and analysis focused on comparisons of common microstructural language sample measures in Spanish and English across tasks. Each language sample measure was evaluated for its possible convergence with norm-referenced standardized assessments for DLL children.Method: Spanish–English DLLs (N = 133) enrolled in English-only kindergarten or first-grade classrooms completed two-language sample tasks (one in each language), which were transcribed and analyzed using Systematic Analysis of Language Transcripts (Miller & Iglesias, 2017) for measures of syntactic complexity (mean length of utterance [MLU] in words), lexical diversity (number of different words [NDW]), and grammaticality (percent grammatical utterances [PGU]). Students also completed a norm-referenced sentence repetition task (Peña et al., 2014) and expressive vocabulary assessment (Martin, 2013).Results: Comparison of story retells and unique stories revealed similar performance on MLU, NDW, and PGU across elicitation techniques, with one exception: NDW in Spanish was higher in the story retell condition. Predictive models revealed several differences in the relations between the microstructure measures and norm-referenced language measures by elicitation technique, although neither context demonstrated a consistent advantage across all metrics.Conclusions: Measures derived from story retells and unique tells offer practical findings for speech-language pathologists (SLPs) and other educators to use in assessment of early grade DLLs. This work increases knowledge of procedural differences across narrative assessments and their influence on language variables, supporting school-based SLPs in making assessment decisions for DLLs on their caseload. Supplemental Material S1. Descriptive information for the sample by language and elicitation technique. Supplemental Material S2. Unstandardized differences by elicitation technique in Spanish, controlling for age & TNU. Supplemental Material S3. Unstandardized differences by elicitation technique in English, controlling for age & TNU. Supplemental Material S4. Estimates from Z-scored LSA predictors and language outcome measures. Wofford, M. C., Cano, J., Goodrich, J. M., & Fitton, L. (2022). Tell or retell? The role of task and language in Spanish–English narrative microstructure performance. Language, Speech, and Hearing Services in Schools. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1044/2021_LSHSS-21-00055研究目的：本研究考察了双重语言学习者（Dual Language Learners, DLLs）在西班牙语、英语叙事故事复述任务及原创叙事任务中的表现。转录与分析聚焦于对比不同任务下西班牙语与英语中常见的微观结构语言样本测量指标，并评估各项语言样本测量指标是否可与针对DLL儿童的常模参照标准化评估形成有效关联。 研究方法：招募133名仅就读于英语沉浸式幼儿园或一年级课堂的西英双语DLLs，完成两项分语言的样本任务（每种语言各一项）。采用语言转录系统分析（Systematic Analysis of Language Transcripts, Miller & Iglesias, 2017）对转录后的语料进行分析，提取句法复杂度指标（以词数计的平均话语长度（Mean Length of Utterance, MLU））、词汇多样性指标（不同词数（Number of Different Words, NDW））及语法正确性指标（语法正确话语占比（Percent Grammatical Utterances, PGU））。此外，所有参与者还完成了常模参照句子复述任务（Peña et al., 2014）与表达性词汇评估（Martin, 2013）。 研究结果：对比故事复述与原创叙事任务发现，两种任务诱发方式下，参与者在MLU、NDW及PGU三项指标上的表现无显著差异，仅存在一项例外：西班牙语语境下，故事复述任务中的NDW得分更高。预测模型显示，按任务诱发方式划分，微观结构测量指标与常模参照语言评估指标间的关联存在多处差异，不过两种任务情境均未在所有评估指标上展现出一致优势。 研究结论：从故事复述与原创叙事任务中提取的测量指标可为言语语言病理学家（Speech-Language Pathologists, SLPs）及其他教育工作者评估低年级DLLs提供实用参考。本研究加深了学界对叙事评估中施测程序差异及其对语言变量影响的认知，可为学校在职SLPs为接诊的DLLs制定评估决策提供支持。 补充材料S1：按语言与任务诱发方式划分的样本描述性信息。 补充材料S2：西班牙语语境下按任务诱发方式划分的非标准化差异（控制年龄与TNU）。 补充材料S3：英语语境下按任务诱发方式划分的非标准化差异（控制年龄与TNU）。 补充材料S4：经Z分数标准化的LSA预测因子与语言结局测量指标的参数估计值。 Wofford, M. C.、Cano, J.、Goodrich, J. M. 与 Fitton, L.（2022）。《复述还是原创？任务与语言在西英双语叙事微观结构表现中的作用》。《学校语言、言语与听力服务》，提前在线出版。https://doi.org/10.1044/2021_LSHSS-21-00055