Browsing by Person "Hodson, Ann"

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Are we getting through? Criminal justice communication
(Law Society of Scotland, 2023-07-17) Wishart, Jasmine; Hodson, Ann
Effects of computer-based intervention through acoustically modified speech (Fast ForWord) in severe mixed receptive-expressive language impairment: outcomes from a randomized controlled trial.
(2005) Cohen, W.; Hodson, Ann; O'Hare, Anne; Boyle, James; Durrani, Tariq; McCartney, Elspeth; Mattey, Mike; Naftalin, Lionel; Watson, Jocelynne
Seventy-seven children between the ages of 6 and 10 years, with severe mixed receptive-expressive specific language impairment (SLI), participated in a randomized controlled trial (RCT) of Fast ForWord (FFW; Scientific Learning Corporation, 1997, 2001). FFW is a computer-based intervention for treating SLI using acoustically enhanced speech stimuli. These stimuli are modified to exaggerate their time and intensity properties as part of an adaptive training process. All children who participated in the RCT maintained their regular speech and language therapy and school regime throughout the trial. Standardized measures of receptive and expressive language were used to assess performance at baseline and to measure outcome from treatment at 9 weeks and 6 months. Children were allocated to 1 of 3 groups. Group A (n = 23) received the FFW intervention as a home-based therapy for 6 weeks. Group B (n = 27) received commercially available computer-based activities designed to promote language as a control for computer games exposure. Group C (n = 27) received no additional study intervention. Each group made significant gains in language scores, but there was no additional effect for either computer intervention. Thus, the findings from this RCT do not support the efficacy of FFW as an intervention for children with severe mixed receptive-expressive SLI.
Foster carers in Scotland’s knowledge and awareness of speech, language, and communication needs
(CELCIS, 2025-05) Pellegrinelli, Grace; Hodson, Ann
Up to 90% of children experiencing care have speech, language and communication Needs (SLCN) (Clegg et al., 2021). Despite this, there has been no research into foster carers in Scotland’s knowledge and awareness of SLCN, their experience of supporting children with SLCN, or training they receive in this area. Thirty-nine foster carers in Scotland responded to an online questionnaire exploring their experiences. Findings suggested that foster carers are experienced in caring for children with SLCN, with or without a neurodevelopmental condition, and can identify many communication difficulties. They are confident in using strategies to support SLCN. Very few participants had received training specifically for SLCN; those who had found it useful, and the majority of those who hadn’t stated they would value training in SLCN. To uphold Article 12 (the right of a child to express their views and have these listened to and taken seriously in all matters affecting them) of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (1989), recently incorporated into domestic law in Scotland (2024), we recommend the development and delivery of a national SLCN training programme for foster carers, with speech and language therapists being best placed to enact this.