Learning science concepts alongside language goals: A telehealth replication of a randomised controlled trial examining whether children with developmental language disorder can learn vocabulary or grammar in combination with curricular science content

Abstract

This is an Accepted Manuscript of an article published by Taylor & Francis in International Journal of Speech-Language Pathology on 01/07/2025, available at: https://doi.org/10.1080/17549507.2024.2445155. © 2024 The Speech Pathology Association of Australia Limited. This article will be embargoed until 01/07/2026.Purpose We asked whether children with developmental language disorder can learn vocabulary or grammar targets and curricular content simultaneously. We replicated prior work integrating two language interventions into a first-grade science curriculum and extended it by testing delivery via teletherapy. Method A parallel arm randomised controlled trial was conducted using telehealth approaches. Children aged 4-7years with developmental language disorder were randomly assigned to one of three arms, science-only (n = 13), science plus grammar (n = 11), and science plus vocabulary (n = 10), with fidelity documented for both science and language instruction. The primary outcome measures were changes in the taught language targets and science content, with secondary outcome measures including distal measures of language and science. Result Complete data for 32 participants were analysed with mixed effects regression. All arms improved on science and grammar targets, with gains in the vocabulary arm exceeding those in the control arm. There were no gains on the distal measures. Conclusion Similar to the findings in the replicated study, children with developmental language disorder can learn language targets in the context of curricular instruction. Enhanced rich vocabulary instruction holds promise as an approach that can be embedded in the curriculum and produces gains both in person and via telehealth method of instruction.We would like to thank the participating families; the SLPs, especially Kara Seitz, and research assistants; and Susan Wagner Cook for her contributions. This work was funded by NSF 1748298 awarded to Karla McGregor