Implementation of "Parler-Bambin" preventive program in the multilingual and multicultural context of nurseries/daycares in Lebanon

This project is targeting prevention programs for language and communication difficulties in nurseries in Lebanon. More specifically, it will explore the implementation of a preventive program to enhance language skills in early childhood, and to specify the role of the Speech and Language Therapist (SLT) in this implementation. There is a growing consensus among researchers and clinicians that abilities acquired at an early age, especially in oral language, are predictive of children's academic performance and future social integration (Zorman, 2011). Preventive actions are increasingly recognized as a priority to improve public health worldwide (Law et al., 2013). In Lebanon, an ongoing national program (MHPSS 2015-2021 - MHPSS, Preventive and Curative, Ministry of Public Health, 2015) is taking part of this kind of healthcare development. Aims: Thus, taking into account some variables that affect the implementation process (environment communities, providers, prevention delivery system and the prevention support system), the aims of this project are 1) to study the feasibility of a preventive program model, that partners Speech and Language Therapist and educators or caregivers in daycare and nurseries, to facilitate language and communication in Lebanese toddlers (under 3 years old), 2) determine the success factors of the implementation. It will be based on a French program “Parler Bambin”, which is currently widely developed in France. Method: The first study will focus on the factors of engagement of different stakeholders in a prevention program: firstly, by identifying the professionals involved in nurseries in Lebanon and then identifying the characteristics of these stakeholders in diverse childcares. Data will be gathered through a questionnaire constructed or adapted from existing questionnaires for this purpose (eg, Preschool Teacher Literacy Beliefs Questionnaire [TBQ], Hindman and Wasik, 2008). Similarly, the questionnaires will address SLT’s representations about their role in supporting language in nurseries. Nominal groups or focus groups (Baribeau and Germain, 2010) and questionnaires will be also carried out to identify the facilitators of this kind of preventive actions and the specific needs of SLTs in preventive settings. A second phase will target the implementation process itself: adapting and implementing a preventive intervention, while taking into consideration implementation aspects. We will find out major variables that are worthy for the program’s implementation, by measuring its fidelity (dosage, quantity, intervention strength, quality, participant responsiveness, program differentiation, etc.), also using videos and direct coaching sessions. Pre and posttest measures will be applied on children (MCDI -The MacArthur communicative development inventories, Fenson et al., 1996; Questionnaire for parents of bilingual children LITMUS-PABIQ, COST IS0804, validation in Lebanon, Tuller 2015). Finally, following the pilot study, the implementation of the adapted program will be proposed according to different execution modalities to support its implementation: with a direct or indirect involvement of an SLT. It will be tested more widely, with particular focus on the role of the speech therapist. Evaluation measures similar to those presented in Phase 2 will be carried out. Expected results: This project will highlight the added value of speech therapy in setting up a prevention program. It also participates in the elaboration of a national strategic framework for the Speech and Language TherapyImplémentation du programme « Parler Bambin » dans le contexte multilingue et multiculturel des crèches au Liba

Supporting communication and language development in nurseries/daycares in Lebanon: realities and representations of SLTs and educators

Background : It is widely recognized that professional’s representations and beliefs about language development can impact practices in the field of preventing language and literacy difficulties ((Piasta et al., 2009; Dickinson & Brady, 2006). This study focuses on the context of daycares in Lebanon. It aims to explore practices, identify needs, barriers and motivations for the implementation of a language intervention program, led jointly by speech therapists and caregivers in the multilingual and multicultural Lebanese context. International recommendations highlight the necessity for SLTs to conceptualize their intervention, according to community based needs, focusing on primary prevention for early language difficulties, given their later impact on social and professional integration (Law 2013). Method: a survey study through questionnaires developed according to Lebanese context specifications of will be proposed to different publics: 1) nurseries/daycares directors, 2) educators/caregivers, 3) Speech therapists. Each questionnaire will include items about language support practices, professional roles and the collaboration between SLTs and caregivers in Lebanese nurseries. Results: Findings will be discussed in the context of the realities of nurseries in Lebanon by defining the beliefs and practices in the area of prevention as well as the opportunities of collaboration between caregivers and SLT’s in prevention program models. Cultural differences and backgrounds of various stakeholders would influence findings. This study is a part of a wider project on prevention practices in Lebanon. Results will be analyzed along with the study targeting kindergartens in the same context.Implémentation du programme "Parler Bambin" dans le contexte multilingue et multiculturel des crèches au Liba

Working with the parents and families of children with developmental language disorders: An international perspective

Background The relationship between parental input and child language development has had a complex history. It has become clear that indirect parent training for the parents of children with delayed language development is an important feature of interventions offered by speech and language therapists in the anglophone countries. Yet we know less about how this type of approach is realised in other countries. Methods In this paper we report the results of a survey of practice undertaken as part of the work of COST Action IS1406, a European Union (EU) funded research network. The focus of this paper is specifically on parent-related questions and responses referring to children under the age of twelve. The survey was devised by members of the Action and circulated electronically during the summer of 2017. In all, 4024 practitioners responded from 60 countries, the majority of whom came from EU member countries. Findings Respondents to the survey indicated that indirect therapy is commonly carried out via the parent in the early years and via teachers later. A range of professional groups, in addition to speech and language therapists, is likely to adopt this approach; including teachers, pedagogues and psychologists. A variety of interventions is reported, some of which have a reasonable evidence-base underpinning them. It is interesting to see the widespread involvement of fathers and other family members in interventions. Finally, the fact that practitioner characteristics (age, experience, location of practice etc.) are not related to the use of indirect techniques points to the universal recognition of the value of these approaches. Conclusions Despite the very different traditions in the practice of intervention across countries, there is clearly a widespread recognition of the importance of indirect approaches to intervention and specifically those focusing on parents. The mixture of family members being involved in interventions is a very promising indication of the role sharing commonly associated with the contemporary family. Yet the number of specific intervention approaches identified is relatively small given the number of respondents. There is a need for a better understanding of what exactly practitioners are doing when they involve parents in intervention or carry out parent-child interaction interventions and how well these interventions work in routine practice. This also has implications for the application of evidence-based practice and the precise nature of the interventions concerned (advice to parents, video interaction training etc.).COST (European Cooperation in Science and Technology)Unión Europea Horizonte 2020 Marie Sklodowska-Curie grant agreement No. 70504

Age of acquisition of 299 words in seven languages: American English, Czech, Gaelic, Lebanese Arabic, Malay, Persian and Western Armenian

We present a new set of subjective Age of Acquisition (AoA) ratings for 299 words (158 nouns, 141 verbs) in seven languages from various language families and cultural settings: American English, Czech, Scottish Gaelic, Lebanese Arabic, Malaysian Malay, Persian, and Western Armenian. The ratings were collected from a total of 173 participants and were highly reliable in each language. We applied the same method of data collection as used in a previous study on 25 languages which allowed us to create a database of fully comparable AoA ratings of 299 words in 32 languages. We found that in the seven languages not included in the previous study, the words are estimated to be acquired at roughly the same age as in the previously reported languages, i.e. mostly between the ages of 1 and 7 years. We also found that the order of word acquisition is moderately to highly correlated across all 32 languages, which extends our previous conclusion that early words are acquired in similar order across a wide range of languages and cultures

Promoting early language development in the Arab world and Sustainable Development Goals 3, 4, 10 and 17

Purpose: This commentary describes a multi-national project which addresses gaps in the design and delivery of health and education services in Arabic-speaking countries in relation to early language development, with a focus on Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, and the Palestinian Territories. This includes: (a) co-production with Early Years professionals and NGOs of approaches to support early language development; (b) development and standardisation of tools to identify monolingual and multilingual Arabic-speaking children at risk of poor language development; and (c) examination of language development in refugee communities. Result: The importance of inter-professional partnership and the inclusion of families in planning support for oral language development is highlighted. Arabic versions of the Communicative Development Inventory (CDI) Toddler were developed, and data collected from 1,074 Egyptian, Jordanian and Palestinian monolingual infants aged 8-30 months. Data from 201 age-matched Palestinian infants in Lebanese refugee camps highlight inequalities resulting from limited maternal educational opportunities. Data from 230 multilingual Lebanese 2-year-olds enable the interpretation of CDI scores as a function of language exposure. Conclusion: This work contributes to the promotion of robust language development for all Arabic-speaking children. This commentary focusses on SDG 3, SDG 4, SDG 10 and SDG 17

Supporting language development in preschools/kindergartens in Lebanon : exploring respective roles of teachers and Speech and Language Therapists.

Background : It is widely recognized that professionnal’s beliefs about language development can impact practices in the field of preventing language and literacy difficulties (Piasta et al., 2009; Dickinson & Brady, 2006). This study focuses on the context of kindergartens in Lebanon. It aims to explore practices, identify needs, barriers and motivations for the implementation of a language intervention program, led jointly by speech therapists and teachers in the multilingual and multicultural context of lebanon. International recommendations highlight the necessity for SLTs to conceptualize their intervention, according to community based needs, focusing on primary prevention for early language difficulties, given their later impact on social and professional integration (Law et al. 2013). Method: A survey study through questionnaires developed according to Lebanese context specifications will be proposed to: 1) school principals, 2) kindergarten teachers, 3) Speech therapists. Each questionnaire will include items about language support practices, professional roles, and the collaboration between SLTs and teachers in Lebanese Kindergartens. Results:The expected results are intended to describe the realities of kindergartens in Lebanon, to define knowledge in the area of support and prevention for language difficulties in kindergarten. It will help to illustrate representations of the role of SLTs in language support and prevention, as well as opportunities of collaboration with preschool teachers, to adapt and implement a co-intervention program that partners teachers and SLTs. We predict an influence of different factors such as training, cultural differences, different conceptualizations of the role of language in learning. This study is a part of a wider project on prevention practices in Lebanon. Results will be analyzed along with the study targeting nurseries/daycares in the same context.Elaboration d'un dispositif de co-intervention orthophoniste/enseignant pour soutenir le développement du langage dans les maternelles au Liba

Soutenir le développement du langage à l'école: la qualité des interactions observées dans les classes maternelles et auto-rapportées par les enseignant.es au Liban

peer reviewedCette étude vise à décrire la qualité des interactions enseignant.es-enfants en maternelle au Liban. Elle met en parallèle des données observées et auto-rapportées par 55 enseignant.es et tente d’identifier les facteurs structurels qui influencent la qualité des interactions. Les données observationnelles ont été recueillies à travers le Classroom Assessment Scoring System, dans trois domaines : le soutien émotionnel, l’organisation de la classe et le soutien aux apprentissages. Les données rapportées par les enseignantes ont été recueillies à travers un questionnaire de jugement de pratiques (Rousselle, n.d). Les résultats des observations indiquent que les domaines de « soutien émotionnel » et de l’« organisation de la classe » sont de qualité moyenne, alors que le niveau de « soutien aux apprentissages » indique un niveau de qualité faible, avec une différence significative entre la qualité des interactions observée et rapportée. Des facteurs tels que le milieu socio-économique et la formation des enseignantes semblent influencer les résultats. Ces éléments contribuent à mieux comprendre le contexte en vue d’identifier les composante d’un dispositif de développement professionnel pour favoriser la qualité des interactions en maternelle et par conséquent le soutien langagier qui y est apporté

Assessing Lebanese bilingual children: The use of Cross-linguistic Lexical Tasks in Lebanese Arabic

International audienceSince norms for vocabulary acquisition in Lebanese bilingual children (L1: Lebanese, L2: French and/or English) do not yet exist, clinical assessment based on normative data and using appropriate tools remains difficult for speech and language therapists. The current study focuses on exploring and comparing lexical performances of typically developing Lebanese bilingual children (32 Bi-TD, aged 5;7 to 6;9) and those with specific language impairment (10 Bi-SLI, aged 5;9 to 7;10), using Cross-Linguistic Lexical Tasks (LITMUS-CLT, COST Action IS0804, 2011) in Lebanese Arabic language (CLT-LB), specific to the Lebanese context. The results confirm that typically developing children have better lexical skills, especially expressive skills, than their peers with specific language impairment. Expressive and receptive performance by both groups of children was found to depend on word class (nouns and verbs). Bi-TD children were more accurate at naming and recognising verbs than the Bi-SLI group. The results of these lexical tasks reveal aspects of the nature of bilingual lexical variation, as well as similarities and differences between the Bi-TD and Bi-SLI groups

Cultural and Linguistic Practice with Children with Developmental Language Disorder : Findings from an International Practitioner Survey

Background: The cultural and language diversity across many European countries presents a range of challenges and opportunities for speech and language therapists and other practitioners working with children with developmental language disorders (DLD) and their families. Objective: The aim of this study was to explore practitioners' perceptions of cultural and linguistic differences in response to children with DLD across different countries. Methods: A survey was developed by practitioners and researchers working with children with DLD across Europe and beyond as part of the work of Cost Action IS1406. Data from 1,358 practitioners from 8 European countries-Ireland, UK, Bulgaria, Poland, Croatia, Spain, Norway and Sweden- A nd 2 neighbour countries-Turkey and Lebanon-were included in the present analyses, which address two groups of questions. The first focuses on practitioners' perceptions of the way that parents think about cultural differences and their relationship to language development in their children. The second concerns the extent to which practitioners consider themselves to have the skills to work with children from other cultures and using different languages. Results/Conclusions: Most countries present a similar profile with intermediate results about their perception of cultural issues, but Lebanon and Turkey are the group with the most positive responses. In terms of bilingual issues most practitioners indicated that they only worked in their country's primary language. The only country where this was not the case was Lebanon. Professionals from Spain and Lebanon form a subgroup in terms of their confidence to work with different cultural/language groups. The paper highlights both the universal importance of cultural and linguistic competence in managing young children's needs and indicates that in most cases professionals do not think they have the necessary expertise to work with cultural and linguistic diversity

Cultural and linguistic practice with children with developmental language disorder: Findings from an international practitioner survey

Background: The cultural and language diversity across many European countries presents a range of challenges and opportunities for speech and language therapists and other practitioners working with children with developmental language disorders (DLD) and their families. Objective: The aim of this study was to explore practitioners' perceptions of cultural and linguistic differences in response to children with DLD across different countries. Methods: A survey was developed by practitioners and researchers working with children with DLD across Europe and beyond as part of the work of Cost Action IS1406. Data from 1,358 practitioners from 8 European countries - Ireland, UK, Bulgaria, Poland, Croatia, Spain, Norway and Sweden - and 2 neighbour countries - Turkey and Lebanon - were included in the present analyses, which address two groups of questions. The first focuses on practitioners' perceptions of the way that parents think about cultural differences and their relationship to language development in their children. The second concerns the extent to which practitioners consider themselves to have the skills to work with children from other cultures and using different languages. Results/Conclusions: Most countries present a similar profile with intermediate results about their perception of cultural issues, but Lebanon and Turkey are the group with the most positive responses. In terms of bilingual issues most practitioners indicated that they only worked in their country's primary language. The only country where this was not the case was Lebanon. Professionals from Spain and Lebanon form a subgroup in terms of their confidence to work with different cultural/language groups. The paper highlights both the universal importance of cultural and linguistic competence in managing young children's needs and indicates that in most cases professionals do not think they have the necessary expertise to work with cultural and linguistic diversity.European Commission ; European Cooperation in Science and Technology (COST