Mandarin-Speaking, Kindergarten-Aged Children With Cochlear Implants Benefit From Natural F 0 Patterns in the Use of Semantic Context During Speech Recognition

Purpose

The purpose of this study was to investigate the extent to which semantic context and F ₀ contours affect speech recognition by Mandarin-speaking, kindergarten-aged children with cochlear implants (CIs).

Method

The experimental design manipulated two factors, that is, semantic context, by comparing the intelligibility of normal sentence versus word list, and F ₀ contours, by comparing the intelligibility of utterances with natural versus flat F ₀ patterns. Twenty-two children with CIs completed a speech recognition test.

Results

Children with CIs could use both semantic context and F ₀ contours to assist speech recognition. Furthermore, natural F ₀ patterns provided extra benefit when semantic context was present than when it was absent.

Conclusion

Dynamic F ₀ contours play an important role in speech recognition by Mandarin-speaking children with CIs despite the well-known limitation of CI devices in extracting F ₀ information.

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The Effect of e-Book Vocabulary Instruction on Spanish–English Speaking Children

Purpose

This study aimed to examine the effect of an intensive vocabulary intervention embedded in e-books on the vocabulary skills of young Spanish–English speaking English learners (ELs) from low–socioeconomic status backgrounds.

Method

Children (N = 288) in kindergarten and 1st grade were randomly assigned to treatment and read-only conditions. All children received e-book readings approximately 3 times a week for 10–20 weeks using the same books. Children in the treatment condition received e-books supplemented with vocabulary instruction that included scaffolding through explanations in Spanish, repetition in English, checks for understanding, and highlighted morphology.

Results

There was a main effect of the intervention on expressive labeling (g = 0.38) and vocabulary on the Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test–Fourth Edition (g = 0.14; Dunn & Dunn, 2007), with no significant moderation effect of initial Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test score. There was no significant difference between conditions on children's expressive definitions.

Conclusion

Findings substantiate the effectiveness of computer-implemented embedded vocabulary intervention for increasing ELs' vocabulary knowledge.

Implications

Computer-assisted vocabulary instruction with scaffolding through Spanish explanations, repetitions, and highlighted morphology is a promising approach to facilitate word learning for ELs in kindergarten and 1st grade.

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Reliability and Repeatability of the Speech Cue Profile

Purpose

Researchers have long noted speech recognition variability that is not explained by the pure-tone audiogram. Previous work (Souza, Wright, Blackburn, Tatman, & Gallun, 2015) demonstrated that a small number of listeners with sensorineural hearing loss utilized different types of acoustic cues to identify speechlike stimuli, specifically the extent to which the participant relied upon spectral (or temporal) information for identification. Consistent with recent calls for data rigor and reproducibility, the primary aims of this study were to replicate the pattern of cue use in a larger cohort and to verify stability of the cue profiles over time.

Method

Cue-use profiles were measured for adults with sensorineural hearing loss using a syllable identification task consisting of synthetic speechlike stimuli in which spectral and temporal dimensions were manipulated along continua. For the first set, a static spectral shape varied from alveolar to palatal, and a temporal envelope rise time varied from affricate to fricative. For the second set, formant transitions varied from labial to alveolar and a temporal envelope rise time varied from approximant to stop. A discriminant feature analysis was used to determine to what degree spectral and temporal information contributed to stimulus identification. A subset of participants completed a 2nd visit using the same stimuli and procedures.

Results

When spectral information was static, most participants were more influenced by spectral than by temporal information. When spectral information was dynamic, participants demonstrated a balanced distribution of cue-use patterns, with nearly equal numbers of individuals influenced by spectral or temporal cues. Individual cue profile was repeatable over a period of several months.

Conclusion

In combination with previously published data, these results indicate that listeners with sensorineural hearing loss are influenced by different cues to identify speechlike sounds and that those patterns are stable over time.

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Predicting Language Difficulties in Middle Childhood From Early Developmental Milestones: A Comparison of Traditional Regression and Machine Learning Techniques

Purpose

The current study aimed to compare traditional logistic regression models with machine learning algorithms to investigate the predictive ability of (a) communication performance at 3 years old on language outcomes at 10 years old and (b) broader developmental skills (motor, social, and adaptive) at 3 years old on language outcomes at 10 years old.

Method

Participants (N = 1,322) were drawn from the Western Australian Pregnancy Cohort (Raine) Study (Straker et al., 2017). A general developmental screener, the Infant Monitoring Questionnaire (Squires, Bricker, & Potter, 1990), was completed by caregivers at the 3-year follow-up. Language ability at 10 years old was assessed using the Clinical Evaluation of Language Fundamentals–Third Edition (Semel, Wiig, & Secord, 1995). Logistic regression models and interpretable machine learning algorithms were used to assess predictive abilities of early developmental milestones for later language outcomes.

Results

Overall, the findings showed that prediction accuracies were comparable between logistic regression and machine learning models using communication-only performance as well as performance on communication and broader developmental domains to predict language performance at 10 years old. Decision trees are incorporated to visually present these findings but must be interpreted with caution because of the poor accuracy of the models overall.

Conclusions

The current study provides preliminary evidence that machine learning algorithms provide equivalent predictive accuracy to traditional methods. Furthermore, the inclusion of broader developmental skills did not improve predictive capability. Assessment of language at more than 1 time point is necessary to ensure children whose language delays emerge later are identified and supported.

Supplemental Material

https://doi.org/10.23641/asha.6879719

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Positive Social Interaction and Hearing Loss in Older Adults Living in Rural and Urban Communities

Purpose

This study explored the extent to which hearing loss affected positive social interactions in older adults living in rural and urban communities.

Method

Pure-tone behavioral hearing assessments were administered to 80 adults 60 years of age or older. In addition, all participants completed 2 questionnaires, the Medical Outcomes Study Social Support Survey (Sherbourne & Stewart, 1991) and the Patient Health Questionnaire–Ninth Edition (Kroenke, Spitzer, & Williams, 2001).

Results

The preliminary findings suggested that adults with hearing loss living in rural towns had poorer positive social interactions compared with their urban counterparts with hearing loss. Also, adults with hearing loss living in rural towns had more symptoms of depression than adults with normal hearing who lived in these same geographical regions.

Conclusions

These preliminary findings could indicate that older adults with hearing loss living in rural communities will face more isolation than adults with hearing loss living in urban settings. Increasing our understanding of the extent of social isolation in adults with hearing loss living in rural and urban populations will be necessary.

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Mandarin-Speaking, Kindergarten-Aged Children With Cochlear Implants Benefit From Natural F 0 Patterns in the Use of Semantic Context During Speech Recognition

Purpose

The purpose of this study was to investigate the extent to which semantic context and F ₀ contours affect speech recognition by Mandarin-speaking, kindergarten-aged children with cochlear implants (CIs).

Method

The experimental design manipulated two factors, that is, semantic context, by comparing the intelligibility of normal sentence versus word list, and F ₀ contours, by comparing the intelligibility of utterances with natural versus flat F ₀ patterns. Twenty-two children with CIs completed a speech recognition test.

Results

Children with CIs could use both semantic context and F ₀ contours to assist speech recognition. Furthermore, natural F ₀ patterns provided extra benefit when semantic context was present than when it was absent.

Conclusion

Dynamic F ₀ contours play an important role in speech recognition by Mandarin-speaking children with CIs despite the well-known limitation of CI devices in extracting F ₀ information.

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The Effect of e-Book Vocabulary Instruction on Spanish–English Speaking Children

Purpose

This study aimed to examine the effect of an intensive vocabulary intervention embedded in e-books on the vocabulary skills of young Spanish–English speaking English learners (ELs) from low–socioeconomic status backgrounds.

Method

Children (N = 288) in kindergarten and 1st grade were randomly assigned to treatment and read-only conditions. All children received e-book readings approximately 3 times a week for 10–20 weeks using the same books. Children in the treatment condition received e-books supplemented with vocabulary instruction that included scaffolding through explanations in Spanish, repetition in English, checks for understanding, and highlighted morphology.

Results

There was a main effect of the intervention on expressive labeling (g = 0.38) and vocabulary on the Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test–Fourth Edition (g = 0.14; Dunn & Dunn, 2007), with no significant moderation effect of initial Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test score. There was no significant difference between conditions on children's expressive definitions.

Conclusion

Findings substantiate the effectiveness of computer-implemented embedded vocabulary intervention for increasing ELs' vocabulary knowledge.

Implications

Computer-assisted vocabulary instruction with scaffolding through Spanish explanations, repetitions, and highlighted morphology is a promising approach to facilitate word learning for ELs in kindergarten and 1st grade.

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