...Editor's Note: The content of this article was published by Pearson in the journal EBP Briefs. It is offered for CEUs through SpeechPathology.com in cooperation with Pearson.
Learner Outcomes
- After this course, participants will be able to identify the clinical question for an example case scenario.
- After this course, participants will be able to list relevant search criteria for retrieving evidence related to the clinical question.
- After this course, participants will be able to describe a clinical decision based on the evidence analysis.
Introduction
The American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) 2006 Schools Survey indicated that literacy (reading and writing) was an area in which intervention was provided by 37% of SLPs in the schools. Because of their expertise in language and awareness of the relationship between spoken and written language, SLPs are particularly well-suited to provide intervention in writing (ASHA, 2001). For this reason, SLPs in schools should know the best and most current methods to facilitate the intervention process. The principles of evidence-based practice can guide the identification of such methods, and the approach to writing that is used for intervention should be supported by current, high-quality research (ASHA, 2005).
Nationwide statistics show that most students demonstrate poor writing skills. Deficient writing skills are evident by the middle elementary years, with over half of fourth graders demonstrating writing skills that are not adequate for classroom demands (Persky, Danne, & Jin, 2003). The 2007 National Assessment of Education Progress (NAEP) Report executive summary indicated that there has been some improvement (3% and 5% of Grades 5 and 8, respectively) in writing since the 2003 report; however, the majority of students are writing below proficiency level.
Because writing skills tend to be poor among many students in regular education, it is not surprising that students with special needs also experience difficulty with writing. The factors contributing to this difficulty are similar for students with and without special needs; however, special needs may exacerbate the difficulties students have with writing. Graham, Harris and Troia (2000) suggested that students with learning disabilities (LD) may have weak writing skills because they do not sufficiently use strategies to accomplish a task. These students often do not plan or revise, and they might experience difficulty switching from one writing process to the next.
Others, such as students with behavioral disorders, find writing to be extremely difficult (Tindal & Crawford, 2002). Research also shows that students with emotional disorders struggle academically in core areas, including writing (Lane et al., 2008). Writing involves executive function components such as planning, organizing and paying attention to the composing process—tasks that students with attention-deficit/hyperactive disorder (ADHD), for example, find problematic (Lienemann & Reid, 2008).