Tracking speech sound acquisition

Abstract

This article describes a procedure to aid in the clinical appraisal of child speech. The approach, based on the work by Dinnsen, Chin, Elbert, and Powell (1990; Some constraints on functionally disordered phonologies: Phonetic inventories and phonotactics. Journal of Speech and Hearing Research, 33, 28–37), uses a railway idiom to track gains in the complexity of speech sound production. A clinical case study is reviewed to illustrate application of the procedure. The procedure is intended to facilitate application of an evidence-based procedure to the clinical management of developmental speech sound disorders.

• phonological acquisition
• phonological disorders
• speech production measurement
• assessment
• child

Notes

1. A natural extension of this project would involve development and evaluation of similar procedures for use with the Welsh language. That project, however, is left for another day.

2. The cartographic theme employed in this article also pays tribute to the work of Alan R. Thomas (1973), with whom Dr. Ball studied.

3. A ‘crystal cave’ on the Isle of Anglesey (Ynys Môn in Welsh) recognizes Dr. David Crystal’s contributions to the discipline of clinical linguistics.