Research Symposium
25th annual Undergraduate Research Symposium, April 1, 2025
Sophia Norris Poster Session 2: 10:45 am - 11:45 am/ Poster #273
BIO
My name is Sophia Norris, I am a pre-dental student at Florida State University. This year, I worked with Dr. Shannon Hall-Mills in the Bridges SPEAR Lab to further explore language disorders in children. This was a qualitative study where we performed group interviews with speech language pathologists across the United States. We asked participants questions related to their experiences with language disorders in school aged children. We then analyzed our transcript of the interviews and found common themes of results throughout the study.
The Language-Literacy Bridges Project: Developmental Language Disorders in Children
Authors: Sophia Norris, Dr. Shannon Hall-MillsStudent Major: Interdisciplinary Medical Sciences Clinical Professions
Mentor: Dr. Shannon Hall-Mills
Mentor's Department: School of Communication Science and Disorders Mentor's College: Communication Science and Disorders Co-Presenters: Margaret Cavallari
Abstract
The Language-Literacy Bridges Project, conducted in the School-based Practices, Effectiveness, and Research (SPEAR) Lab at Florida State University’s School of Communication Science and Disorders, investigates language learning in children through group studies with speech-language pathologists (SLPs). This research study aims to enhance understanding language development challenges, particularly in children with Developmental Language Disorders (DLD). Given the prevalence of DLD, with an estimated 7.58% of children affected, it is one of the most common neurodevelopmental disorders (McGregor, 2020). To help enhance educational results we are researching how SLP practices influence language intervention in reading outcomes within school-age children across the United States.
Through focus group interviews, this research seeks to identify key themes among SLPs related to their professional perspectives and use of evidence-based practices (EBP), including discussion of perceived facilitators and barriers to support reading comprehension. Acknowledging the persistent challenges in reading comprehension and treatment effectiveness, this study seeks to refine intervention strategies and bridge literacy gaps in child education. The findings will contribute to advancing language-learning support and improving educational outcomes for children with DLD.
Keywords: Reading, Comprehension, Speech