Implementing story-telling groups in private practice: Outcomes and lessons learned
Tracks
Concurrent session T5
Expressive language
Innovative practice
Narrative
Therapy
| Tuesday, May 28, 2024 |
| 10:50 AM - 11:05 AM |
| River View Room 05 |
Overview
Rosemary Hodges
Details
⏫ In-practice
📚 Assumed knowledge of attendees: Foundational (new/casual familiarity with the topic e.g. treated a single case)
📚 Assumed knowledge of attendees: Foundational (new/casual familiarity with the topic e.g. treated a single case)
Presenter
Dr Rosemary Hodges
Clinical Director
Word Stars Speech Pathology
Implementing story-telling groups in private practice: Outcomes and lessons learned
10:50 AM - 11:05 AMPresentation summary
Background: In our private practice, we have utilised 'StoryChamps' (Spencer & Petersen, 2016) to run story-telling groups. Story-telling provides a meaningful context to target multiple areas of language (discourse, sentences, vocabulary, inferencing).
Method: Existing clients were identified as suitable candidates for the group based on required pre-requisite skills. Two story-telling groups ran during July - September 2023. One group included five children aged 5-6 years-old and the other included four children aged 7-9 years-old (N = 9 total). The group was held once a week for 8 weeks. Prior to the first group and after the final group, each child's story-telling skills were individually measured using the CUBED-3 NLM measures (Spencer & Petersen, 2023), a parent-report survey of story-telling skills, and a parent experiential measure. In this presentation, we will focus on the outcome measures of: NLM retell score, NLM comprehension questions score, and NLM composite score. Sessions were based on the StoryChamps Small Group Master Lesson Plans, primarily lesson 26 (Enhanced Story Structure), lesson 27 (causal connections), and lesson 29 (modifer vocabulary).
Outcomes: As a whole group, gains were seen in the NLM retell score (pre-test mean = 9.4 vs. post-test mean = 15.7) and NLM composite score (pre-test mean = 17.9, post-test mean = 25.4), with less change on NLM comprehension questions (pre-test mean = 8.2, post-test mean = 9.8). During this presentation, we will also discuss individual patterns of progress, parent survey and experiential data, and general challenges/considerations.
Conclusions: Story-telling can be targeted within small groups in private practice. Our largest gains were seen in story macrostructure. Future directions include; streamlining our outcome measure selection, including a written-story outcome measure for older children, conducting multiple baselines at pre-test, and examining progress trajectories for children with differing characteristics (e.g. Autism, DLD).
Method: Existing clients were identified as suitable candidates for the group based on required pre-requisite skills. Two story-telling groups ran during July - September 2023. One group included five children aged 5-6 years-old and the other included four children aged 7-9 years-old (N = 9 total). The group was held once a week for 8 weeks. Prior to the first group and after the final group, each child's story-telling skills were individually measured using the CUBED-3 NLM measures (Spencer & Petersen, 2023), a parent-report survey of story-telling skills, and a parent experiential measure. In this presentation, we will focus on the outcome measures of: NLM retell score, NLM comprehension questions score, and NLM composite score. Sessions were based on the StoryChamps Small Group Master Lesson Plans, primarily lesson 26 (Enhanced Story Structure), lesson 27 (causal connections), and lesson 29 (modifer vocabulary).
Outcomes: As a whole group, gains were seen in the NLM retell score (pre-test mean = 9.4 vs. post-test mean = 15.7) and NLM composite score (pre-test mean = 17.9, post-test mean = 25.4), with less change on NLM comprehension questions (pre-test mean = 8.2, post-test mean = 9.8). During this presentation, we will also discuss individual patterns of progress, parent survey and experiential data, and general challenges/considerations.
Conclusions: Story-telling can be targeted within small groups in private practice. Our largest gains were seen in story macrostructure. Future directions include; streamlining our outcome measure selection, including a written-story outcome measure for older children, conducting multiple baselines at pre-test, and examining progress trajectories for children with differing characteristics (e.g. Autism, DLD).
Key messages
1. Story-telling groups utilising StoryChamps can be implemented successfully in private practice.
2. Measuring outcomes for groups is necessary and is a form of practice-based evidence.
3. There is individual variation in how children respond to intervention that needs to be explored, and can inform future clinical decision-making.
2. Measuring outcomes for groups is necessary and is a form of practice-based evidence.
3. There is individual variation in how children respond to intervention that needs to be explored, and can inform future clinical decision-making.
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Rosie is the clinical director at Word Stars Speech Pathology (WSSP), a private practice in Western Sydney. Rosie has over 10 years clinical experience across a variety of settings including private practice, school-based, and not-for-profit services. In 2016, she completed her PhD at The University of Sydney on the speech and language skills of late talking toddlers. Since then, she has continued to engage in research on developmental and acquired communication disorders in children.
Rosie provides supervision and mentoring at WSSP and works closely with the Managing Director to develop and evaluate services and projects. Clinically, Rosie maintains a small early intervention caseload.
Rosie is passionate about evidence-based practice and practice-based evidence in speech pathology. She regularly provides professional development within the profession via workshops, conferences, and mentoring. She is also a strong advocate for raising awareness of communication difficulties within the community, particularly in early childhood education.
Ms Celine Lowe Pascual
Word Stars Speech Pathology
Implementing story-telling groups in private practice: Outcomes and lessons learned
10:50 AM - 11:05 AM**********
Celine is the Managing Director of WSSP. Since taking on this role, Celine has made it her mission to ensure that her practice trains and develops speech pathologists who are compassionate, results driven, and innovative. Celine believes that looking after her team means creating a workplace that is dynamic and flexible. She has implemented robust clinical and financial systems that allow her team to achieve autonomy and a strong sense of purpose. For instance, team members and able to schedule their caseloads in a way that works for them and are supported to develop special interest areas and, as a result, grow their professional reputations.
Together with her team, Celine has been able to develop several unique service delivery models that are tailored to the needs of our clients. The development of a Work Experience Program for young adults with disability, a Student Clinic service at a local high school, and the creation of online groups for high school students are among the many unique initiatives she has headed.
When Celine is not working she enjoys running, writing and spending time with her friends and family.
Session chair
Mary Claessen
Senior Advisor Professional Standards
Speech Pathology Australia
Student volunteer(s)
Lillian Hennessy-Ellis
Student
Curtin University
Tanvi Patel
Curtin University
The information contained in this program is current at of the time of publishing but is subject to changes made without notice.
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