SLPs’ Knowledge, Attitude, and Practice in Discourse Sampling and Analysis
Tracks
7
Adolescent
Assessment
Language disorder (e.g. LD associated with...)
Oral language
School age
| Sunday, June 15, 2025 |
| 11:30 AM - 11:40 AM |
| Knowledge Hub | Halls MNO, Ground Level |
Overview
Adele Wallis
Details
⏫ Rapid impact
⏲️ 11.30am - 11.40am
⌛10-minutes
📚 Assumed knowledge of attendees: Foundational (new/casual familiarity with the topic e.g. treated a single case)
⏲️ 11.30am - 11.40am
⌛10-minutes
📚 Assumed knowledge of attendees: Foundational (new/casual familiarity with the topic e.g. treated a single case)
Presenter
Ms Adele Wallis
HDR Student
SLPs’ Knowledge, Attitude, and Practice in Discourse Sampling and Analysis
11:30 AM - 11:40 AMPresentation summary
Discourse sampling and analysis (DSA) provides insight into the functional language ability of children and adolescents. It complements results from decontextualised, standardised assessments by evaluating language in use at text-level.
Surveys of SLPs consistently report that practices in DSA usually involve informal processes around both the elicitation and analysis of discourse samples (Pavelko et al., 2015; Westerveld & Claessen, 2014; Wilder & Redmond, 2024). However, previous surveys have focused questions around clinicians’ current practices, in attempts to identify enablers and barriers to DSA.
This presentation will report findings from 43 SLPs who responded to an online survey, answering 51 closed statements and one open-ended question to explore aspects of clinical competency in relation to communication assessment and DSA with adolescents. The survey statements were based on a knowledge, attitude, and practices framework.
Key findings highlight that despite positive attitudes towards DSA and a sound knowledge base, practices continue to be informal – both in eliciting discourse samples and analysing them. Most SLPs report eliciting a conversation sample with adolescents and analysing it informally. While SLPs acknowledged the usefulness of DSA, time, clinical experience, and knowledge were identified as barriers. However, a majority of participants reported having attended professional development in the area of DSA, and expressed interest in further training. There appears to be a gap in the process of translation of knowledge into practice. Suggestions and recommendations, raised through responses on the open-ended question, for supporting SLPs’ application of DSA in the clinic using a more formalised approach will be explored.
DSA is an exciting and rewarding assessment tool in the SLP’s toolkit yet remains underutilised. While its value in providing insight into an individual’s functional language capability is recognised, SLPs are challenged in translating their knowledge into practice. The profession needs to find strategies to support this shift.
Surveys of SLPs consistently report that practices in DSA usually involve informal processes around both the elicitation and analysis of discourse samples (Pavelko et al., 2015; Westerveld & Claessen, 2014; Wilder & Redmond, 2024). However, previous surveys have focused questions around clinicians’ current practices, in attempts to identify enablers and barriers to DSA.
This presentation will report findings from 43 SLPs who responded to an online survey, answering 51 closed statements and one open-ended question to explore aspects of clinical competency in relation to communication assessment and DSA with adolescents. The survey statements were based on a knowledge, attitude, and practices framework.
Key findings highlight that despite positive attitudes towards DSA and a sound knowledge base, practices continue to be informal – both in eliciting discourse samples and analysing them. Most SLPs report eliciting a conversation sample with adolescents and analysing it informally. While SLPs acknowledged the usefulness of DSA, time, clinical experience, and knowledge were identified as barriers. However, a majority of participants reported having attended professional development in the area of DSA, and expressed interest in further training. There appears to be a gap in the process of translation of knowledge into practice. Suggestions and recommendations, raised through responses on the open-ended question, for supporting SLPs’ application of DSA in the clinic using a more formalised approach will be explored.
DSA is an exciting and rewarding assessment tool in the SLP’s toolkit yet remains underutilised. While its value in providing insight into an individual’s functional language capability is recognised, SLPs are challenged in translating their knowledge into practice. The profession needs to find strategies to support this shift.
Refrences
Pavelko, S. L., Owens, R. E., Ireland, M., & Hahs-Vaughn, D. L. (2016). Use of language sample analysis by school-based SLPs: Results of a nationwide survey. Language, Speech, and Hearing Services in Schools, 47(3), 246-258. https://doi.org/10.1044/2016_LSHSS-15-0044
Westby, C., & Culatta, B. (2016). Telling tales: personal event narratives and life stories. Language, Speech, and Hearing Services in Schools, 47(4), 260-282. https://doi.org/10.1044/2016_lshss-15-0073
Westerveld, M. F., & Claessen, M. (2014). Clinician survey of language sampling practices in Australia. International Journal of Speech-Language Pathology, 16(3), 242-249. https://doi.org/10.3109/17549507.2013.871336
Wilder, A. & Redmond, S. M. (2024). Updates on Clinical Language Sampling Practices: A survey of Speech-Language Pathologists Practicing in the United States, Language, Speech, and Hearing Services in Schools, 1-16. https://doi.org/10.1044/2024_LSHSS-24-00035
Westby, C., & Culatta, B. (2016). Telling tales: personal event narratives and life stories. Language, Speech, and Hearing Services in Schools, 47(4), 260-282. https://doi.org/10.1044/2016_lshss-15-0073
Westerveld, M. F., & Claessen, M. (2014). Clinician survey of language sampling practices in Australia. International Journal of Speech-Language Pathology, 16(3), 242-249. https://doi.org/10.3109/17549507.2013.871336
Wilder, A. & Redmond, S. M. (2024). Updates on Clinical Language Sampling Practices: A survey of Speech-Language Pathologists Practicing in the United States, Language, Speech, and Hearing Services in Schools, 1-16. https://doi.org/10.1044/2024_LSHSS-24-00035
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Adele is a SLP of over 40 years experience, who is finally doing what she has always wanted to do - a PhD in an area that she feels totally passionate about. She combines her love for working with adolescents who have mental health concerns with investigating personal narratives through discourse sampling and analysis. She considers the outcome of her PhD to be an offering back to a profession that has always kept alive her curiosity, passion, and love of language. Adele has worked with children and adolescents since she graduated, working in education, disability, and mental health. She has also developed, written and published several resources for SLPs and teachers under Sandpiper Publications. Her PhD, supervised by Prof Marleen Westerveld through Griffith University, is the final tick on her professional bucket list.
Session chair
Dai Pu
Monash University & Little Birds Allied Health
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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