School of Communication Science & Disorders (SCSD) doctoral student Anne Reed, recent graduate Rebecca Summy, Associate Professor Dr. Kelly Farquharson, and FSU School of Teacher Education Associate Professor Dr. Lindsay Dennis got their article published in Topics in Early Childhood Special Education Journal. This journal focuses on research that will improve the lives of young children with special needs and their families.

Their article, “The Effects of Practice-Based Coaching on the Implementation of Shared Book Reading Strategies for Speech-Language Pathology Strategies for Speech-Language Pathology Assistants and Paraeducators Working With Children With Language Delays,” examines the effects of practice-based coaching with scripted supports designed to support paraeducators and speech-language pathology assistants (SLPAs) as they implement evidence-based shared book reading strategies on preschoolers with language delays.

Reed and Summy served as the coaches to the SLPAs and paraeducators during the intervention. They also assisted Dennis and Farquharson in writing the manuscript.

The motivation behind this research was to support paraeducators and SLPAs. While they are a population of educators who work very closely with children who have disabilities, they are often not included in traditional professional development opportunities. This research will help them develop increased use of explicit vocabulary instruction during shared book reading with preschoolers.

“I am proud to have three publications going into my third year as a doctoral student,” Reed told CCI. “Each experience is preparing me for what will, hopefully, be a fulfilling career. I am hoping to gain satisfaction that others are able to use this information to better their practice and work with children.”

Reed has developed an increased interest in how focusing on the skill development of educators has downstream effects on the children they serve. Dennis and Farquharson have since extended this work to examine how print referencing can be included in shared book-reading training for SLPAs and paraeducators. That work was funded by a CCI Seed Grant and the results will be submitted for publication this semester.