CLD 2 Part 4: Syntax and Reading Intervention

Vocabulary practice cards covering syntactic structures, developmental milestones from Logan (1976), intervention strategies, and reading comprehension principles.

Noun Phrase

A phrase that always ends with a noun; examples include "the big red ball" or "the tall building".

Verb phrase

The only type of phrase containing a verb, which always ends with a verb; examples include "I am studying" or "I have been walking".

Adjective phrase

Functions like an adjective within an adverb in front and is used only for nouns; examples include "He is very hungry".

Adverb phrase

Serves as an adverb and usually answers when, where, why, or how.

Prepositional phrase

A phrase that begins with a preposition and ends with a noun or pronoun.

Clauses

Structural units that must have a verb and are used to make complex sentences.

Noun clause

Functions like a noun and can be replaced with "it" or "anything"; starts with a "wh" word or "that" and contains no subordinating conjunctions.

Adverbial clause

Functions like an adverb and always starts with a subordinating conjunction related to time, condition, or causation.

Relative clause

Functions like an adjective to combine $2$ simple sentences; starts with a "wh" word or "that".

Subordinating conjunctions [AAAWWUBBIS]

Conjunctions that indicate time and causation (what condition).

Coordinating conjunctions [FANBOYS]

Conjunctions used to combine $2$ words or independent clauses.

Syntactic targets in intervention

Goals including increasing the percentage of complex sentences, expanding phrases, increasing use of FANBOYS and subordinating conjunctions, and resolving grammatical errors like passive voice.

Age $8$ syntax expectation

Expected to produce noun phrases with $3$ elements, such as "The funny little kid is gone".

Age $11$ syntax expectation

Expected to produce a noun clause with a prepositional phrase or relative clause.

Unpacking information

The general purpose of syntax intervention to help a client understand complex thoughts.

Activities for unpacking

Identifying structures like relative clauses, deconstructing complex sentences into $2$ simple ones, and analyzing them.

Packing information

The general purpose of syntax intervention to help a client express complex thoughts more precisely and efficiently.

Activities for packing

Expanding and elaborating sentences, completing sentences, combining multiple sentences, and unscrambling words.

Step $1$ in a metalinguistic activity

Define the target form, such as asking "What is a prefix?"

Step $2$ in a metalinguistic activity

Identify target form through an identification task.

Step $3$ in a metalinguistic activity

Combine given sentences in a production task.

Step $4$ in a metalinguistic activity

Unscramble words by giving the student multiple words in the wrong order to correct.

Step $5$ in a metalinguistic activity

Expand and elaborate a given sentence with the target form.

Step $6$ in a metalinguistic activity

Combine to imitate: providing a model sentence for the client to imitate using related sentence parts.

Step $7$ in a metalinguistic activity

Write your own sentence containing the target form, eventually shifting to classroom text.

Logan (1976) Syntax development: Age $5-6$

Conditionality and causality emerge in statements that explain "why" or "because".

Logan (1976) Syntax development: Age $6-7$

Complex sentences and use of subordination increase; use of conditional clauses with words like "if" increases.

Logan (1976) Syntax development: Age $7-8$

Relative pronouns and subordinate clauses increase; gerunds like "running" or "swimming" are used more frequently.

Logan (1976) Syntax development: Age $8-10$

Subordination increases with advanced conjunctions like "meanwhile" or "unless"; more proficient with present participle.

Logan (1976) Syntax development: Age $10-12$

Better understanding of consequences due to cognitive growth, leading to more complex language use.

Dependent clause plateau

A steady increase in uses of dependent clauses in writing occurs with age, but a plateau may emerge between Grade $8-11$.

Templin finding

Children at age eight use five times as many subordinate clauses as children at age three.

T-units

A main "independent" clause that is grammatical and can stand alone, along with any dependent clauses.

Macrostructures analyses

Examines story grammar elements, overall central theme, and level of episode complexity.

Microstructures analyses

Examines productivity (MLU), morpho-syntax (phrases, clauses), semantics (lexical diversity), and cohesion.

Storytelling Ease Hierarchy

Oral is easier than written; Retell is easier than Generation; Personal is easier than Fictional; Pictures are easier than No pictures.

Prefix

The beginning of a word; Examples include un-, re-, in-, im-, ir-, or dis-.

Suffix

The end of a word; Examples include -s, -es, -ed, -ing, or -ly.

Phonological awareness intervention steps

1. Rhyming and alliteration; 2. Count, segment and blend phonemes (CRUCIAL); 3. Letter to sound correspondence.

Pre-reading principles

Help students activate and expand background knowledge and predict what they will learn from text.

Reading phase principles

Facilitate reading strategies, comprehension monitoring, inferencing, summarizing key ideas, and comparing prior knowledge to learned info.

Post-reading principles

Ask different levels of questions to the student.