Perceptions of Various Dialects and Potential Effects on - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Perceptions of Various Dialects and Potential Effects on Diagnosis

• S. Caprice Lee, MS, CCC-SLP
• Jay R. Lucker, Ed.D, CCC-A, CCC-SLP, FAAA

Howard University Washington, DC

Disclosures

• S. Caprice Lee
• Financial Disclosure

– None relevant to the content of this session.

• Nonfinancial Disclosure

– None relevant to the content of this session. Jay R. Lucker

• Financial Disclosure

– None relevant to the content of this session.

• Nonfinancial

– None relevant to the content of this session.

Learner Objectives

Discuss the importance of SLPs being able to differentiate between a language difference and a language disorder.

Discuss

Compare social and clinical perspectives of students at a culturally White institution versus a historically Black University.

Compare

Describe the implications of the study’s results and future research needs.

Describe

Background

CULTURALLY AND LINGUISTICALLY DIVERSE (CLD) POPULATION IN THE U.S. IS CONTINUOUSLY INCREASING CULTURAL COMPETENCE

African American English (AAE)

• A dialectal variation of

English

– Systematic – Difference – Race does not equate AAE

• Includes: (a) phonology, (b)

syntax, (c) morphology, (d) pragmatics, and (e) semantics

Difference Versus Disorder

Purpose

To determine if there is a difference in how students at a historically Black university and a predominately White institutions identify and perceive dialectal various speakers.

Research Question

Research Questions

• Is there a difference between students’ ratings who attend

historically Black universities versus culturally White universities for speakers using AAE versus those using MAE?

Research Participants

Students

• Undergraduate and master’s

students majoring in speech- language pathology programs and currently enrolled in a nationally accredited CSD program

• At least 18 years of age
• Enrolled at a historically Black

university or a predominantly White university.

Speakers

• Two adult speakers participated

as actors (1 male; 1 female)

• Read two scripts each that

demonstrate patterns of African American English (AAE) and Mainstream American English

• Recruited based on

convenience

Materials

Voice Recorder Two-part survey

• Demographic
• Speech recordings

Survey scripts

Procedure

• 1. Participants received an e-mail with link to survey.
• 2. Students read introduction to survey and Preamble Consent.
• 3. Students listened to and rated the audio samples.
• 4. Participants identified the speakers’ speech patterns as a speech

disorder, a speech difference, a speech disorder with a speech difference, or no speech disorder or speech difference.

• 5. Participants rated the recordings based on how they

perceived the speakers socially (intelligence, friendliness, and confidence) using a 5-point Likert-like scale with 5 being the highest rating and 1 being the lowest rating.

Analysis

– The researchers analyzed the rating forms using descriptive statistics. – At present, preliminary findings will be discussed.

Results

Gender

100% 100%

FEMALE

HBCU PWI

Dialect

89% 78% 33% 100% 3%

MAE AAE SPANISH INFLUENCED

Dialect

HBCU PWI

AAE Familiarity

11% 33% 56% 24% 28% 35% 3%

NOT SLIGHTLY SOMEWHAT MODERATELY EXTREMELY

HBCU PWI

10%

Speakers 1 and 2 (MAE Female and AAE Female)

SPEECH DIFFERENCE NO DISORDER OR DIFFERNCE DIFFERENCE DIFFERENCE AND DISORDER

HBCU S1 PWI S1 HBCU S2 PWI S2

100% 100% 93% 97% 3% 7%

Speakers 3 and 4 (AAE Male and MAE Male)

89% 22% 7% 86%

7%

11%

90%

7%

90%

DISORDER DIFFERENCE DISORDER AND DIFFERENCE NO DISORDER OR DIFFERENCE

HBCU S3 PWI S3 HBCU S4 PWI S4

3% 3%

Speaker 1 (Female- Mainstream)

HBCU PWI

Intelligence

• Intelligent- 56%
• Extremely- 44%

Friendliness

• Extremely- 56%
• Friendly-

44% Confidence

• Extremely- 56%
• Confident-

44% Intelligence

• Extremely-

52%

• Intelligent-

48% Friendliness

• Extremely-

66%

• Friendly-

34% Confidence

• Confident-

62%

• Extremely-

38%

Speaker 2 (Female- AAE)

HBCU PWI

Intelligence

• Intelligent-

78%

• Extremely-

11%

• Moderately-

11% Friendliness

• Extremely-

56%

• Friendly-

44% Confidence

• Extremely-

78%

• Confident-

22%

Intelligence

• Moderately-

31%

• Extremely-

28%

• Intelligent-

24%

• Slightly-

10%

• Not-

7% Friendliness

• Extremely-

48%

• Friendly-

41%

• Moderately-

7%

• Slightly 3%

Confidence

• Extremely-

59%

• Confident-

34%

• Moderately-

3%

• Slightly-

3%

Speaker 3 (Male- AAE)

HBCU PWI

Intelligence

• Intelligent-

56%

• Moderately-

33%

• Extremely-

11% Friendliness

• Extremely-

56%

• Moderately-

22%

• Friendly-

11%

• Slightly-

11% Confidence

• Confident-

56%

• Extremely-

22%

• Moderately-

22%

Intelligence

• Intelligent-

41%

• Moderately-

38%

• Slightly-

14%

• Extremely-

6%

• Not 3%

Friendliness

• Moderately-

38%

• Friendly-

34%

• Extremely-

21%

• Slightly-

3%

• Not-

3% Confidence

• Confident-

48%

• Moderately-

24%

• Extremely-

21%

• Slightly-

14%

Speaker 4 (Male- Mainstream)

HBCU PWI

Intelligence

• Extremely-

78%

• Intelligent-

11%

• Moderately-

11% Friendliness

• Extremely-

33%

• Friendly-

22%

• Slightly-

22%

• Moderately-

22% Confidence

• Extremely-

67%

• Confident 11%
• Moderately-

11%

• Slightly-

11% Intelligence

• Extremely-

52%

• Intelligent-

31%

• Slightly-

10%

• Moderately-

7% Friendliness

• Moderately-

38%

• Friendly-

34%

• Extremely-

31%

• Slightly-

3%

• Not-

3% Confidence

• Extremely-

44%

• Confident-

41%

• Slightly-

7%

• Moderately-

7%

Conclusions

Need for increased advocacy of AAE as a legitimate dialect while also, reducing myths regarding AAE speakers. Such is needed among students at HBCUs and PWIs. Action to ensure such topics are introduced at the undergraduate level and at PWIs may be especially needed.

Diagnostic Issues

• Misdiagnosis
• Over-representation of AA students in

special education

• Negative impact on academic progress

and achievement

Increase Cultural Competence

Awareness Knowledge Sensitivity Respect Acceptance Advocating for AAE speakers

References

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References

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Questions?