Practice-Based Research With Speech-Language Pathologists: A Case Study in Evaluating an Evidence-Informed Language and Phonological Awareness Assessment Tool.

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Title: Practice-Based Research With Speech-Language Pathologists: A Case Study in Evaluating an Evidence-Informed Language and Phonological Awareness Assessment Tool.
Authors: Vollebregt, Meghan1, Sarlo, Nancy2, Punnoose, Anila2, Archibald, Lisa M. D.1 larchiba@uwo.ca
Source: Language, Speech & Hearing Services in Schools. Apr2026, Vol. 57 Issue 2, p359-370. 12p.
Subject Terms: *Cognitive testing, *Data analysis, *Interprofessional relations, *Universities & colleges, *Educational tests & measurements, *Teachers, *Storytelling, *Research methodology, *Comparative studies, *Phonology, *Inter-observer reliability, *School health services, Repeated measures design, Pearson correlation (Statistics), Professional practice, Word deafness, Research funding, T-test (Statistics), Evaluation of human services programs, Descriptive statistics, Analysis of variance, Statistics, Evidence-based medicine
Geographic Terms: Ontario
Abstract: Purpose: Practice-based research (PBR) is one approach to knowledge translation that involves conducting research in a clinical setting. In this project, a clinical-research partnership was established with a school board in Ontario. The research objectives were to examine the utility and validity of a boarddesigned language tool that assessed phonological awareness and story retell. Method: In Study 1, kindergarten children referred to the speech-language pathologist (SLP) for evaluation (n = 108) and another not referred group (n = 121) completed an assessment tool designed by school board SLPs at 2 points in the school year (Fall of 2017 and Spring of 2018). In Study 2, a second group of kindergarten children (n = 37) completed an updated tool at two time points (Spring of 2019 and Fall of 2019), and at the first time point, they completed a series of standardized assessments of language. Results: Study 1 revealed that the phonological awareness component of the tool captured differences between the different groups and the Fall of 2017 and Spring of 2018 time points, whereas the narrative retell component captured differences in group but not time. Members of the partnership then revised the narrative component of the tool for Study 2, the results of which revealed that both the phonological awareness and narrative language components captured differences between groups and over time. The tool components were also found to correlate with corresponding tests of language ability, providing some evidence for its validity. Conclusions: This PBR project evaluated a bespoke clinical assessment tool and identified a needed revision. Ultimately, scores on both tool components captured expected differences in group and time and expected correlations were found with related measures. The PBR approach enabled practice capture and timely implementation of practice change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
Copyright of Language, Speech & Hearing Services in Schools is the property of American Speech-Language-Hearing Association and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
Database: Education Research Complete
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  Data: Practice-Based Research With Speech-Language Pathologists: A Case Study in Evaluating an Evidence-Informed Language and Phonological Awareness Assessment Tool.
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Vollebregt%2C+Meghan%22">Vollebregt, Meghan</searchLink><relatesTo>1</relatesTo><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Sarlo%2C+Nancy%22">Sarlo, Nancy</searchLink><relatesTo>2</relatesTo><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Punnoose%2C+Anila%22">Punnoose, Anila</searchLink><relatesTo>2</relatesTo><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Archibald%2C+Lisa+M%2E+D%2E%22">Archibald, Lisa M. D.</searchLink><relatesTo>1</relatesTo><i> larchiba@uwo.ca</i>
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="JN" term="%22Language%2C+Speech+%26+Hearing+Services+in+Schools%22">Language, Speech & Hearing Services in Schools</searchLink>. Apr2026, Vol. 57 Issue 2, p359-370. 12p.
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  Data: *<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Cognitive+testing%22">Cognitive testing</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Data+analysis%22">Data analysis</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Interprofessional+relations%22">Interprofessional relations</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Universities+%26+colleges%22">Universities & colleges</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Educational+tests+%26+measurements%22">Educational tests & measurements</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Teachers%22">Teachers</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Storytelling%22">Storytelling</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Research+methodology%22">Research methodology</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Comparative+studies%22">Comparative studies</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Phonology%22">Phonology</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Inter-observer+reliability%22">Inter-observer reliability</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22School+health+services%22">School health services</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Repeated+measures+design%22">Repeated measures design</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Pearson+correlation+%28Statistics%29%22">Pearson correlation (Statistics)</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Professional+practice%22">Professional practice</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Word+deafness%22">Word deafness</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Research+funding%22">Research funding</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22T-test+%28Statistics%29%22">T-test (Statistics)</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Evaluation+of+human+services+programs%22">Evaluation of human services programs</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Descriptive+statistics%22">Descriptive statistics</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Analysis+of+variance%22">Analysis of variance</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Statistics%22">Statistics</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Evidence-based+medicine%22">Evidence-based medicine</searchLink>
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Ontario%22">Ontario</searchLink>
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  Label: Abstract
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  Data: Purpose: Practice-based research (PBR) is one approach to knowledge translation that involves conducting research in a clinical setting. In this project, a clinical-research partnership was established with a school board in Ontario. The research objectives were to examine the utility and validity of a boarddesigned language tool that assessed phonological awareness and story retell. Method: In Study 1, kindergarten children referred to the speech-language pathologist (SLP) for evaluation (n = 108) and another not referred group (n = 121) completed an assessment tool designed by school board SLPs at 2 points in the school year (Fall of 2017 and Spring of 2018). In Study 2, a second group of kindergarten children (n = 37) completed an updated tool at two time points (Spring of 2019 and Fall of 2019), and at the first time point, they completed a series of standardized assessments of language. Results: Study 1 revealed that the phonological awareness component of the tool captured differences between the different groups and the Fall of 2017 and Spring of 2018 time points, whereas the narrative retell component captured differences in group but not time. Members of the partnership then revised the narrative component of the tool for Study 2, the results of which revealed that both the phonological awareness and narrative language components captured differences between groups and over time. The tool components were also found to correlate with corresponding tests of language ability, providing some evidence for its validity. Conclusions: This PBR project evaluated a bespoke clinical assessment tool and identified a needed revision. Ultimately, scores on both tool components captured expected differences in group and time and expected correlations were found with related measures. The PBR approach enabled practice capture and timely implementation of practice change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
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  Data: <i>Copyright of Language, Speech & Hearing Services in Schools is the property of American Speech-Language-Hearing Association and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract.</i> (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
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        Value: 10.1044/2025_LSHSS-25-00061
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        Text: English
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      – SubjectFull: Cognitive testing
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Data analysis
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      – SubjectFull: Interprofessional relations
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      – SubjectFull: Teachers
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      – SubjectFull: Storytelling
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      – SubjectFull: Phonology
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      – SubjectFull: Inter-observer reliability
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      – SubjectFull: School health services
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      – SubjectFull: Repeated measures design
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      – SubjectFull: Evidence-based medicine
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      – SubjectFull: Ontario
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      – TitleFull: Practice-Based Research With Speech-Language Pathologists: A Case Study in Evaluating an Evidence-Informed Language and Phonological Awareness Assessment Tool.
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              Text: Apr2026
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