Disciplinary Literacy: Virginia School-Based Speech-Language Pathologists' Knowledge and Confidence. (February 2019)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Davis, Karen C.; Murza, Kimberly A.
• Is Part Of: Communication disorders quarterly. Volume 40:Number 2(2019:Feb.)
• Page Start: 77
• Page End: 87
• Publication Date: 2019-02
• Subjects: literacy -- survey -- research -- speech-language pathologists (SLPs); Communicative disorders -- Periodicals; 616.855005
• DOI: 10.1177/1525740118771905
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1525-7401

Abstract

The purpose of this survey was to examine Speech-Language Pathologists' (SLPs) confidence in their ability to support student outcomes by addressing language-literacy needs, to align therapy to educational standards, and to align therapy to student content areas. A total of 237 school-based SLPs in Virginia completed a 19-item survey. Results indicated school-based SLPs were largely unfamiliar with the concept of disciplinary literacy and only 53% of the respondents indicated that they were " Very confident " or " Somewhat confident " in their ability to align their therapy to students' content areas. Confidence level was found to be negatively correlated with SLPs' experience level ( r s = −.14–−.24, p < .05) and positively correlated with their rating of their education ( r s = .28–.39, p < .01). These results suggest school-based SLPs could benefit from professional development in the area of disciplinary literacy as well as the broader area of adolescent language and literacy interventions.