The use of pictograms on children with Specific Language Impairment integrated in regular schools in Córdoba, Argentina

Abstract

Children with specific language impairment (SLI) are frequently not able to account for what they learn in school as a consequence of the language deficit. However, we attempt to find an access tool which allows them to enhance their school performance. The purpose of our research was to determine how school performance in SLI children varies with the use of pictograms compared to when pictograms are not involved.

This study has an experimental approach in which two forms of intervention are tested (verbal written tasks first, and pictograms one week later) on a sample of twenty SLI children, aged 6 and 7 years old, who are integrated in regular schools in the province of Córdoba. The independent variable selected was the use of pictograms versus the non-use of pictograms; the dependent variable selected was the school performance, measured by the following markers: time for task completion, degree of external assistance, task comprehension, and changes in emotions. The information was analysed through the correlation between both evaluations.

The data collected showed significant changes in three of the four markers included under school performance when pictograms were involved. Regarding task comprehension, the successful completion of the task increased 40% in the three activities (for instance, 55% for verbal tasks compared to 95% for pictograms). Regarding the degree of external assistance, the percentage of children who asked for the task to be read to them dropped in 45% (55% to 10%). The number of children who asked for the task to be repeated fell 25% (30% to 5%). None of the children asked for the task to be segmented when working with pictograms, while 10% of them did so for the verbal written task. The change in time for task completion was slight (60% to 55%).

In conclusion, children have the opportunity to access the material through the use of pictograms, thus improving their school performance. Likewise, the importance of the intervention of the speech and hearing therapist is made evident since we address the difficulties regarding the access to the code, and not the learning impairment exclusively.