ASHA Conference 2017, Los Angeles, Presentation by Maryellen Rooney Moreau and Linda Lafontaine, MindWing Concepts, Inc.

1. What Lies Beneath:
Language Impairments in
Children With Disruptive
Behavioral Disorders
(What You Can Do!)
Maryellen Rooney Moreau and Linda Lafontaine

2. Maryellen Rooney Moreau, M.Ed. CCC-SLP,
President & Founder, MindWing Concepts, Inc., Springfield, MA
Financial: Maryellen has ownership interest in MindWing Concepts, holds intellectual
property rights and patents. Maryellen is employed as president of MindWing
Concepts. In that capacity, she writes books, creates materials, consults, trains and
presents.
Nonfinancial: No relevant nonfinancial relationships exist.
Linda M. Lafontaine, M.A. CCC-SLP,
Speech Pathologist and Principal at The Curtis Blake Day School at Children’s Study
Home
Financial: Consultant for Mindwing Concepts, Inc., Springfield, MA
Non-Financial: Linda has been a friend and colleague of Maryellen Moreau, owner
of MindWing Concepts, Inc. for 20 years.
Disclosures

3. “Oral language competence is a key competency that
needs to be acquired early in life, so that important
interpersonal, academic and vocational goals can be
achieved in pro-social ways and the risk of offending
behavior can be reduced.”
Background Information
Snow, P & Powell, M. (2012). Youth (in)justice: Oral language competence in early life and risk for engagement in antisocial
behavior in adolescence. Trends and Issues in crime and criminal justice, 435. Australian Institute of Criminology.

4. “Youth offenders… marginalization from the mainstream
begins in early life, particularly in the classroom, where they
have difficulty both with language/literacy tasks and with the
interpersonal demands of the classroom. Underlying both sets
of skills is oral language competence – the ability to use and
understand spoken language in a range of situations and
social exchanges, in order to successfully negotiate the
business of every day life.”
Snow, P & Powell, M. (2012). Youth (in)justice: Oral language competence in early life and risk for engagement in antisocial
behavior in adolescence. Trends and Issues in crime and criminal justice, 435. Australian Institute of Criminology.

5. “A recent meta-analysis of studies of
language deficits in children ages 5-13 years
diagnosed with emotional behavioral
disorders found an estimated prevalence of
previously unidentified language deficits
around 81%”
Hollo, A. Wehby, J. & Oliver, R. (2014). Unidentified language deficits in children with emotional and behavioral disorders: A
meta-analysis. Exceptional Children, 80, 169-186.
Westby, C. & Culatta, B. (2016). Telling tales: Personal event narratives and life stories. LSHSS. 47 (260-282).

6. “These language disorders are pervasive
compromising expressive and receptive
language skills across all domains –
vocabulary, narrative ability, to
understanding figurative language.”
Snow, P. (2014). Prevalence of different types of speech, language and communication disorders
and speech pathology services in Australia. Monash University.

7. “Children with EBD (Emotional Behavioral Disorders) may have fewer
opportunities to interact with other children, due to frequent alienating
and antisocial behaviors, and – like children with LD – fewer
communicative tools to participate appropriately in interactions with
peers and adults”
Suggestions (among others):
• Recognize and use feeling words to describe personal feelings.
• Recognize and label feelings of others by making an inference
about a person’s nonverbal cues.
• Consider the perspective of another person.
Cited by Armstrong : (Hyter, et al. (2001). Pragmatic language intervention for children with
language and emotional/behavioral disorders. Communication Disorders Quarterly, 23(1), 4-16.
Armstrong, J. (2011). Serving children with emotional/behavioral and language disorders: A

8. Personal narratives and fictional narratives are analyzed by
some form of macrostructural analysis: Story Grammar (Stein &
Glenn, 1979) or High Point (McCabe & Bliss, 2003).
Westby and Culatta cite the levels of story grammar analysis:
• Descriptive sequence (before 4 years): The child describes
actions, scenes, or characters.
• Action sequence (before 4 years): The child describes a
temporal sequence of actions or events.
• Reactive sequence (about 4-5 years): The child indicates
causality between events, through terms such as because and
so.
Westby, C. & Culatta, B. (2016). Telling tales: Personal event narratives and life stories. LSHSS. 47 (260-282).

9. • Abbreviated episode (about 6-7 years): The child
refers to the goal of the main character but does not
explain a plan or how the goal is achieved.
• Complete episode (about 8-9 years): The child refers
to an initiating event and a goal, an attempt to achieve
the goal, and a description of how the goal was or was
not achieved.
• Elaborated episodes: Stories with obstacles to
attempts, multiple sequential episodes or embedded
episodes.

11. Stages of Narrative Development

12. Youth offenders in a study of personal narrative
production (Noel, 2011), showed that they
“expressed themselves in poorly organized,
syntactically simple sentences using few dependent
clauses to explicitly signal the temporal and causal
relationships within their stories.”
Noel, K. & Westby, C. (2014). Applying theory of mind concepts when designing interventions targeting social
cognition among youth offenders. Topics in language Disorders, 34, 344-361.
Microstructure Concerns

13. “Of their narratives, 51% did not have a plot, which
would involve and character’s intention to accomplish
a goal.”
“References to thoughts and emotions, either their
own or others’, were almost nonexistent.”
Noel, K. & Westby, C. (2014). Applying theory of mind concepts when designing interventions targeting social
cognition among youth offenders. Topics in language Disorders, 34, 344-361.
In youth offenders…

14. “Language Impairment exists when you do
not have sufficient expressive and /or
receptive skills to verbally navigate through
the business of everyday life at the
expected developmental level.”
Snow, P. (2014). The Language of language impairment. Roses by other names can still be thorny.
The Snow Report.

15. Participants and Setting for this Study

17. Children’s Study Home History
The Children’s Study Home was originally founded in April
of 1865 as The Springfield Home for Friendless Women
and Children. This organization was one of the first social
service agencies in Massachusetts and was started by a
broad group of religious leaders ‘to provide a temporary
home for friendless and destitute women and children;
and to give them employment and instruction with the
ultimate design of providing for them a more permanent
situation, or of fitting them to maintain
themselves.’ (Agency Constitution, 1865)

19. Mill Pond School of the Children’s Study Home
! MA DESE Approved School Established in 1976
! Grades K-12
! Primary Disabilities
! Emotional
! Behavioral
! 6:2 Teacher: Student Ratio
! Academic, therapeutic and recreational activities
! Follow MA Curriculum Frameworks
! Primary goal to reintegrate student back to home
school district

20. Student Disability Types
! Primary (12 students)
! Emotional (Disruptive Mood Dysregulation Disorder)-8
! Health (ADHD)-2
! Developmental Delay-1
! Intellectual-1
! Secondary (8 students)
! Health (ADHD)-4
! Specific Learning Disability-Reading-1
! Emotional-1
! Intellectual-1
! Communication-1
! Tertiary (3 students)
! Health (ADHD)-1
! Neurological -1
! Communication-1

21. Student Ages
March 2017 September 2017
Elementary
Classroom
7 to 10 years 8 to 10 years
Middle
School
Classroom
9 to 12 years 10 to 12 years

22. Student Grades
March 2017 September 2017
Elementary
Classroom
1st to 4th grade 2nd to 5th grade
Middle
School
Classroom
4th to 6th grade 5th to 7th grade

23. Related Services
Speech-Language
Therapy
2 x 30 minutes
Occupational Therapy
2 x 30 minutes
3rd grader X X
4th grader X
5th grader X X
5th grader X X
6th grader X X
6th grader X

24. Timeline
! Baseline Narratives obtained March 2017
! Elementary Classroom received 11 lessons from
April to September 2017
! Middle School Classroom received 9 lessons from
April to September 2017
! Final Narratives obtained end of September 2017
! 30 minute lesson

25. Narrative Protocol
! Student listened to taped story of “A Boy, A Dog
and a Frog” from the Strong Narrative Assessment
Protocol while following along with the picture book
by Mercer Mayer.
! Student narrated story
! Narrative taped on digital tape recorder
! Narrative transcribed by second author
! Narrative scored by second author
! Narrative scored by first author

26. Narrative Instruction

27. Lesson Plan Outline
! Book talk
! Read book
! Summarized with SGM manipulative and/or
magnets
! Summarized with Critical Thinking Triangle®
magnets or Critical Thinking Triangle® in Action
Tool
! Focused on mental state verbs
! think
! know
! remember
! realize
! Varied activities to conclude lesson

28. Universal Narrative/Expository
Magnet Set

29. © Lafontaine & Moreau 2014 - www.mindwingconcepts.com -
888.228.9746

31. Mental State Verbs
! Think about the character’s
thinking
! Know for a fact
! Remember from the past
! Realize from own experiences

35. TEACHING
PHASE
TEACHER
BEHAVIOR
LEARNER
BEHAVIOR
Demonstration • Initiates
• Models
• Explains
• Thinks Aloud
• Shows “How to
do it”
• Listens
• Observes
• May participate
on a limited basis
What does the Gradual Release of Responsibility
Model look and sound like?
Source: Routman, R. (2003) Reading Essentials, Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann.
“I Do”

36. TEACHING
PHASE
TEACHER
BEHAVIOR
LEARNER
BEHAVIOR
Guided Practice • Demonstrates
• Leads
• Suggests
• Explains
• Responds
• Acknowledge
s
• Listens
• Interacts
• Questions
• Collaborates
• Responds
• Tries Out
• Approximates
• Participates
Source: Routman, R. (2003) Reading Essentials, Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann.
“WE DO”

37. TEACHING
PHASE
LEARNER
BEHAVIOR
TEACHER
BEHAVIOR
Independent
Practice
• Applies
Learning
• Takes Charge
• Practices
• Problem
Solves
• Approximates
• Self-Corrects
• Scaffolds
• Validates
• Teaches as
needed
• Evaluates
• Observes
• Encourages
• Clarifies
• Confirms
Source: Routman, R. (2003) Reading Essentials, Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann.
“YOU ALL DO”
TEACHER HANDS OVER RESPONSIBILITY

38. TEACHING
PHASE
LEARNER
BEHAVIOR
TEACHER
BEHAVIOR
Application • Initiates
• Self-Monitors
• Self-Directs
• Applies
Learning
• Problem
Solves
• Confirms
• Affirms
• Assists as
needed
• Responds
• Acknowledges
• Evaluates
• Sets Goals
Source: Routman, R. (2003) Reading Essentials, Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann.
“YOU DO”
TEACHER HANDS OVER RESPONSIBILITY

39. Thomas’ Snowsuit
Thomas versus Mother and Teacher

40. Kat Kong by Dav Pilkey
Mice perspective

41. Zomo the Rabbit
What did Zomo know, remember and
realize about the fish, cow and leopard?

42. Scaredy Squirrel makes a friend
What are the similarities and differences
between a fish and a dog from Scaredy
Squirrel’s perspective?

43. Dogzilla
Mice perspective-think, know, remember, realize
about dogs

44. Something Else
Discussed mental states of Something Else, the
Creature, and his classmates.

45. Dr. DeSoto
Perspectives of the DeSotos and the Fox

46. Wolf’s Chicken Stew

48. Too Many Tamales
Question answering and question asking

51. Piggie Pie
Mental states of witch, pigs and fox

64. Aunt Isabel Tells a Good One

73. Macrostructure Results Elementary
March 2017 September 2017
Emergent Action Sequence Emergent Action Sequence
Unscorable Heap
Would Not Attempt Emergent Action Sequence
Would Not Attempt Emergent Reaction
Sequence
Emergent Action Sequence Emergent Action Sequence
Heap Emergent Action Sequence

74. Macrostructure Results Middle School
March 2017 September 2017
Reactive Sequence Reactive Sequence
Emergent Action Sequence Emergent Abbreviated
Episode
Heap Emergent Action Sequence
Descriptive Descriptive
Emergent Action Sequence Reactive Sequence
Descriptive Descriptive

75. Macrostructure-Story Grammar
Elements included in Post Narrative
Classroom # of Students
who included
Feeling
# of Students
who included
Plan
Pre Post Pre Post
Elementary 0/6 0/6 1/6 3/6
Middle School 1/6 1/6 5/6 6/6

76. Microstructure Elementary
Increased Decreased No Change
Cohesive
Ties
5 0 1
Noun
Phrases
2 0 4
Adverbs 2 0 4
Mental
States
0 0 6
Linguistic
Verbs
2 0 4

77. Microstructure Middle School
Increased Decreased No Change
Cohesive
Ties
5 1 0
Noun
Phrases
2 2 2
Adverbs 3 2 1
Mental
States
3 0 3
Linguistic
Verbs
3 1 2

78. March 2017
First Grade
7 years old
Emergent Action Sequence
Note first question and scaffolding
Baseline Narrative

81. September 2017
Second Grade
8 years old
Emergent Action Sequence
Note less scaffolding, planning word,
increased temporal cohesion
Post Narrative

87. March 2017
Second Grade
8 years old
No Level-would not attempt
Baseline Narrative

89. September 2017
Third Grade
9 years old
Emergent Action Sequence
Note scaffolding needed at beginning
Post Narrative

96. March 2017
Third Grade
8 years old
No Level-would not attempt narrative
retelling or questions
Baseline Narrative

99. September 2017
Fourth Grade
9 years old
Emergent Reaction Sequence
Note lack of scaffolding
Post Narrative

104. March 2017
Third Grade
9 years old
Emergent Action Sequence
Note only retold beginning of story and
word retrieval difficulties
Baseline Narrative

107. September 2017
Fourth Grade
9 years old
Emergent Action Sequence
Note retelling included entire story
Post Narrative

112. March 2017
Fourth Grade
9 years old
Emergent Action Sequence
Note inclusion of macrostructure with
temporal cohesion
Baseline Narrative

116. September 2017
Fifth Grade
10 years old
Emergent Abbreviated Episode
Note inclusion of attempts, noun phrases,
adverbs and mental state verbs
Post Narrative

122. March 2017
Fifth Grade
11 years old
Descriptive Sequence
Note retrieval issues, unclear referents,
minimal macrostructure, omitted middle of
story
Baseline Narrative

125. September 2017
Sixth Grade
11 years old
Descriptive Sequence
Note less scaffolding, increased
macrostructure elements, included one
action from middle of story
Post Narrative

129. March 2017
Sixth Grade
12 years old
Descriptive Sequence
Baseline Narrative

132. September 2017
Seventh Grade
12 years old
Descriptive Sequence
Note “cliff note” beginning then increased
scaffolding to elicit more details
Post Narrative

136. Elementary Classroom Comprehension
Questions
5 Factual
March
5 Factual
September
5 Inference
March
5 Inference
September
40% 80%/100% 50% 60%
No Response 100% No Response 80%/100%
60% 80% 0% 0%
No Response 80%/100% No Response 60%
50%/90% 100% 20%/40% 80%
40% 40%/60% 0% 20%

137. Inferential Questions-Elementary
Question
Number
Story
Grammar
Element
# of
Students-
Increase
# of
Students-
Decrease
No
change
7 Plan 2 0 4
8 Plan 3 1 2
9 Feeling 3 0 3
10 Thought 2 0 4
No change- 12 of 13 no change responses were incorrect pre and post, 1 of 13 was
correct pre and post

138. Middle School Classroom
Comprehension Questions
5 Factual
March
5 Factual
September
5 Inference
March
5 Inference
September
100% 100% 70% 100%
80%/100% 80%/100% 90% 80%/100%
100% 100% 20% 60%
80% 60% 60%/80% 40%/60%
80%/100% 100% 100% 70%/100%
80% 100% 40% 80%

139. Inferential Questions-Middle School
Question
Number
Story
Grammar
Element
# of
Students-
Increase
# of
Students-
Decrease
No
change
7 Plan 2 1 3
8 Plan 0 0 6
9 Feeling 0 2 4
10 Thought 2 0 4
No change- 13 of 17 no change responses were correct pre and post, 4 of 17 were
incorrect pre and post

140. March 2017
First Grade
7 years old
Factual 40% accuracy
Inference 50% accuracy
Baseline Comprehension Questions

143. September 2017
Second Grade
8 years old
Factual 80%/100% accuracy
Inference 60% accuracy
Post Comprehension Questions

146. March 2017
Second Grade
8 years old
Would not attempt
Baseline Comprehension Questions

148. September 2017
Third Grade
9 years old
Factual 100% accuracy
Inference 80%/100% accuracy
Post Comprehension Questions

151. March 2017
Third Grade
9 years old
Factual 50%/90% accuracy
Inference 20%/40% accuracy
Baseline Comprehension Questions

154. September 2017
Fourth Grade
9 years old
Factual 100% accuracy
Inference 80% accuracy
Post Comprehension Questions

157. March 2017
Fourth Grade
9 years old
Factual 100% accuracy
Inference 70% accuracy
Baseline Comprehension Questions

159. September 2017
Fifth Grade
10 years old
Factual 100% accuracy
Inference 100% accuracy
Post Comprehension Questions

161. March 2017
Fifth Grade
10 years old
Factual 100% accuracy
Inference 20% accuracy
Baseline Comprehension Questions

163. September 2017
Sixth Grade
11 years old
Factual 100% accuracy
Inference 60% accuracy
Post Comprehension Questions

165. March 2017
Sixth Grade
11 years old
Factual 80% accuracy
Inference 40% accuracy
Baseline Comprehension Questions

168. March 2017
Seventh Grade
12 years old
Factual 100% accuracy
Inference 80% accuracy
Baseline Comprehension Questions

171. September 2017
Second Grade
8 years old
Word Retrieval

173. References
! Moreau, M., & Fidrych, H. (1994). How to use the Story
Grammar Marker®: A guide for improving speaking,
reading and writing skills within your existing program.
Easthampton, MA: Discourse Skills Productions, Inc.
! Moreau, M. (1998, 2008). ThemeMaker. (An
intervention manual devoted to expository text, the
academic language required within it and advanced
sentence structures required to communicate it.)
Springfield, MA: MindWing Concepts
! Strong, C.J. Strong Narrative Assessment Procedure
(SNAP). Wisconsin, Thinking Publications. (1998)

174. Copyright © 2017 • Maryellen
Rooney Moreau •
1-888-228-9746 •
https://mindwingconcepts.com/pages/presentations
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175. Maryellen:
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mrmoreau@mindwingconcepts.com
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llafontaine@studyhome.org
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