Ke Cheng

The limited research available on writing in Grade 1 led to the development and implementation of an intervention for students who were performing below expectations. Ten students participated in a writing intervention for 11–13 weeks. A multiple baseline design across three units of instruction was focused on (a) paragraph structure, (b) sentence structure and handwriting, and (c) vocabulary and spelling allowed for analysis of the effects of the intervention. Treatment effects were evident from visual analysis, nonoverlap statistics, and multilevel modeling. Descriptive data collected on literacy measures administered before and after the intervention also indicated growth. Educator ratings of student writing and social validity surveys provide further evidence that improvements in student writing were apparent. Students also provided favorable input. These results indicate the malleability of writing behavior in at-risk first-grade students. Although preliminary findings are promising, iterative development would help improve this intervention and determine its efficacy with a broader sample of students.

Purpose: This article describes the development and initial validation of the Speech-Language Pathologist (SLP) Involvement in Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS) Questionnaire. It was developed to measure the extent to which SLPs are involved in MTSS at their school site(s). Method: A total of 567 SLPs practicing in the United States responded to up to 39 Likert-type items meant to reflect six domains: scope of practice, professional development, leadership, consulting/collaborating, assessment and analysis, and intervention. Measurement quality was evaluated in terms of score reliability and validity. An exploratory factor analysis was conducted to evaluate the internal structure of the questionnaire responses. A three-factor model with the following dimensions of Carrying out Roles and Responsibilities, Leading, and Planning and Providing Interventions was supported. Loadings for retained factors ranged from .35 to .87. Internal consistency estimates ranged from .87 to .92. Descriptive statistics summarized the overall involvement of SLPs in MTSS, and responses to questions to assess the feasibility and acceptability of this questionnaire were analyzed. Results: Questionnaire responses indicated that SLPs infrequently engage in MTSS activities. The item with the highest mean was related to SLPs collaborating with teachers to help them address students' speech and language disorders in their classrooms. Most of the SLPs who took the questionnaire found it easy to complete, but only some found the information to be useful. Conclusions: The infrequent involvement of SLPs in MTSS indicates a need to disseminate information on the potentially valuable roles SLPs can play in MTSS implementation. This tool may be used by SLPs to better understand contributions they can make within an MTSS framework and self-reflect on their current levels of involvement. Supplemental Material: https://doi.org/10.23641/asha.13874516