Oral language skills in childhood are known to predict literacy levels and academic performance. Identification of children’s low-average oral language skills in school is challenging when clear criteria for developmental language disorder are not met. There are few studies of targeted, school-based oral language interventions for the older child. This study aimed to investigate the feasibility of implementing and evaluating a manualized language intervention (Talk Boost KS2) for children aged between 7 and 9 years who were identified as having low-average oral language skills, as delivered by trained teaching assistants in mainstream schools. Twenty-one UK mainstream primary schools each selected eight Year 3 (7–8-year-olds) and Year 4 (8–9-year-olds) children with low-average oral language skills. School staff received training in a new manualized intervention, Talk Boost KS2. Schools were allocated to an Active Intervention (AI) or a Waiting Control condition (WC) condition. The final sample consisted of 162 children of which 87 were allocated to the AI condition and 75 to the WC condition. Progress in favour of the intervention was found on teacher ratings of speech, language and communication needs and on a Learning Behaviours Checklist but not on standardized language or reading comprehension tests. Parents of AI children reported improvements in communication and language skills. Teaching staff reported significant increases in confidence and knowledge in managing children with low-average oral language skills as a result of being involved in the intervention. The findings are discussed in relation to the imperative to provide practical language intervention tools as well as training and support for education staff in order to support children with low-average oral language skills in mainstream schools.

中文翻译：

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Talk Boost KS2 的可行性和评估：关键阶段 2 低平均沟通能力儿童口语技能的校本计划

众所周知，儿童时期的口语技能可以预测识字水平和学业成绩。当不满足发育性语言障碍的明确标准时，确定儿童在学校的低平均口语技能具有挑战性。很少有针对大龄儿童的有针对性的、以学校为基础的口语干预研究。本研究旨在调查实施和评估手动语言干预 (Talk Boost KS2) 的可行性，这些干预是由主流学校训练有素的助教提供的，针对被确定为具有低平均口语技能的 7 至 9 岁儿童。21 所英国主流小学各选择了 8 名低平均口语技能的 3 年级（7-8 岁）和 4 年级（8-9 岁）儿童。学校工作人员接受了新的人工干预培训，Talk Boost KS2。学校被分配到主动干预 (AI) 或等待控制条件 (WC) 条件。最终样本由 162 名儿童组成，其中 87 名被分配到 AI 条件，75 名被分配到 WC 条件。在教师对言语、语言和交流需求的评分以及学习行为检查表上发现了有利于干预的进展，但在标准化语言或阅读理解测试中没有发现。AI 儿童的父母报告说他们的沟通和语言技能有所改善。教学人员报告说，由于参与干预，他们在管理口语能力低下的儿童方面的信心和知识显着增加。