The status of corrective speech programs in elementary schools of small city districts of California

128 Pages·04.855 MB·English

by  Tallman, Louis Alvin

THE STATUS OF CORRECTIVE SPEECH PROGRAMS IN ELEMENTARY
SCHOOLS OF SMALL CITY DISTRICTS
OF CALIFORNIA
A Thesis
Presented to
the Faculty of the School of Education
The University of Southern California
In Partial Fulfillment
of the Requirements for the Degree
Master of Science in Education
by
Louis Alvin Tallman
September 1942
UMI Number: EP56456
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This thesis, written under the direction of the
Chairman of the candidate’s Guidance Committee
and approved hy all members of the Committee,
has been presented to and accepted by the Faculty
of the School of Education of The University of
Southern California in partial fulfillment of the
requirements for the degree of Master of Science
in Education.
Date September 11, 1942
Dean
Guidance Committee
Paul Pi slier
Chairman
Louis P. Thorpe
M. M. Thompson
TABLE OF CONTENTS
CHAPTER PACE
I. THE PROBLEM, RELATED READING, AND ITS
ORGANIZATION............................. 1
The problem • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 1
Statement of the problem • • • • • • • • • 1
Analysis of the problem • • • • • • • • • 2
Validity of the investigation . . . . . . 2
Related investigations • • • • • • • • • • • 7
Review of similar investigations • • . . • 7
A* M. Drummond 7
Edna Cotrel . . • • • • • • • • • . • • 8
Alice Chapin • • • • • • * • • ........ 9
Henry J* Otto . . • • • • • • • • • • • 10
James Murray • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 11
Emma G. Header • • • • • • • • • • • • • 11
Organization • 12
Procedure adopted for this investigation • 12
Organization of the following chapters . ♦ 15
II. FINANCIAL PROBLEMS OF A CORRECTIVE SPEECH
PROGRAM ............... 19
Inclusion of speech programs for state aid • 19
Basis of state apportionment payments . . . 20
Extent of state aid to the systems • • • . • 21
iii
CHAPTER PACE
Equipment furnished by civic groups . . . . 24
Salary schedules and bonuses * • • • • • • • 24
III. THE ADMINISTRATION OP CORRECTIVE SPEECH
PROGRAMS................... 28
Average daily attendance of systems studied 28
Number of speech cases included • • • • • • 29
Percentages of children included . . . . . . 32
Speech centers for individual schools . . . 32
Teachers administering the programs . . . . 33
Length and number of daily classes • • • • • 34
Size of speech correction classes . . . . . 37
Limiting factors of class size . . . . . . . 37
Frequency of class meetings......... 40
Factors limiting semesters of instruction • 44
Medical diagnostic assistance available • • 48
IV. SELECTION OF CHILDREN, THEIR DEFECTS AND
BACKGROUNDS ......... 54
Selection of students • • • • • • . . • • • 54
Method of determining types of defects . . . 56
Percentages of types of defects found . . . 59
Environmental and background studies • • • • 61
V. PROCEDURES AND MATERIALS ........ 68
Percentages of time devoted to correction
of different types of defects • • • • • • 68
iv
CHAPTER PAGE
Classroom teacher responsibility.......... 70
Basic texts used in programs • • • • • • • • 73
Supplementary books used in programs • . . • 76
Rooms for exclusive speech correction use • 79
Mechanical testing and recording.......... 79
Uses made of physical teaching media . . . . 82
The use of visual aids.................... 85
Factors influencing the percentages of
cures effected . • . .................. 86
Percentages of improvements effected . ♦ . ♦ 87
Action taken on non-improved cases........ 88
VI. PROBLEMS, BENEFITS, AND FUTURE PIANS OF
EXISTING PROGRAMS ........................ 93
Problems confronting the various programs • 93
Future plans proposed by the systems • . . • 95
Benefits and values of existing programs • • 101
VII. SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS...................... 108
Restatement of the problem • • • • • . • • • 108
Review of investigation procedures ........ 108
Financial aspects of the program • • • • • • 108
Organization of teaching units............ 109
• Students comprising the programs.......... 109
Defects encountered in the program........ 110
Procedures and methods used in the programs 111
V
CHAPTER PAGE
Results of the speech correction program ..• 112
Conclusions........................ 112
Recommendations ......... . . . 114
BIBLIOGRAPHY........................................ 115
LIST OF TABLES
Systems Ineluded in Circularizing List
of the Questionnaire............... ♦ . 13
Systems Replying to the Questionnaire • • . 16
Financial Assistance for the Corrective
Speech Program........... ............ 22
Salary Schedules and Financial Assistance
for Speech Correction Teachers 26
Administrative Units of Corrective Speech
Programs • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 30
Teachers Administering Corrective Speech
Programs ............................... 35
Classes of Corrective Speech Programs ♦ ♦ • 38
Class Size Limitations for Corrective
Speech Programs 41
Instruction Periods During the Week
Devoted to Each Class ................ 45
Maximum Semesters Allowed Each Child for
Corrective Speech Work • • • • • • • « • • 49
Medical Diagnostic Services Available • • . 51
Selection of Students for Speech
Correction Classes * * • • • • • • • • « * 57
Percentages of Speech Disorders . . * • • • 62
vii
PAGE
Children1 s Background and Environmental
Studies Made for Corrective Speech
Programs....................... 65
Percentage of Time Devoted to Correction
of Different Types of Disorders ........ 71
Responsibility of the Classroom Teacher
in a Corrective Speech Program . . . . . . 74
Basic Texts Used for Corrective Speech
Programs ............................... 77
Supplementary Books Used for Corrective
Speech Programs .......... •• 80
Mechanical and Visual Aids Used in the
Corrective Speech Programs ............ • 85
Percentages of Improvements Effected and
Action Taken on Non-Improved Cases . . . . 89
Problems Confronting Corrective Speech
Programs ................ 96
Future Plans of Corrective Speech Programs • 99
Future Plans and Opinions of Systems Not
Having Corrective Speech Programs . . . . 102
Benefits and Value of a Corrective Speech
Program • • • • • • • • * . ............ 105
CHAPTER I
TEE PROBLEM, RELATED READINGS, AND ITS ORGANIZATION
Many plans have been proposed recently for speech
correction programs in the secondary schools and institu­
tions of higher learning, but very little has been set
forth to guide the organization of a speech correction pro­
gram for the elementary school. Some of the practices used
in the programs for older children may be adapted to. the
younger level, but the exact extent and procedures are
still open to question.
Practically all of the large systems have provision
for speech correction clinics or classes for elementary
children, but many of the small systems are still without
this service. It is hoped that a study of this problem,-
from the standpoint of the small school system, will pro­
vide a basis for making a program to benefit the children
afflicted with speech handicaps in the small school systems
I. THE PROBLEM
Statement of the problem. This investigation repre­
sents an attempt to determine whether a program of speech
correction is feasible in a small elementary school system
having a pupil population of between 1000 and 2500 students