Cross-linguistic transfer : intervention on syllable structure in four multilingual children with speech sound disorders

Abstract

This study investigated cross-linguistic transfer in the treatment on syllable structure in four Cantonese dominant multilingual children who also learn English as a second language. All children showed evident phonological patterns in syllable structure including final consonant deletion and diphthong reduction in Cantonese. Minimal pair contrast therapy was undertaken using minimal pairs from English to target final consonants in English. After five to six sessions of therapy, two children showed significant improvement in percentage of final consonants correct (PFCC) in Cantonese, indicating cross-linguistic transfer of phonological knowledge about final consonants. Of these two children who showed transfer after treatment, only one could maintain transfer effect one month after suspension of treatment. In conclusion, cross-linguistic transfer occurred in some children with speech sound disorders under treatment condition. Clinical implications of this study for treatment on speech sound disorders in multilingual children were discussed.