Group, individual and home based speech pathology interventions for three and four year olds

Each treatment arm will form it's own control group as prior to the intervention period there will be an 8 week period of no intervention. Each group acts as it's own control in crossover but the three different treatments are run in parallel. Each participant receives only one type of treatment during the course of the study. All arms will involve an 8 week intervention period with group and individual treatment arms having weekly therapy sessions of one hour duration. The home based treatment arm will have an initial one hour session to explain and demonstrate how to implement the program and then a phone review consultation at the midpoint (week 4) of their intervention period to monitor their progress and to update their program if required. All treatment arms have access to phone consultation with the treating speech pathologist on request throughout the intervention period. Arm 1: Group therapy for speech and language using eclectic therapy approach utilising current standard clinical practice by an experienced speech pathologist and home practice with parent. Arm 2: Individual therapy for speech and language using eclectic therapy approach utilising current standard clinical practice by an experienced speech pathologist and home practice with parent Arm 3: Home based therapy for for speech and language using eclectic therapy approach utilising current standard clinical practice with parent under the supervision of an experienced speech pathologist For speech delays/disorders the eclectic therapy approach involves application of phological based therapies including metaphon approach, cycles, multiple oppositions, maximal and minimal pairs therapy integrated with phonological awareness therapy as well as traditional articulation therapy heirarchies. For language delays/disorders the therapy will include language stimulation training for parents in the use of strategies such as modelling, recasting as well as expansion and direct practice of specific language skills and forms such as understanding spcific concepts, use of Subject Verb Object sentence structure, use of Wh question forms, use of adjectives and use of specific tense markers and pronouns. All therapy approaches involve the speech pathologist and/or parent playing games with the child and encouraging them to attempt new ways of producing speech sounds or to attempt specific language skills and providing verbal feedback on their productions/attempts.