There are few testing tools and evidence-based standards for speech pathologists working in French Canada. Ann Sutton and Natacha Trudeau, both of the Université de Montréal, are working to change this situation. Dr. Trudeau has completed a 'norming' study of early vocabulary development with 1,200 families in Quebec that will help clinicians identify at-risk children. Dr. Sutton is testing children at six-month intervals to learn more about comprehension and production of sounds, words and sentences in French.
The results will be used to develop assessment methods in French and new, descriptive data will be available.
Education in Quebec is already evolving based on this and other related Network learning. Speech-language pathologists will have new and more accurate tools to help children.
My reading disabilities were hard to identify because the tests were designed for English readers. They didn't reflect my cultural background.
It's only by asking the right questions that we can identify and treat my reading disabilities - and take steps to keep French as a first language vibrant and alive.