Phonological deviations of Indonesian-speaking adolescents with Down syndrome: a case study
This study investigates phonological deviations in Indonesian-speaking adolescents with down syndrome, addressing a significant gap in cross-linguistic research on phonological development in down syndrome populations. While extensive studies exist in various languages, research in Indonesian...
| Main Authors: | , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Penerbit Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia
2024
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| Online Access: | http://journalarticle.ukm.my/25012/ http://journalarticle.ukm.my/25012/1/Gema%20Online_24_4_6.pdf |
| Summary: | This study investigates phonological deviations in Indonesian-speaking adolescents with down
syndrome, addressing a significant gap in cross-linguistic research on phonological development
in down syndrome populations. While extensive studies exist in various languages, research in
Indonesian remains limited. The study employed a qualitative case study approach, examining six
Indonesian-speaking adolescents with down syndrome (aged 13-15 years) at Special Needs School
of Surakarta. Data collection involved interviews, observations, and documentation. Furthermore,
researchers made direct observations of the subject and recorded the speech of adolescents with
down syndrome during the learning process in the classroom. The data analysis technique focused
on the recording of language utterances produced by adolescents with down syndrome. The results
revealed three main patterns of phonological deviations: phoneme omission, substitution, and
cluster reduction. The dominant pattern was phoneme omission through apheresis (phoneme
omission at word beginnings). A consistent pattern of phoneme substitution was observed,
particularly the replacement of apicoalveolar /n/ with dorsovelar /ŋ/, reflecting articulatory
compensation strategies. Variations in vowel and consonant omissions demonstrated heterogeneity
in phonological deviations among participants. Further, the unique case of NT who despite
experiencing complex deviations, demonstrated higher language production. This research
contributes to the understanding of phonological patterns in down syndrome adolescents and
reinforces the significance of considering both anatomical constraints and environmental factors
in developing effective intervention strategies for speech and language development in this
population. |
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