Courses Taught:
6100 001 Language Disorders
6100 601 DE Language Disorders
Language I (3) Prerequisite: An undergraduate course in language development. Study of childhood language disorders from infancy to school-age period. Principles of assessment, intervention, and classification of various types of language disorders is explored in detail including specific language impairment, developmental and acquired language disorders, and autism. Current and classic theories will also be studied and applied to the management of language disorders in the childhood population.
6101 001 Language and Learning Disabilities
6101 601 DE Language and Learning Disabilities
Language and Learning Disabilities (3) Prerequisite: CSDI 6100. Study of oral and written language learning disabilities in the school-age and adolescent populations. Contemporary theories, assessment practices, and intervention techniques will be explored extensively in the management of language learning disorders and dyslexia.
Handouts
Academic Calendar
Research Interests:
Reading Disorders, Neurolinguistics, Language Disorders in the Psychiatrically Disordered Population
Recent research has been conducted in the area of hemispheric processing patterns of lexical decisions in reading disordered adults. This neurolinguistic investigation examined processing strategies of college students with diagnosed reading disorders. The experimental paradigm is currently being applied to children with reading disorders.
Another line of research involves the investigation of types of language disorders in children with psychiatric disorders. The effects of widespread deficits in verbal reasoning, verbal expression, and discourse are being explored in relation to the overall system of care for these children, including mental health treatment. This research has been a collaborative endeavor with a Child/Adolescent Psychiatrist and has resulted in successful grant funding.
Selected Publications:
King, K., Hough, M., Vos, P., Walker, M., & Givens, G. (In Press)
Word Retrieval Following Mild TBI: Implications for Categorical Deficits. Aphasiology.
Walker, M. & Rastatter, M. (2003). The Influence of vocabulary age and spatial dimension on rapid picture naming in children with reading disorders. Journal of Communication Disorders, 36, 307-319.
Barrow, I. M., Hough, M., Rastatter, M. P., Walker, M., Holbert, D., and Rotondo, M. F. (2003). Within category naming in mild traumatic brain injured and normal adults. Journal of Trauma, Injury, Infection, and Critical Care, 54 (5), 1-10.
Walker, M. (2002). Visual and lexical factors in naming speed by children with reading disorders. Perceptual and Motor Skills, 95 1196-1198.
Walker, M., Shinn, J., Cranford, J., Givens, G., & Holbert, D. (2002) Auditory temporal processing performance of young adults with reading disorders. Journal of Speech Language and Hearing Research, 45, 598-605.
Walker, M., Barrow, I., & Rastatter, M. (2002). The effect of dimension and vocabulary age on rapid picture naming in children. Journal of Communication Disorders, 35, 1-11.
Walker, M. (2001). Transfer of lexical information in adults with reading disorders. Perceptual and Motor Skills, 93, 257-267.
Walker, M., Spires, H. & Rastatter, M. (2001). Hemispheric processing characteristics for lexical decisions in adults with reading disorders. Perceptual and Motor Skills, 92, 273-287.
Walker, M. (1999). Innovative Models of Phonological Awareness in University Program Curriculum. American Speech-Language-Hearing Association Special Interest Division 1: Language Learning and Education, 6 (1), 39-40.
McGinty, K. & Walker, M. (2000) Communication Disorders among Seriously Emotionally Disturbed Children. Scientific Proceedings of the 47th Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, p. 127.
CSDI Faculty Research Activity and Interests
Current Professional Service:
Clinical Expertise:
Supervise graduate students in the Speech-Language and Hearing Clinic and the Scottish Rite Childhood Language Disorders and Dyslexia Program. Experience with childhood language and reading disorders from infancy to school-age including assessment, intervention, and classification of various types of language disorders.
Certification
National Clinical Competence in Speech-Language Pathology, American Speech Language & Hearing Association (since 1982)
Licensed Speech-Language Pathologist - State of North Carolina Board of Examiners for Speech and Language Pathologists and Audiologists (since 1982)
Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders
Programs within the department allow students to concentrate in speech-language pathology or audiology. They prepare students for immediate placement in public schools and clinical, academic, and research positions.
ECU Speech-Language and Hearing Clinic
Offers patients comprehensive and state-of-the-art services related to speech, language, hearing and balance.
Scottish Rite Child Language Disorders and Dyslexia Program
The Scottish Rite program specializes in providing diagnostic evaluations to children and adolescents who are suspected of having or who have been diagnosed as having a language-based learning disability (i.e. problems with pre-reading skills, reading, writing, understanding speech, and/or expressing themselves orally).
University and Medical Center Institutional Review Board (IRB) The primary function of the University and Medical Center Institutional Review Board (UMCIRB) is to protect the rights and welfare of human subjects engaged in research at East Carolina University, The Brody School of Medicine, Pitt County Memorial Hospital and its affiliates, and in research conducted elsewhere by faculty, students, staff or other representatives of the University in connection with their responsibilities. This mission is accomplished by an institutional commitment to education and establishment of a collaborative relationship with the researchers and key support staff.
American Speech- Language-Hearing Association
