Department of Speech and Hearing Sciences: Faculty

Speech-Language Pathology

Monica L. Harn
Ph.D., Louisiana State University
Licensed Speech-Language Pathologist, CCC-SLP
Phone: (409) 880-8174
E-mail: mlharn@my.lamar.edu

  • Expertise: Child Language and Speech

  • Teaching: Language-Based Learning Disabilities in School-Age Children (graduate), Articulation and Phonological Disorders (graduate), Survey in Language and Speech Disorders in Children (undergraduate), Language Acquisition (undergraduate)

  • Research: Recent funding from the National Institutes of Health – National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders has supported an investigation examining the efficacy of a manualized treatment intervention, AMALS: Addressing Multiple Aspects of Language Simultaneously, which is designed to remediate semantic (i.e., linguistic meaning), morphological (i.e., word formation), and syntactic (i.e., word order) aspects of language in preschool children with language impairment.

    Based on my previous work, AMALS holds great promise; however, it is now imperative that such a treatment be evaluated using a randomized clinical trial in targeted populations. This study will target preschool children with language impairment living in a region characterized by nonmainstream dialects.

    Questions driving this work are:
    1. Will children participating in AMALS treatment exhibit greater semantic, morphological, and syntactic complexity on multiple outcome measures at the completion of the intervention compared to a Discrete Trial group?
    2. Will these gains be maintained at one-month follow-up?
    3. What is the impact of dialect on dependent variables, specifically morphosyntactic abilities?

  • Recent Publications and manuscripts submitted:

    • Bellon-Harn, M. & Garrett, M. (2008). VISION: A model of cultural responsiveness for speech-language pathologists working in family partnerships. Communication Disorders Quarterly, 29, 141-148.

    • Bellon-Harn, M. & Harn, W. (2008). Scaffolding strategies during repeated storybook reading: An extension using a voice output communication device. Focus on Autism and other Developmental Disorders, 23, 112-124.

    • Bellon-Harn, M., Harn, W., & Watson, G. (2007). Targeting prosody in an eight-year old child with high-functioning autism during an interactive approach to therapy. Child Language Teaching and Therapy, 23, 153-174.

    • Bellon-Harn, M. & Harn, W. (2006). Analysis of social communication in middle school children with Asperger syndrome: Two case studies. Child Language Teaching and Therapy, 22, 1-26.

    • Bellon-Harn, M. (2005). Clinical management of a child with Prader-Willi Syndrome: maternal uniparental disomy (UPD) genetic inheritance. Journal of Communication Disorders, 38, 459-472.

    • Bellon-Harn, M., Hoffman, P., & Harn, W. (2004). Use of cloze and contrast word procedures on in repeated storybook reading: targeting multiple domains. Journal of Communication Disorders, 37, 53-75.

    • Bellon-Harn, M., & Garrett, M. (2003). Open hands, open hearts: Working with native youth in the schools. Intervention in Schools and Clinics, 38, 225-325.

  • Service Interests: Currently working to establish partnerships between local public schools and Lamar University Speech and Hearing Clinic

  • Personal Note: My research areas include assessment, intervention, and service delivery for children with speech and language disorders, autism, and other developmental disabilities. I try to integrate these interests into the classes I teach, the clinical experiences I provide, and my research. I think I learn as much as the students! We currently run a summer program to address language, literacy, and social interaction with children with autism. We also have a partnership with Port Arthur Independent School District in which students participate in satellite sites to deliver services to preschool and school-aged children with disabilities.

    When I take a break from classes, clinic, and research…which I do…you can find me running or watching my son or husband (Dr. Bill Harn) run! I am from southwest Louisiana and spent second and third grade right here in Beaumont, Texas. My life has brought me many places, but I am happy to be at Lamar University. This is my sixth year, and each year has provided many experiences with students and the community that are priceless.