This project was developed for a computer class in the communication disorders department at Marshall University. It is a Multigenre Project (MRP), which is a combination of many different writings that all pertain to one topic. The topic that I chose to research is late-talkers vs. language delayed children. I became interested in the topic because I have a 30 month old cousin who does not talk very much. I decided that I would research late-talkers and language delayed children so that I could look for any distinct characteristics. I was curious to see if it was normal for him to be talking, or not talking, like he was. After researching and learning everything that I have learned over the semester, I have concluded that my little cousin will be okay. I think that he is just a late bloomer, and he will eventually catch up with the rest of his peers. He has already demonstrated some improvement over the past couple of months since I first started researching the topic.

The different genres in the MRP include writings from different voices. Please keep in mind when you are viewing the genres that it is all fictitious. The voices that I chose to use include the voice of a clinician, a child, a parent, and the parent’s friend. Using all of these voices demonstrates examples of what everybody goes through when their child is not talking like his/her peers. For example, the parent may feel frustration because his/her child is not communicating with others. The child can be having problems with understanding what others are saying, expressing what he/she wants to say, or a combination of both.

I had to incorporate six individual genres and a seventh unifying genre to tie everything together. My instructor required that I use a powerpoint presentation, a webliography, and a poem. The rest of the genres were up to me. I chose to use a clinician’s journal entries, a letter to a mother from her late-talking child, and an interview between a clinician and her client’s mother. For my unifying genre, I chose to do an e-mail exchange between a parent and her friend.

I hope you enjoy what you see in my MRP. I worked really hard on it. Feel free to comment on my genres. Tell me what you think. If you think that I need improvement, do not hesitate to let me know.

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