Communication Disorders

Communication Disorders

Professor Thomas Klee

Professor Thomas Klee

Position

Professor

Qualifications

  • BS (Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology), Indiana University, USA
  • MA (Speech-Language Pathology), Indiana University, USA
  • PhD (Child Language Development and Disorders), University of Wisconsin-Madison, USA

Room

Office: 202, Unit 11

Contact Details

Phone: +64 3 364 2987 ext. 8501
Email: thomas.klee@canterbury.ac.nz

Department of Communication Disorders
University of Canterbury
Private Bag 4800
Christchurch, 8140, NEW ZEALAND

Research Interests

  • Improving how children with language difficulties are identified
  • Early word learning in typically-developing and late-talking children
  • Evidence-based assessment and diagnosis of developmental language disorders
  • Language assessment in naturalistic contexts

Courses

  • CMDS 222 Language Disorders in Children
  • CMDS 221 Linguistics & Language Acquisition
  • CMDS 462 Special Topic: Evaluating Research for Clinical Practice

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Publications

Peer-reviewed journal articles and book chapters

  1. Wong, A.M.-Y., Klee, T., Stokes, S.F, Fletcher, P. & Leonard, L.B. (2010). Differentiating Cantonese-speaking preschool children with and without SLI using MLU and lexical diversity (D). J. Speech, Language, and Hearing Research, 53, 794-799. doi:10.1044/1092-4388(2009/08-0195)
  2. Mecrow, C., Beckwith, J. & Klee, T. (2010). An exploratory trial of the effectiveness of an enhanced consultative approach to delivering speech and language intervention in schools. International Journal of Language and Communication Disorders, 45, 354-367. doi:10.3109/13682820903040268
  3. Klee, T., Stringer, H. & Howard, D. (2009). Teaching evidence-based practice to speech and language therapy students in the United Kingdom. Evidence-Based Communication Assessment and Intervention, 3, 195-207. doi:10.1080/17489530903399103
  4. Stokes, S.F. & Klee, T. (2009). The diagnostic accuracy of a new test of early nonword repetition for differentiating late talking and typically developing children. Journal of Speech, Language, and Hearing Research, 52, 872-882. doi:10.1044/1092-4388(2009/08-0030)
  5. Stokes, S.F. & Klee, T. (2009). Factors that influence vocabulary development in two-year-old children. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 50, 498-505. doi:10.1111/j.1469-7610.2008.01991.x
  6. Klee, T., Wong, A.M.-Y., Stokes, S.F., Fletcher, P., & Leonard, L.B. (2009). Assessing Cantonese-speaking children with language difficulties from the perspective of evidence-based practice: current practice and future directions. In S.-P. Law, B.S. Weekes & A. M.-Y. Wong (Eds.), Language disorders in speakers of Chinese, pp. 89-111. Bristol, UK: Multilingual Matters.
  7. Gatt, D., Letts, C. & Klee, T. (2008). Lexical mixing in the early productive vocabularies of Maltese children: implications for intervention. Clinical Linguistics & Phonetics, 22, 267-274.
  8. Klee, T. (2008). Considerations for appraising diagnostic accuracy studies of communication disorders. Evidence-Based Communication Assessment and Intervention, 2, 34-45.
  9. Perry Carson, C.K., Carson, D.K., Klee, T., & Jackman-Brown, J. (2007). Self-reported parenting behavior and child temperament in families of toddlers with and without speech-language delay. Communication Disorders Quarterly, 28, 155-165.
  10. Klee, T., Gavin, W.J. & Stokes, S.F. (2007). Utterance length and lexical diversity in American- and British-English speaking children: what is the evidence for a clinical marker of SLI? In R. Paul (ed.), Language disorders from a developmental perspective: essays in honor of Robin S. Chapman, pp. 103-140. Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum.
  11. Stokes, S.F., Klee, T., Perry Carson, C. & Carson, D.K. (2005). A phonemic implicational feature hierarchy of phonological contrasts for English-speaking children. J. Speech, Language, and Hearing Research, 48, 817-833
  12. Vigil, D.C., Hodges, J. & Klee, T. (2005). Quantity and quality of parental language input to late-talking toddlers during play. Child Language Teaching and Therapy, 21, 107-122
  13. Klee, T., Stokes, S.F., Wong, A.M.-Y., Fletcher, P. & Gavin, W.J. (2004). Utterance length and lexical diversity in Cantonese-speaking children with and without specific language impairment. J. Speech, Language, and Hearing Research, 47, 1396-1410. [Published erratum appears in J. Speech, Language, and Hearing Research, 48, 4, 2005.]
  14. Perry Carson, C., Klee, T., Carson, D.K., & Hime, L.K. (2003). Phonological profiles of 2-year-olds with delayed language development: predicting clinical outcomes at age 3. American Journal of Speech-Language Pathology, 12, 28-39
  15. Klee, T., Pearce, K. & Carson, D.K. (2000). Improving the positive predictive value of screening for developmental language disorder. J. Speech, Language, and Hearing Research, 43, 821-833
  16. Carson, D.K., Perry, C.K., Diefenderfer, A., & Klee, T. (1999). Differences in family characteristics and parenting behavior in families with language-delayed and language-normal toddlers. Infant-Toddler Intervention, 9, 259-279
  17. Klee, T., Carson, D.K., Gavin, W.J., Hall, L., Kent, A. & Reece, S. (1998). Concurrent and predictive validity of an early language screening program. J. Speech, Language, and Hearing Research, 41, 627-641
  18. Carson, D.K., Klee, T., Lee, S., Williams, K.C. & Perry, C.K. (1998). Children's language proficiency at ages 2 and 3 as predictors of behavior problems, social and cognitive development at age 3. J. Children’s Communication Development, 19(2), 21-30
  19. Carson, D.K., Klee, T., Perry, C.K., Muskina, G. & Donaghy, T. (1998). Comparisons of children with delayed and normal language at 24 months of age on measures of behavioral difficulties, social and cognitive development. Infant Mental Health Journal, 19(1), 59-75
  20. Carson, D.K., Klee, T., Perry, C.K., Donaghy, T. & Muskina, G. (1997). Measures of language proficiency as predictors of behavioral difficulties, social and cognitive development in 2-year-old children. Perceptual and Motor Skills, 84, 923-930
  21. Kemp, K. & Klee, T. (1997). Clinical language sampling practices: results of a survey of speech-language pathologists in the United States. Child Language Teaching and Therapy, 13, 161-176
  22. Yoder, P.J., Klee, T., Hooshyar, N. & Schaffer, M. (1997). Correlates and antecedents of maternal expansions of utterances of children with language disabilities. Clinical Linguistics & Phonetics, 12, 23-41
  23. Yoder, P.J., Hooshyar, N., Klee, T. & Schaffer, M. (1996). Comparison of the types of child utterances mothers expand in children with language delays and with Down's syndrome. Journal of Intellectual Disability Research, 40, 557-567
  24. Miller, J.F. & Klee, T. (1995). Computational approaches to the analysis of language impairment. In P. Fletcher and B. MacWhinney (eds.), The handbook of child language, pp. 545-572. Oxford: Blackwell
  25. Gavin, W.J., Klee, T. & Membrino, I. (1993). Differentiating specific language impairment from normal language development using grammatical analysis. Clinical Linguistics & Phonetics, 7, 191-206
  26. Michael, A.L., Klee, T., Bransford, J.D. & Warren S.F. (1993). The transition from theory to therapy: test of two instructional methods. Applied Cognitive Psychology, 7, 139-153
  27. Klee, T. (1992). Developmental and diagnostic characteristics of quantitative measures of children's language production. Topics in Language Disorders, 12, 28-41
  28. Klee, T. (1992). Measuring children's conversational language. In S.F. Warren and J. Reichle (eds.), Causes and effects in communication and language intervention, pp. 315-330. Baltimore: Brookes
  29. Klee, T., Membrino, I. & May, S. (1991). Feasibility of real-time transcription in the clinical setting. Child Language Teaching and Therapy, 7, 27-40
  30. Kenworthy, O.T., Klee, T. & Tharpe, A.M. (1990). Speech recognition ability of children with unilateral sensorineural hearing loss as a function of amplification, speech stimuli and listening condition. Ear & Hearing, 11, 264-270
  31. Klee, T., Schaffer, M., May, S., Membrino, I. & Mougey, K. (1989). A comparison of the age-MLU relation in normal and specifically language impaired preschool children. J. Speech and Hearing Disorders, 54, 226-33
  32. Robbins, J. & Klee, T. (1987). Clinical assessment of oropharyngeal motor development in young children. J. Speech and Hearing Disorders, 52, 271-7
  33. Bess, F.H., Klee, T. & Culbertson, J.L. (1986). Implications for management of children with unilateral sensorineural hearing loss. Ear & Hearing, 7, 43-51
  34. Klee, T. & Davis-Dansky, E. (1986). A comparison of unilaterally hearing-impaired and normal hearing children on a battery of standardized language tests. Ear & Hearing, 7, 27-37
  35. Klee, T. (1985). Clinical language sampling: analysing the analyses. Child Language Teaching and Therapy, 1, 182-98
  36. Klee, T. (1985). Role of inversion in children's question development. J. Speech and Hearing Research, 28, 225-32
  37. Klee, T. & Fitzgerald, M.D. (1985). The relation between grammatical development and mean length of utterance in morphemes. J. Child Language, 12, 251-69
  38. Klee, T. & Paul, R. (1981). A comparison of six structural analysis procedures: a case study. In J.F. Miller (ed.), Assessing language production in children: Experimental procedures, pp. 73-110. Baltimore: University Park Press
  39. Ratusnik, D.L., Klee, T. & Ratusnik, C.M. (1980). Northwestern Syntax Screening Test: a short form. J. Speech and Hearing Disorders, 45, 200-8

Book/software reviews, conference proceedings and other.

  1. McKean, C., Stringer, H. & Klee, T. (2010). A missed opportunity. Bulletin of the Royal College of Speech & Language Therapists, 695, 5, March.
  2. Klee, T. (2007). Screening 3-year-olds for language delay using selected parent-report measures: the jury is still out. Evidence-Based Communication Assessment and Intervention, 1(2), 58-59.
  3. Klee, T. (1998). Review of M. Aldridge (ed.), Child language. Child Language Teaching and Therapy, 14, 211-212
  4. Klee, T. (1997). Review of J. Law (ed.), The early identification of language impairment in children. European J. Disorders of Communication, 32, 372-373
  5. Klee, T. (1992). Review of Dyer's 'Words to Grow By'. Asha, 34, 101-102
  6. Klee, T. (1991). Review of Lewis and Penn's Language therapy: a programme to teach English. Child Language Teaching and Therapy, 7, 91-94
  7. Robbins, J. & Klee, T. (1988). Reply to 'Questions about oropharyngeal motor development in young children'. J. Speech and Hearing Disorders, 53, 485-6
  8. Klee, T. & Sahlie, E. (1987). Review of 'Computerized Profiling' program. Child Language Teaching and Therapy, 3, 87-93
  9. Kenworthy, O.T., Klee, T. & Tharpe, A.M. (1986). Effects of selected amplification systems on the speech recognition of children with unilateral deafness. Logopedics and Phoniatrics: Issues for future research. Proceedings of the XXth Congress of the International Association of Logopedics and Phoniatrics, pp. 528-9
  10. Klee, T. (1986). Review of Miller and Chapman's 'SALT' program. Child Language Teaching and Therapy, 2, 319-25
  11. Klee, T. & Sahlie, E. (1986). Review of Hixson's 'Computerized DSS' program. Child Language Teaching and Therapy, 2, 231-5
  12. Klee, T. & Sahlie, E. (1986). Review of Bishop's 'Automated LARSP' program. Child Language Teaching and Therapy, 2, 97-100
  13. Klee, T., Bess, F.H. & Davis, E. (1984). Linguistic performance of children with unilateral hearing loss. In M. Edwards (ed.), Proceedings of the XIXth Congress of the International Association of Logopaedics and Phoniatrics, II, 520-5
  14. Klee, T. & Ratusnik, D.L. (1982). On the utility of the NSST short form: a reply to Burns. J. Speech and Hearing Disorders, 47, 333-4
  15. Klee, T. (1982). Review of T.E. Bangs, Language and learning disorders of the preacademic child. American J. Otology, 4, 185-6
  16. Klee, T. & Campbell, T.F. (1981). A comment on Damico and Oller's 'Pragmatic versus morphological/syntactic criteria for language referrals'. Language, Speech and Hearing Services in Schools, 12, 125-30

Pre-prints and other research items [click here]

Research Grants

External Funding

  1. Wong, A., Fletcher, P., Stokes, S. & Klee, T. Differentiating Cantonese children with specific language impairment (SLI) from children with typical language skills. Hong Kong Research Grants Council, Competitive Earmarked Research Grant, 2004-6, HK$521,660
  2. Stokes, S.F. & Klee, T. Influences on vocabulary development in two-year-old children. Economic and Social Research Council (UK), 2004-6, £46,500
  3. Pennington, L., Bond, S. & Klee, T. A pilot investigation of a speech and language therapy programme for parents and their preschool children with cerebral palsy. The Health Foundation (UK), 2004-6, £121,888
  4. Klee, T., Li, W., Walshaw, D. & Gavin, W. Development of a reference profile of children's grammatical development. The Nuffield Foundation (UK), DIR/14, 1996-98, £44,718
  5. Klee, T. & Kenworthy, O.T. Language acquisition of children with specific language impairment. The Spencer Foundation (USA), RR 5432-HH, 1984
  6. Klee, T. A developmental description of verb-forms in normal and language impaired children. The Spencer Foundation (USA), RG 5432-AA, 1983

Internal Funding

  1. King, J., Klee, T., Stokes, S., Maclagan, M & Robb, M. Phoneme acquisition in Māori/English bilingual children. New Zealand Institute of Language, Brain & Behaviour, 2010-11
  2. Pennington, L., Klee, T., & Letts, C. A preliminary investigation of the effects of speech and language intervention for children with cerebral palsy. Newcastle University Arts and Humanities Research Fund, 2002-4, £2,452
  3. Li, W. & Klee, T. Development of joint attention and language in cross-cultural context. University research studentship, Newcastle University, 1996-99
  4. Klee, T. & Lesser, R. Development of a language analysis laboratory. University Equipment Fund Committee, Newcastle University, 1995
  5. Klee, T. & Carson, D. Screening language development in two-year-old children: a pilot project. Faculty Grant-in-Aid, University of Wyoming, 1994
  6. Klee, T. Children's event knowledge and language sampling. Biomedical Research Support Grant, University of Wyoming, S07RR07157 15, 1990
  7. Klee, T. & Kenworthy, O.T. Development of the Child Language Laboratory. Vanderbilt University Research Council, 1985
  8. Kenworthy, O.T. & Klee, T. The effects of selected amplification systems on the speech discrimination of children with unilateral deafness. Vanderbilt University Research Council, 1985
  9. Robbins, J. & Klee, T. Assessment of oral/speech motor functioning in children. Vanderbilt University Biomedical Research Support Grant, RR 05424, 1983

Research Supervision

Current

  • PhD supervision (primary): Yalda Kazemi (Newcastle); Jayne Moyle (Canterbury)
  • PhD supervision (secondary): Juliane Girndt (Newcastle)

Completed

  • PhD supervision (primary): Ann Michaels (Vanderbilt), Deborah Vigil (Newcastle)
  • PhD supervision (secondary): Valerie Brooks (Newcastle)
  • Postdoctoral co-supervision: Lindsay Pennington (Newcastle)
  • BSc dissertations and Master’s theses: numerous

Professional Affiliations

  • American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (Associate member, 1005198)
  • Royal College of Speech & Language Therapists (Affiliate member, A456)
  • Health Professions Council (UK) (Partner)
  • International Association for the Study of Child Language
  • International Clinical Phonetics & Linguistics Association
  • British Association for Clinical Linguistics
  • Centre for Communication Disorders, University of Hong Kong (Invited external member)
  • Health Research Society of Canterbury

Selected Research Roles

  • Editorial Board, Evidence-Based Communication Assessment and Intervention
  • Advisory Board, Child Language Teaching and Therapy
  • Associate Editor, Journal of Speech, Language, and Hearing Research (1988-91 and 2003-6)
  • Conference co-organiser, Child Language Seminar (UK), 2003 and 2006
  • Grant Reviewer
    • Economic and Social Research Council (UK)
    • Arts & Humanities Research Council (UK)
    • NHS National Coordinating Centre for Health Technology Assessment (UK)
    • National Institute for Health Research, Research for Patient Benefits Programme (UK)
    • Health Services Research Committee, Chief Scientist Office, Scottish Government (UK)

Honours

  • Certificate of Appreciation, American Speech-Language-Hearing Association, 1995, 2006
  • Marden Foundation Visiting Research Fellow, University of Hong Kong, Faculty of Education, 2002
  • Visiting Erskine Fellowship, University of Canterbury, Christchurch, New Zealand, 2008