Mary Alt

Interests

No activities entered.

Courses

Scholarly Contributions

Journals/Publications

• Alt, M., Arizmendi, G., Gray, S., Hogan, T., Green, S., & Cowan, N. (2019). Novel word learning in children who are bilingual: comparison to monolingual peers. Journal of Speech, Language, and Hearing Research, 62, 2332-2360. doi:https://doi.org/10.1044/2019_JSLHR-L-18-0009
• Alt, M., Gray, S., Hogan, T. P., Schlesinger, N., & Cowan, N. (2019). Spoken Word Learning Differences Among Children With Dyslexia, Concomitant Dyslexia and Developmental Language Disorder, and Typical Development. LANGUAGE SPEECH AND HEARING SERVICES IN SCHOOLS, 50(4), 540-561.
• Gray, S., Fox, A. B., Green, S., Alt, M., Hogan, T. P., Petscher, Y., & Cowan, N. (2019). Working Memory Profiles of Children With Dyslexia, Developmental Language Disorder, or Both. JOURNAL OF SPEECH LANGUAGE AND HEARING RESEARCH, 62(6), 1839-1858.
• Nicholas, K., Alt, M., & Hauwiller, E. (2019). Variability of input in preposition learning by preschoolers with developmental language disorder and typically-developing language. CHILD LANGUAGE TEACHING & THERAPY, 35(1), 55-74.
• Alt, M. (2018). Statistical learning: How it relates to speech language pathology.. Language, Speech, and Hearing Services in Schools, 49, 631-633.
• Alt, M. (2018). Take Home Points: How to Use Statistical Learning. LANGUAGE SPEECH AND HEARING SERVICES IN SCHOOLS, 49(3), 754-756.
• Arizmendi, G. D., Alt, M., Gray, S., Hogan, T. P., Green, S., & Cowan, N. (2018). Do Bilingual Children Have an Executive Function Advantage? Results From Inhibition, Shifting, and Updating Tasks. Language, speech, and hearing services in schools, 49(3), 356-378.
  More info

  The purpose of this study was to examine differences in performance between monolingual and Spanish-English bilingual second graders (aged 7-9 years old) on executive function tasks assessing inhibition, shifting, and updating to contribute more evidence to the ongoing debate about a potential bilingual executive function advantage.
• Baron, L. S., Hogan, T. P., Alt, M., Gray, S., Cabbage, K. L., Green, S., & Cowan, N. (2018). Children With Dyslexia Benefit From Orthographic Facilitation During Spoken Word Learning. JOURNAL OF SPEECH LANGUAGE AND HEARING RESEARCH, 61(8), 2002-2014. doi:doi:10.1044/2018_JSLHR-L-17-0336
• Smyser, H., & Alt, M. (2018). Developing mental orthographic representations in refugee spellers with low literacy: How much input is too much?. Journal of Research in Reading, 41, 455-474. doi:DOI:10.1111/1467-9817.12118
• Spano, G., Gomez, R. L., Demara, B., Alt, M., Cowen, S. L., & Edgin, J. O. (2017). To Nap or Not to Nap?: Sleep-dependent Memory Consolidation in Typical and Atypically Developing Preschoolers.. Proceedings of the National Academy of Science, 115, 11844-11849. doi:doi/10.1073/pnas.1811488115
• Alt, M., Hogan, T., Green, S., Gray, S., Cabbage, K., & Cowan, N. (2017). Word Learning Deficits in Children With Dyslexia. Journal of speech, language, and hearing research : JSLHR, 60(4), 1012-1028.
  More info

  The purpose of this study is to investigate word learning in children with dyslexia to ascertain their strengths and weaknesses during the configuration stage of word learning.
• Bourgoyne, A., & Alt, M. (2017). The effect of visual variability on the learning of academic concepts. Journal of Speech, Language, and Hearing Research, 60, 1568-1576.
• Cabbage, K., Brinkley, S., Gray, S., Alt, M., Cowan, N., Green, S., Kuo, T., & Hogan, T. (2017). Assessing working memory in children: The Comprehensive Assessment Battery for Children- Working Memory (CABC-WM). Journal of Visualized Experiments (JoVE), 124.
• Cowan, N., Hogan, T. P., Alt, M., Green, S., Cabbage, K. L., Brinkley, S., & Gray, S. (2017). Short-term Memory in Childhood Dyslexia: Deficient Serial Order in Multiple Modalities. DYSLEXIA, 23(3), 209-233.
• Gray, S., Green, S., Alt, M., Hogan, T., Kuo, T., Brinkley, S., & Cowan, N. (2017). The structure of working memory in young school-age children and its relation to intelligence. Journal of Memory and Language, 92, 183-201.
• Alt, M., Arizmendi, G. D., & DiLallo, J. N. (2016). The Role of Socioeconomic Status in the Narrative Story Retells of School-Aged English Language Learners. LANGUAGE SPEECH AND HEARING SERVICES IN SCHOOLS, 47(4), 313-323.
• Green, S. B., Yang, Y., Alt, M., Brinkley, S., Gray, S., Hogan, T., & Cowan, N. (2016). Use of internal consistency coefficients for estimating reliability of experimental task scores. Psychonomic Bulletin & Review, 23, 750-763. doi:doi:10.3758/s13423-015-0968-3
  More info

  Reliabilities of scores for experimental tasks are likely to differ from one study to another to the extent that the task stimuli change, the number of trials varies, the type of individuals taking the task changes, the administration conditions are altered, or the focal task variable differs. Given that reliabilities vary as a function of the design of these tasks and the characteristics of the individuals taking them, making inferences about the reliability of scores in an ongoing study based on reliability estimates from prior studies is precarious. Thus, it would be advantageous to estimate reliability based on data from the ongoing study. We argue that internal consistency estimates of reliability are underutilized for experimental task data and in many applications could provide this information using a single administration of a task. We discuss different methods for computing internal consistency estimates with a generalized coefficient alpha and the conditions under which these estimates are accurate. We illustrate use of these coefficients using data for three different tasks.
• Ricks, S., & Alt, M. (2016). Theoretical priniciples to guide the teaching of adjectives to children who struggle with word learning: Synthesis of experimental and naturalistic resarch with principles of learning theory. Language, Speech, and Hearing Services in Schools, 47, 181-190. doi:doi:10.1044/2016_LSHSS-15-0034
• Marrone, N. L., Alt, M., DeDe, G. L., Olson, S., & Shehorn, J. (2015). Effects of steady-state noise on verbal working memory in young adults. Journal of Speech, Language, and Hearing Research, 58, 1793-1804.
• Alt, M., Arizmendi, G., & Beal, C. R. (2014). The relationship between mathematics and language: Academic implications for children with specific language impairment and English Language Learners. Language, Speech, and Hearing Services in Schools, 45, 220-233.
• Alt, M., Meyers, C., Oglivie, T., Nicholas, K., & Arizmendi, G. (2014). Cross-situational statistically-based word learning intervention for late-talking toddlers. Journal of Communication Disorders, 52, 207-220.
• Alt, M. (2013). Visual fast mapping in school-aged children with specific language impairment. Topics in Language Disorders, 33(4), 328-346.
  More info

  Abstract: Purpose: To determine whether children with specific language impairment (SLI) demonstrate impaired visual fast mapping skills compared with unimpaired peers and to test components of visual working memory that may contribute to a visual working memory deficit. Methods: Fifty children (25 SLI) played 2 computer-based visual fast mapping games where they watched an animation about a dinosaur and then identified visual features from the movie. Experiments manipulated the complexity of the visual content or taxed capacity. Analyses included mixed-model analysis of variance, t tests, and correlations. Results: There was evidence for impaired visual working memory skills for children with SLI, but not in all conditions. There was no evidence that children with SLI were more susceptible to high-complexity information: both groups performed worse on the high-complexity conditions. There was also no evidence that children with SLI had limited capacity for visual memory. Conclusions: This provides support for a domain-general deficit in children with SLI, although visual impairments are milder than verbal impairments. Findings are discussed in relation to theories of working memory, specifically the concepts of focus of attention and limited capacity. We suggest that the source of the difficulty for the SLI group may be due to interference. Copyright © 2013 LippincottWilliams & Wilkins.
• Alt, M., Arizmendi, G. D., Beal, C. R., & Hurtado, J. S. (2013). The Effect of Test Translation on the Performance of Second Grade English Learners on the KeyMath-3. Psychology in the Schools, 50(1), 27-36.
  More info

  Abstract: This study was conducted to determine whether Spanish-enhanced administration of a standardized math assessment would result in improved scores for English Learners who used Spanish as a heritage language. Twenty-one typically developing second-graders (English Learners) were administered the traditional KeyMath-3. If the child made an error on an item, a Spanish version of the item was presented. Difference scores were calculated to determine whether the Spanish-enhanced version resulted in improved scores. Data were analyzed using paired t-tests and simple regression. The data results showed that all children significantly benefited from the Spanish-enhanced administration of items answered incorrectly in English. The amount of benefit was predicted by a child's degree of Spanish dominance. It was concluded that standardized math tests that do not accommodate second-language learners may be inadvertently testing language skills in addition to math skills. Implications for assessment and interpretations of assessments are discussed. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
• Alt, M., Meyers, C., & Alt, P. M. (2013). Using ratings to gain insight into conceptual development. Journal of Speech, Language, and Hearing Research, 56(5), 1650-1661.
  More info

  PMID: 23838987;Abstract: Purpose: The authors explored a novel technique with potential for assessing conceptual development. Participants rated how "normal" to "really weird" an image was in order to determine whether (a) participants would rate images by amount of variation (slight/significant) from the standard image, (b) participants would treat variation related to different concepts equally, or (c) there would be developmental differences in these ratings. Then, authors asked whether children with specific language impairment (SLI) would demonstrate weaker conceptual skills based on their ratings. Method: Adults and school-age children (with and without SLI) used a 9-point equal-appearing interval scale to rate photographic images of animals. These included standard images and images that altered the animals' shape, pattern, color, and facial morphometry. Results: Significant differences in ratings were obtained for adults compared with typically developing children and children with SLI compared with their age-matched peers. This is in line with the expectation that adults have stronger representations than children, as do typical children compared with those with SLI. Participants differentially rated images that varied from the standard image (slight/significant) for all parameters except shape. Conclusion: Probing conceptual representations without the need for verbal response has the potential for exploring conceptual deficits in SLI. © American Speech-Language-Hearing Association.
• Alt, M., Meyers, C., & Figueroa, C. (2013). Factors that influence fast mapping in children exposed to Spanish and English. Journal of Speech, Language, and Hearing Research, 56(4), 1237-1248.
  More info

  PMID: 23816663;Abstract: Purpose: The purpose of this study was to determine whether children exposed to 2 languages would benefit from the phonotactic probability cues of a single language in the same way as monolingual peers and to determine whether crosslinguistic influence would be present in a fast-mapping task. Method: Two groups of typically developing children (monolingual English and bilingual Spanish-English) took part in a computer-based fast-mapping task that manipulated phonotactic probability. Children were preschool-aged (N = 50) or school-aged (N = 34). Fast mapping was assessed through name-identification and naming tasks. Data were analyzed using mixed analyses of variance with post hoc testing and simple regression. Results: Bilingual and monolingual preschoolers showed sensitivity to English phonotactic cues in both tasks, but bilingual preschoolers were less accurate than monolingual peers in the naming task. School-aged bilingual children had nearly identical performance to monolingual peers. Conclusion: Knowing that children exposed to two languages can benefit from the statistical cues of a single language can help inform ideas about instruction and assessment for bilingual learners. © American Speech-Language-Hearing Association.
• Davidson, M. M., Weismer, S. E., Alt, M., & Hogan, T. P. (2013). Survey on perspectives of pursuing a Ph.D. in communicative sciences and disorders. Contemporary Issues in Communication Sciences and Disorders, 40, 98-115.
• Alt, M., & Moreno, M. H. (2012). The effect of test presentation on children with autism spectrum disorders and neurotypical peers. Language, Speech, and Hearing Services in Schools, 43(2), 121-131.
  More info

  PMID: 22232425;Abstract: Purpose: The purpose of this experiment was to determine if there is alternate forms reliability for paper- and computeradministered standardized vocabulary tests. Another purpose was to determine whether the behavioral ratings of children with autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) would improve during the computer-administered testing sessions secondary to a decreased need for social interaction. Method: Thirty-six school-age children (half with ASDs, half neurotypical [NT]) took 2 versions (i.e., paper vs. computer) of the Expressive One-Word Picture Vocabulary Test (EOWPVT- 2000; Brownell, 2000a) and the Receptive One-Word Picture Vocabulary Test (ROWPVT-2000; Brownell, 2000b). Order of presentation was counterbalanced across participants. Test sessions were videotaped, and randomly selected 1-min intervals were rated for behaviors. Standardized test scores and behavior ratings were compared for equivalence across the test presentation methods. Results: Standard scores for both versions of the tests were not significantly different for both groups of participants. There were no differences in behavioral ratings between the two methods of test presentation. Conclusion: Alternate forms reliability was found, thus expanding the options for testing for school-age populations. The use of computers had no effect on the behaviors of the children with ASDs. The ramifications of this finding for assessment and intervention for children with ASDs are discussed. © American Speech-Language-Hearing Association.
• Alt, M., & Suddarth, R. (2012). Learning novel words: Detail and vulnerability of initial representations for children with specific language impairment and typically developing peers. Journal of Communication Disorders, 45(2), 84-97.
  More info

  PMID: 22225571;PMCID: PMC3288194;Abstract: This study examines the phonological representations that children with specific language impairment (SLI) and typically developing peers (TD) have during the initial process of word learning. The goals of this study were to determine if children with SLI attended to different components of words than peers, and whether they were more vulnerable to interference than peers. Forty 7- and 8-year-old children, half with SLI, took part in a fast mapping, word learning task. In addition to producing the word, there was a mispronunciation detection task that included mispronunciations of the target word in the initial position, final position or that modified the word's syllable structure. Children with SLI showed a different learning profile than peers, demonstrating stronger representations of the word-initial phonemes, but less information about word-final phonemes. They were more prone to interference overall, but especially from word-final foils. Children with SLI did not demonstrate less-defined phonological representations, but did attend to different features than TD children, perhaps in an attempt to compensate for problems learning longer words. The greatest weakness of children with SLI appears to be their susceptibility to interference, particularly for word-final information.Learning outcomes: Readers will be able to: (1) explain what children attend to when learning new words; (2) state the pattern of recognition and production performance for both children with SLI and their typical language peers; and (3) identify specific parts of novel words that are most susceptible to interference in children with SLI. © 2011 Elsevier Inc..
• Alt, M., Meyers, C., & Ancharski, A. (2012). Using principles of learning to inform language therapy design for children with specific language impairment. International Journal of Language and Communication Disorders, 47(5), 487-498.
  More info

  PMID: 22938060;Abstract: Background: Language treatment for children with specific language impairment (SLI) often takes months to achieve moderate results. Interventions often do not incorporate the principles that are known to affect learning in unimpaired learners. Aims: To outline some key findings about learning in typical populations and to suggest a model of how they might be applied to language treatment design as a catalyst for further research and discussion. Methods & Procedures: Three main principles of implicit learning are reviewed: variability, complexity and sleep-dependent consolidation. After explaining these principles, evidence is provided as to how they influence learning tasks in unimpaired learners. Information is reviewed on principles of learning as they apply to impaired populations, current treatment designs are also reviewed that conform to the principles, and ways in which principles of learning might be incorporated into language treatment design are demonstrated. Main Contribution: This paper provides an outline for how theoretical knowledge might be applied to clinical practice in an effort to promote discussion. Conclusions & Implications: Although the authors look forward to more specific details on how the principles of learning relate to impaired populations, there is ample evidence to suggest that these principles should be considered during treatment design. © 2012 Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists.
• Alt, M. (2011). Phonological working memory impairments in children with specific language impairment: Where does the problem lie?. Journal of Communication Disorders, 44(2), 173-185.
  More info

  PMID: 20943232;PMCID: PMC3021769;Abstract: Purpose: The purpose of this study was to determine which factors contribute to the lexical learning deficits of children with specific language impairment (SLI). Method: Participants included 40 7-8-year old participants, half of whom were diagnosed with SLI and half of whom had normal language skills. We tested hypotheses about the contributions to word learning of the initial encoding of phonological information and the link to long-term memory. Children took part in a computer-based fast-mapping task which manipulated word length and phonotactic probability to address the hypotheses. The task had a recognition and a production component. Data were analyzed using mixed ANOVAs with post-hoc testing. Results: Results indicate that the main problem for children with SLI is with initial encoding, with implications for limited capacity. There was not strong evidence for specific deficits in the link to long-term memory. Conclusions: We were able to ascertain which aspects of lexical learning are most problematic for children with SLI in terms of fast-mapping. These findings may allow clinicians to focus intervention on known areas of weakness. Future directions include extending these findings to slow mapping scenarios.Learning outcomes: The reader will understand how different components of phonological working memory contribute to the word learning problems of children with specific language impairment. © 2010 Elsevier Inc.
• Alt, M., & Spaulding, T. (2011). The effect of time on word learning: An examination of decay of the memory trace and vocal rehearsal in children with and without specific language impairment. Journal of Communication Disorders, 44(6), 640-654.
  More info

  PMID: 21885056;PMCID: PMC3215898;Abstract: Purpose: The purpose of this study was to measure the effect of time to response in a fast-mapping word learning task for children with specific language impairment (SLI) and children with typically developing language skills (TD). Manipulating time to response allows us to examine decay of the memory trace, the use of vocal rehearsal, and their effects on word learning. Method: Participants included 40 school-age children: half with SLI and half with TD. The children were asked to expressively and receptively fast-map 24 novel labels for 24 novel animated dinosaurs. They were asked to demonstrate learning either immediately after presentation of the novel word or after a 10-second delay. Data were collected on the use of vocal rehearsal and for recognition and production accuracy. Results: Although the SLI group was less accurate overall, there was no evidence of decay of the memory trace. Both groups used vocal rehearsal at comparable rates, which did not vary when learning was tested immediately or after a delay. Use of vocal rehearsal resulted in better accuracy on the recognition task, but only for the TD group. Conclusions: A delay in time to response without interference was not an undue burden for either group. Despite the fact that children with SLI used a vocal rehearsal strategy as often as unimpaired peers, they did not benefit from the strategy in the same way as their peers. Possible explanations for these findings and clinical implications will be discussed. Learning outcomes: Readers will learn about how time to response affects word learning in children with specific language impairment and unimpaired peers. They will see how this issue fits into a framework of phonological working memory. They will also become acquainted with the effect of vocal rehearsal on word learning. © 2011 Elsevier Inc.
• Antonucci, S. M., & Alt, M. (2011). A lifespan perspective on semantic processing of concrete concepts: Does a sensory/motor model have the potential to bridge the gap?. Cognitive, Affective and Behavioral Neuroscience, 11(4), 551-572.
  More info

  PMID: 21842446;Abstract: Research regarding semantic knowledge of objects is often conducted independently in children and adults. Review of these bodies of evidence suggests that the two literatures are often complementary. It seems critical to determine what we can learn from a developmental perspective, toward the common goal of understanding semantic organization. Here we focus on the proposal that semantic knowledge about concrete concepts may be built on the foundation of sensory/motor processes. In particular, we focus on a moderate formulation of this viewpoint, the sensory/motor model of semantic representations of objects (e.g., Gainotti 2007; Martin 2007), which has been examined utilizing behavioral, neuroimaging, and neuropsychological evidence. Taken together, behavioral and neuroimaging studies with infants, older children, and adults have suggested that patterns laid down in early childhood remain salient throughout the lifespan and may also predict patterns of deficit that emerge following brain injury. © Psychonomic Society, Inc. 2011.
• Alt, M., & Gutmann, M. L. (2009). Fast mapping semantic features: Performance of adults with normal language, history of disorders of spoken and written language, and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder on a word-learning task. Journal of Communication Disorders, 42(5), 347-364.
  More info

  PMID: 19439319;PMCID: PMC2771630;Abstract: Purpose: This study was designed to test the word learning abilities of adults with typical language abilities, those with a history of disorders of spoken or written language (hDSWL), and hDSWL plus attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (+ADHD). Methods: Sixty-eight adults were required to associate a novel object with a novel label, and then recognize semantic features of the object and phonological features of the label. Participants were tested for overt ability (accuracy) and covert processing (reaction time). Results: The +ADHD group was less accurate at mapping semantic features and slower to respond to lexical labels than both other groups. Different factors correlated with word learning performance for each group. Conclusions: Adults with language and attention deficits are more impaired at word learning than adults with language deficits only. Despite behavioral profiles like typical peers, adults with hDSWL may use different processing strategies than their peers. Learning Outcomes: Readers will be able to: (1) recognize the influence of a dual disability (hDSWL and ADHD) on word learning outcomes; (2) identify factors that may contribute to word learning in adults in terms of (a) the nature of the words to be learned and (b) the language processing of the learner. © 2009 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
• Alt, M., & Plante, E. (2006). Factors that influence lexical and semantic fast mapping of young children with specific language impairment. JOURNAL OF SPEECH LANGUAGE AND HEARING RESEARCH, 49(5), 941-954.
• Alt, M., Plante, E., & Creusere, M. (2004). Semantic features in fast-mapping: performance of preschoolers with specific language impairment versus preschoolers with normal language. Journal of speech, language, and hearing research : JSLHR, 47(2), 407-20.
  More info

  This study examined the receptive language skills of young children (4-6 years old) with specific language impairment (SLI). Specifically, the authors looked at their ability to fast-map semantic features of objects and actions and compared it to the performance of age-matched peers with normally developing language (NL). Children completed a computer task during which they were exposed to novel objects and actions with novel names. The children then were asked questions about the semantic features of these novel objects and actions. Overall, the questions about actions were more difficult for children than objects. The children with SLI were able to recognize fewer semantic features than were their peers with NL. They also performed poorly relative to their peers on a lexical label recognition task. These results lend support to the idea that children with SLI have broader difficulties with receptive vocabulary than simply a reduced ability to acquire labels.
• Creusere, M., Alt, M., & Plante, E. (2004). Recognition of vocal and facial cues to affect in language-impaired and normally-developing preschoolers. Journal of communication disorders, 37(1), 5-20.
  More info

  The current study was designed to investigate whether reported difficulties in language-impaired children's ability to identify vocal and facial cues to emotion could be explained at least partially by nonparalinguistic factors. Children with specific language impairment (SLI) and control participants received an affect discrimination task, which consisted of the following cue situations: (1) facial expression and unfiltered speech; (2) lowpass-filtered speech only; (3) facial expression only; and (4) facial expression and filtered speech. The results of the study indicated that impaired and nonimpaired group performance differed only for the items including facial expression and nonfiltered speech. Developmental and investigative implications of this finding are addressed.

Presentations

• Alt, M. (2018, March). Math and Language: What SLPs should know. Utah Speech-Language-Hearing Association Spring Conference. Salt Lake City, UT: USHA.
• Alt, M. (2018, March). Vocabulary learning without trying. Utah Speech-Language-Hearing Association Spring Conference. Salt Lake City, UT: USHA.
• Alt, M. (2018, May). Early language intervention for children with developmental language disorder.. Unversity of Hong Kong Visiting Scholars Scheme. Hong Kong: University of Hong Kong.
• Alt, M. (2018, May). Evidence-based strategies for improving vocabulary. Association of Baltimore Community Speech Language Pathologists. Timonium, MD: Association of Baltimore Community Speech Language Pathologists.
• Alt, M., Gray, S., Green, S., Hogan, T., Petscher, Y., Fox, A., & Cowan, N. (2018, May). Working memory profiles of children with dyslexia, developmental language disorder, and typical development.. University of Hong Kong Visiting Faculty Scheme. Hong Kong: University of Hong Kong.
• Cabbage, K., Hogan, T., Gray, S., Alt, M., Green, S., & Cowan, N. (2018, July). Characterizing nonword repetition production error patterns in children with dyslexia.. Twenty-fifth Annual meeting of the Society for the Scientific Study of Reading. Brighton, United Kingdom.: SSSR.
• Alt, M., Gray, S., Green, S., Hogan, T., Petscher, Y., & Cowan, N. (2017, September). Working memory profiles of children with dyslexia, language impairment, and typical development. Cognitive Science Colloquium. Tucson, AZ: Department of Cognitive Science, University of Arizona.
• Gray, S., Green, S., Alt, M., Hogan, T., & Cowan, N. (2017, July). Working memory profiles of children with dyslexia, language impairment, and typical development. Society for the Scientific Study of Reading 24th Annual Meeting. Halifax, Nova Scotia: Society for the Scientific Study of Readin.
• Hogan, T., Green, S., Alt, M., Gray, S., & Cowan, N. (2017, October). The structure of working memory in children with dyslexia. New England Research on Dyslexia Society Conference. Storrs, CT: New England Research on Dyslexia Society.
• Alt, M. (2016, April). Applying learning theory to clinical practice: Strategies for toddlers to adolescents. Speech Language Pathology Conference. Towson University: Towson University.
• Alt, M. (2016, November). Word learning in three groups of children: Monolingual, bilingual, and those with dyslexia. Departmental Colloquium. Tucson, AZ: Department of Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences.
• Alt, M., Gomez, R. L., Goffredina, S., Bianca, D., Cowen, S. L., & Edgin, J. O. (2016, Summer). Sleep and Memory Consolidation in Toddlers with Down syndrome:. The 6th International Conference on Memory, ICOM-6. Budapest, Hungary.
• Baron, L., Hogan, T., Alt, M., Gray, S., Cabbage, K., Green, S., & Cowan, N. (2016, July). Predictors of orthographic boost during word learning in second-graders with dyslexia and language impairment. 23rd Annual Meeting of the Society for the Scientific Study of Reading. Porto, Portugal.
• Cowan, N., Hogan, T., Alt, M., Green, S., Cabbage, K., Brinkley, S., & Gray, S. (2016, June). Profiles of working memory: a microanalysis of span elucidates developmental dyslexia with and without specific language impairment. Symposium of Research in Child Language Disorders. Madison, WI.
• Erikson, J., Alt, M., Gray, S., Hogan, T., Green, S., & Cowan, N. (2016, June). Phonological transfer during word learning: Evidence from bilingual school-age Spanish-English-speaking children. Symposium on Research in Child Language Disorders. Madison, WI.
• Gray, S., Hogan, T., Alt, M., Green, S., Brinkley, S., & Cowan, N. (2016, March). Working memory deficits in children with dyslexia: Beyond phonology?. 10th biennial conference of the British Dyslexia Association. Oxford, England.
• Hogan, T., Green, S., Alt, M., Gray, S., Brinkley, S., & Cowan, N. (2016, July). Modeling working memory in school-age children with dyslexia. 23rd Annual Meeting of the Society for the Scientific Study of Reading. Porto, Portugal.
• Alt, M. (2015, April). Learning Theory: Another Evidence-Base for our Practice. Seminars in Hearing and Communication Sciences. Seattle, WA: University of Washington.
• Baron, L., Hogan, T., Alt, M., Gray, S., Cabbage, K., Limson, C., Brinkley, S., Green, S., & Cowan, N. (2015, November). Orthographic influences on word learning by second graders with comorbid dyslexia and specific language impairment.. American Speech Language Hearing Association National Convention. Denver, CO.
• Hogan, T., Alt, M., Gray, S., Baron, L., Cabbage, K., Green, S., & Cowan, N. (2015, July). Orthographic influences on word learning by second-graders with dyslexia and typical development. Society for the Scientific Study of Reading. Hawaii.
• Plante, E., Alt, M., & Meyers, C. N. (2015, November). Using Learning Theory to Improve Treatment. American Speech-Language-Hearing Association Convention. Denver: ASHA.
• Alt, M., & Plante, E. M. (2014, September 2014). The Common Core: What it Means for Speech-Language Pathologists in Arizona. GBC Conference. Tucson, AZ: Grunewald-Blitz Clinic for Children with Communication Disorders and the Department of Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences at the University of Arizona.
• Hogan, T. P., Gray, S., Alt, M., Green, S. B., Cabbage, K. L., & Cowan, N. (2014, October 2014). Working memory in children with dyslexia.. 2nd Annual Meeting of the New England Research on Dyslexia (NERDY) Society. Boston, MA: New England Research on Dyslexia (NERDY) Society.
• Hogan, T. P., Gray, S., Alt, M., Green, S. B., Cabbage, K. L., & Cowan, N. (2014, September 2014). Working memory deficits in children with dyslexia: global or local?. Seventh European Working Memory Symposium. Edinburgh, Scotland: European Cognitive Psychology Society (ESCoP), and the International Conference on Working Memory (ICWM)..

Poster Presentations

• Alt, M., & Arizmendi, G. (2019, June). The development and validation of a functional task for quantifying language proficiency in Spanish-English bilingual children. Symposium on Research in Child Language Disorders. Madison, WI.
• Alt, M., & Van Linden, N. (2019, June). Implicit improvement of spelling through talker variability. Symposium on Research in Child Language Disorders. Madison, WI.
• Wilkinson, M., & Alt, M. (2019, August). Moving towards culturally competent research in the field of speech language pathology. 24th Annual Undergraduate Research Opportunities Consortium Research Conference. Tucson, Arizona: UROC.
• Cabbage, K., Stanley, C., Morgan, K., Gray, S., Alt, M., Cowan, N., Green, S., & Hogan, T. (2018, November). Phonological processing in children with dyslexia: Analyzing non-word repetition error types.. American Speech-Language-Hearing Association Annual Convention. Boston, MA: ASHA.
• Peter, B., Hogan, T., Alt, M., Green, S., Cowan, N., Schrauwen, I., Naymik, M., Sacchetta, M., Vose, C., Deshpande, K., Guido, J., & Gray, S. (2018, November). Dense microarray genotypes validate genes of interest for disorders of spoken and written language. American Speech-Language-Hearing Association Annual Convention. Boston, MA: ASHA.
• Peter, B., Hogan, T., Alt, M., Green, S., Cowan, N., Schrauwen, I., Naymik, M., Sacchetta, M., Vose, C., Deshpande, K., Guido, J., & Gray, S. (2018, October). Copy-number variations in children with disorders of spoken and written language point to genes with prenatal cerebellar expression.. American Society of Human Genetics Meeting. San Diego, CA: American Society of Human Genetics.
• Arizmendi, G., Alt, M., Gray, S., Hogan, T., Green, S., & Cowan, N. (2017, June). Exploring the bilingual advantage in 2nd-grade children: Monolingual and bilingual performance on central executive tasks of working memory. Symposium on Research in Child Language Disorders. Madison, WI.
• Hernandez, G., Alt, M., & Figueroa, C. (2017, August). Applying principles of learning theory to a spelling intervention. 22nd Annual Undergraduate Research Opportunities Consortium (UROC) Research Conference. Tucson, AZ: University of Arizona Undergraduate Research Opportunities Consortium (UROC).
• Mettler, H., Alt, M., Gray, S., Hogan, T., Green, S., & Cowan, N. (2017, June). The relationship between phonological working memory and sentence production in school-age children. Symposium on Research in Child Language Disorders. Madison, WI.
• Sacchetta, M., Gray, S., Green, S., Alt, M., Hogan, T., & Cowan, N. (2017, November). Working memory increases in elementary age children.. American Speech Language Hearing Association National Convention. Los Angeles, CA: American Speech Language Hearing Association.
• Alt, M., Hogan, T., Green, S., Gray, S., Cabbage, K., & Cowan, N. (2016, February). Word learning deficits in children with dyslexia. Pacific Coast Research Conference. San Diego, CA: PCRC.
• Bourgoyne, A., & Alt, M. (2016, June). Applying learning theory to the acquisition of academic vocabulary. Symposium on Research in Child Language Disorders. Madison, WI.
• Gray, S., Alt, M., Hogan, T., Brinkley, S., Schlesinger, N., Green, S., & Cowan, N. (2016, June). Children with dyslexia and concominant dyslexia and SLI show different phonological processing deficits, but not visual recall deficits, during word learning. Symposium on Research in Child Language Disorders. Madison, WI.
• Arizmendi, G., Alt, M., Gray, S., Hogan, T., Green, S., & Cowan, N. (2015, June). Word learning in Spanish-English bilingual children. Symposium on Research in Child Language Disorders. Madison, WI.
• Cota, M., Alt, M., Gray, S., Hogan, T., & Cowan, N. (2015, January). Are Symptoms of Specific Language Impairment confused with the symptoms of an Attentional Issue?: An exploratory study.. Undergraduate Biology Research Program. Tucson, AZ: University of Arizona.
• Gray, S., Green, S., Alt, M., Hogan, T., Brinkley, S., & Cowan, N. (2015, October). The structure of working memory in young children with typical development. Cognitive Development Society. Columbus, OH.
• Alt, M., Alt, M., Nicholas, K., Nicholas, K., Hauwiller, E., Hauwiller, E., Plante, E. M., & Plante, E. M. (2014, June). Effect of variability on preposition learning by preschoolers with impaired and normal language. Society for Research in Child Language Disorders. Madison, WI.
• Alt, M., Gray, S., Hogan, T. P., Green, S. B., & Cowan, N. (2014, June 2014). Word learning deficits in children with dyslexia: More than phonology.. Symposium on Research in Child Language Disorders. Madison, WI: SRCLD.
• Carmen, N., & Alt, M. (2014, June 2014). Comparing manual spelling practice to visual learning strategy in children with hearing loss.. Symposium on Research in Child Language Disorders. Madison, WI: SRCLD.
• Edwards, L., Alt, M., Gray, S., Hogan, T. P., Green, S. B., & Cowan, N. (2014, August 2014). Parental Attention ratings of children with and without specific language impairment. Undergraduate Research Opportunities Consortium Research Conference. Tucson, AZ: University of Arizona.
• Edwards, L., Alt, M., Gray, S., Hogan, T. P., Green, S. B., & Cowan, N. (2014, November 2014). Parental ratings of attention and central executive performance of children with and without language impairment.. Annual Biomedical Research Conference for Minority Students. San Antonio, TX: National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS), Division of Training, Workforce Development, and Diversity (TWD) under award number T36GM073777 and managed by the American Society for Microbiology (ASM)..
• Nicholas, K., Alt, M., Hauwiller, E., & Plante, E. M. (2014, June 2014). Effect of variability on preposition learning by preschoolers with impaired and normal language.. Symposium on Research in Child Language Disorders. Madison, WI: SRCLD.
• Olson, S., Shehorn, J., Marrone, N. L., Alt, M., & DeDe, G. L. (2014, March). Auditory working memory under varying cognitive and perceptual load. American Auditory Society.
• Yang, H., Gray, S., Reno, R., Parikh, P., Brinkley, S., Hogan, T. P., Alt, M., & Green, S. (2014, November 2014). Do children with dyslexia have a phonological short-term memory deficit?. American Speech Language Hearing Association Conference. Orlando, FL: ASHA.
• Alt, M., Fabiano-Smith, L., & Oglivie, T. (2011, Fall). Morphophonemic crosslinguistic interaction in the language samples of bilingual children. The annual convention of the American Speech, Language, and Hearing Association (ASHA). San Diego, CA.

Others

• Alt, M. (2016, January). Helping toddlers learn to talk. Arizona Daily Star: Science Supplement.