The Acting Argument Paradigm: an Innovative Approach to Speech Therapy using the Moovy TUI

Developmental Language Disorder (DLD) is characterized by persistent and significant language impairments. Children with DLD may experience difficulties in grammar, phonology, vocabulary, and specific morphosyntactic structures, such as clitic pronouns and passive constructions. To address these challenges, we propose an innovative treatment approach termed the Acting Argument Paradigm (AAP). Grounded in psycholinguistic theories, the core idea of this approach is to translate the abstract linguistic concept of argument movement into physical actions that actively engage children during language therapy. To operationalize the AAP, we developed a Tangible User Interface, namely Moovy, that enables children to manipulate physical objects and fosters a multisensory learning experience. This paper presents the AAP and Moovy and discusses the results of a six-week experimental study involving children (N=30) with DLD. Preliminary findings indicate Moovy's potential as an effective tool for speech therapy programs, offering promise for improving the linguistic skills of children with DLD.