8 - Language Sampling

Question 1

Obtaining LSs

Answer 1

• should give SLP a picture of what child’s language is like in daily situations

• gathered over several different sessions with several conversational partners
  
  • Observe with friends, on payground

Question 2

Owens, 2010

Answer 2

• sample less contrived if SLP follows child’s lead and adopts child’s topics
• child involved in an activity produces more language that a child who is conversing about pictures
• Free play better for younger; interviews better for older (8+)

Question 3

To analyze syntactic skills, evaluate….

Answer 3

• verb phrases, noun phrases, prepositional phrases, sentence types (around 3)

Question 4

To analyze morphological skills…

Answer 4

• evoke possessive morpheme by using activities and pictures and asking questions such as “who is this?”
• Use pics to asses production of regular and irregular plural nouns
• Use pic/activities to assess use of -ing
• asses past tense by telling a story and asking child to retell the story

Question 5

A language sample (LS) is…

Answer 5

a collection of child’s utterances

recommended that you get 100-200 utterances

Question 6

When collecting a LS

Answer 6

• Try to draw the child out as much as possible; get them to talk to you
• Goal: evaluate child’s morphology, syntax, phonology, semantics, and pragmatic skills
• You are looking at the ability to communicate in the ‘real world’

Question 7

Paul and Norbury, 2012

Answer 7

• LSs are more sensitive than formal tests in id preschoolers with language delays
• more effective for treatment planning and outcome monitoring

Question 8

Haynes & Pindzola 2012

Answer 8

• minimize use of yes/no questions
• ask broad-based questions like “what happened?” “can you tell me more about….”
• Contribute to conversation: “I used to…”
• Tolerate periods of silence
• ask about popular movies, TV shows