Assessing Syntax and Morphology

Question 1

Assessing Syntax and Morphology

Answer 1

• MUST separately assess comprehension and
production
• Child may not understand the same utterance he
produces in a decontextualized setting
• Contextualized v. Decontextualized
▫ Lets you see the LINGUISTIC understanding
▫ Allows you to determine best method of
intervention for the child
 If child does better with context clues, CC
appropriate; if child does not do better in context,
more structure is needed

Question 2

Assessing Comprehension

Answer 2

• How the child responds gives more information
into errors
• Comprehension strategies (Chapter 7) are still in
play, particularly probable event
▫ Provide multiple probable agent + action + object
as well as improbable combinations
• Look at contingent responses
▫ 2 year olds = less than 50%
▫ 3 ½ year olds = greater than 75%

Question 3

Production Syntax and Morphology

Answer 3

• Speech Sample Analysis – most valid look at
production
• How to collect sample?
▫ Record it!
▫ Stories from pictures, free play
 No difference in MLU between structured and
unstructured activities

Question 4

How long of a sample?

Answer 4

50 – 100 utterances
• 50 utterances yields 80% information obtained
from 100 utterances
• Heilman, Nockerts, and Miller (2010): longer
samples have nearly no effect on the syntactic
structures used
• BUT if analyzing specific language features (not
MLU), may need longer sample
• Multiple samples in various settings helpful, but
not necessary — Just do it

Question 5

Analyzing the sample

Answer 5

• Transcribing level depends on what you are
l0oking for
• Relational analysis of speech sounds – full
phonetic transcription
• Intelligibility – full transcription
• Syntactic analysis – word-for-word transcription
• MLU – word for word transcription
• Contingent responses – full transcription with
both adult and child utterances

Question 6

Counting Morphemes

Answer 6

I like Mickey Mouse so much
▫ 5 morphemes
▫ Mickey Mouse = 1
• He hops along the road
▫ 6 morphemes
▫ Hops = 2
• She’s skipping the rocks on the water
▫ 10 morphemes
▫ She’s = 2, skipping = 2, rocks = 2
• Total MLU: 21 morphemes in 3 utterances= 21/3
= MLU 7 morphemes

Question 7

Segmenting Utterances Practice

Answer 7

We went to the store and then we went to the
school //and over there we saw nine ducks = 2
utterances
I like chocolate because it takes so much better
than vanilla because it just does. = 1 utterance
I play (fall of intonation)//. . . . . . Bubbles! = 2
utterances

Question 8

Using MLU

Answer 8

Can not be used alone to determine a delay
• Helps guide intervention
• MLU 4.5 – more complex syntactic structures
• Is a good way to track productive language
progress

Question 9

MLU

Answer 9

Too global to highlight syntactic deficits
• Time consuming – requires full transcription
• Must become efficient in sampling
• Not every scenario warrants a sample – only use
when disorder has been shown
• Do analysis “online” by looking at only one thing
at a time — don’t have to transcribe
• Computer software does analysis once entered
into system

Question 10

Language Sample Analysis

Answer 10

• Various programs to
analyze by hand
• What are you looking for?
▫ Obligatory contexts –
when certain forms are
required (Forms are
considered to be acquired
when used correctly for
90% of OC)
▫ Level of syntactic
development (use
developmental resource
such as Brown’s)

Question 11

Structural Stage Analysis (Miller)

Answer 11

Noun phrase elaboration
• Verb phrase elaboration
• Negation
• Question
• Complex sentences
• Always give child the highest level possible
according to Brown’s stages