Collecting/Transcribing Language Sample

Question 1

What We Need

Answer 1

• reliable/valid sample
• reflects child’s optimal performance
• approx. 100 child utterances (traditional method)

Question 2

Steps

Answer 2

• collect language sample
• transcribe sample
• analyze sample

Question 3

Language Sampling DOs

Answer 3

• create natural/comfortable setting
• age-appropriate materials that stimulate language
• engage child/follow their lead
• ask open-ended questions
• use comments/turnabouts in conversation
• record everything

Question 4

Language Sampling DONTs

Answer 4

• ask closed-ended questions
• talk too much
• use materials that will limit language

Question 5

Transcription

Answer 5

• transcribe orthographically all speech produced
• transcribe all utterances spoken to child or within child’s hearing
• write down everything said by child
• include contextual info needed to clarify what occurred/what child said

Question 6

Numbering Language Transcripts

Answer 6

• fully intelligible utterances should be assigned a number (if utterance is repeated with no intervening activity or utterance by other speaker, utterance is considered repetition/does not receive number)
• partially/totally unintelligible utterances should not be assigned number
• incomplete utterance should not be assigned number

Question 7

Word Segmentation

Answer 7

a word is any form consistently used. by child & consistently interpreted by listener

• names (MrJones)
• titles (TheThreeBears)
• compounds (icecream)
• other forms that seem to function as single word (allgone)

Question 8

Utterance Segmentation

Answer 8

End of utterance=

• intonation
• pauses (2 or more sec)
• end of thought
• end of sentence
• change in speaker

Question 9

SUGAR Method

Answer 9

• total number of words
• MLUs
• words per sentence
• clauses per sentence