Exam 2 Study Guide Flashcards
What is the aim of a language assessment?
To evaluate a child’s proficiency and abilities in a language (providing valuable information for intervention purposes by figuring out areas of weakness)
What does a dynamic assessment do?
Examines a child’s capacity to learn, rather than their knowledge at one point (measures their learning ability rather than giving a picture of a specific point in time and their abilities at that time; it shows growth potential and can indicate how a child will respond to instruction)
What is dynamic assessment based on?
Based on ZPD (zone of proximal development)
What are the three primary methods used in dynamic assessment?
- Testing the limits (Test-teach-test): initial assessment (what do they already know), targeted support for improvement of specific skills/areas, and assessment of how much the child has grown/progressed
- Graduated prompting: the SLP gues the learner towards correct production or achievement of a skill (the aim being to assess abilities to do stuff with varying levels of support)
- Test-teach-retest: after the initial assessment, SLP provides intervention and support, and then is tested again to evaluate progress
Why is a narrative assessment a good example of a dynamic assessment?
Narrative assessment is a good example (developing a story with support, figuring out guidance levels, learning strategies, and interaction, can indicate growth by comparison of before and after intervention, and it’s holistic)
Types of narration are based on:
- Temporal coherence: time-based order, chronological organization
- Referential coherence: character and object consistency
- Causal coherence: understanding of cause and effect
- Spatial coherence: space and location (where are things happening)
What are some factors that influence the results of a language assessment?
- Test environment (test conditions, comfort, distractions, familiarity)
- Cultural/linguistic factors
- Age
- Test type/format
- Motivation/attitude
- Assessor expertise/bias
Is an assessment sufficient on its own to determine disorders?
No, it is not entirely comprehensive, and assessment by one test cannot determine a disorder, as it may have missed some things, over or underemphasized others, or the results may have been influenced by other outside factors
What is the primary purpose of using caregivers as conversational partners during language samping?
Familiarity/comfort
What are the best contexts for collecting language samples from preschoolers?
Best contexts are those that are natural and engaging… some examples of elicitation contexts are:
- Free play
- Role play
- Conversation
- Elicited descriptions
- Story retelling
(You want to find a context that strikes a balance between high structure and playing)
What are the types of discourse assessed in language sampling?
Narrative discourse (personal and fictional)
Conversational
- Expository: informational explanations
- Procedural: instructions on how to do something
- Persuasive: convincing
What are some benefits of using the SUGAR method in language sampling?
Different contexts in which language sampling can be conducted and the types of linguistic information it can reveal
What are some of the major challenges of assessing CLD children and those with different dialects?
- Differences in communication style (eye contact, turn-taking, expression)
- Differences in language patterns (which may be correct in their language but wrong in ours, leading us to mark them improperly even though they were correct in their language)
- Lack of normative data for other languages
- Issues with language proficiency rather than an actual disorder (a child may speak perfect Spanish, but their English is not great, and they’re tested in English and perform poorly, but not due to any disorder or impairment but simply low proficiency)
- Bias towards English/monolingual children
- Lack of trained assessors (more than 80% of SLPs are not confident in their abilities to serve bilingual clients)
What is the primary goal of language assessment in CLD children?
To determine whether a child has a language disorder or simply a language difference (taking into account a child’s proficiency level and their linguistic and cultural background)
What are some assessment approaches?
- Dynamic assessment
- Language sampling
- Narrative assessment
- Observation
- Parent/caregiver interviews/questionnaires
What is the purpose of language intervention?
- To teach a range of language skills that allow a person to create their own sentences and ideas
- To stimulate overall language development (we want to enhance communication abilities and allow an individual to express themselves effectively using language)
What is the primary role of caregivers in language development?
Model, support, and facilitate language development
- Talk to the child regularly (rich language environment)
- Turn-taking/conversation
- Expanding language skills that are already in place
- Encouraging joint attention
- Emotional and social support
- Providing feedback and corrective guidance
NOTE: Spontaneous verbalizations can be enhanced when adults provide verbal feedback and verbal directing, and shared reading can improve children’s language
What are some strategies for interacting with families?
- Have cultural sensitivity and respect
- Involve the families in the assessment and intervention process
- Be mindful
- Use an interpreter when needed
- Create a welcoming/inclusive environment
- Build relationships
- Provide support not only to the child but also to the family
What is the PEER sequence?
Prompt
Evaluate
Expand
Repeat
What is cultural competence?
The ability to interact effectively with people of different cultures; understanding that equality is not equity
Why is cultural competence important?
Important because it:
- Promotes more effective communication
- Ensures respect and inclusivity
- Addresses barriers and allows for personal tailoring
- Aids in relationship building/formation
- Prevents cultural bias and stereotyping
What is cultural sensitivity?
The ability to recognize, understand, and respect the cultural differences and values of others
How does cultural sensitivity relate to intervention?
- Relating to intervention, this means we should tailor SLP services to be culturally relevant, appropriate, and respectful of the individual’s background
- Each SLP should become familiar with the cultures of the children they serve; it is important to consider the cultural background to achieve the best child outcomes
- Cultural congruency: the synchrony of intervention strategies and techniques with sociocultural norms
What is the best kind of context?
One that is natural and meaningful
