Language assessment 0-5y

Question 1

What pre-assessment planning can be done for age 0-5y? (5)

Answer 1

1. What info is in referral, do you need more info before seeing client?
2. What case history questions will you ask?
3. Can you observe client before ax?
4. What assessments?
5. What other professionals should be involved?

Question 2

What types of language assessment are appropriate for 0-5y? (8)

Answer 2

1. Screening and surveillance
2. Case history/carer report
3. Developmental scales
4. Standardised tests
5. Criterion-references tests
6. Observation
7. Descriptive analysis
8. Dynamic assessment

Question 3

What is screening? 0-5y

Answer 3

‘Universal screening’ of all children in a particular age group for a particular problem - used to identify those with increased likelihood of a communication disorder

Question 4

What is surveillance? 0-5y

Answer 4

Continual observation of child - regular contact to ensure expected development or to detect DLD

Question 5

What should be included in case history? 0-5y

Answer 5

Background, medical history, psycho-social development, cognitive development, language development, social communication

Question 6

What are developmental scales and their benefits? 0-5y

Answer 6

Interview/observational tool to sample developmental bevaviours in a particular period
- Easy, quick, sometimes standardised, family focussed/collaborative

Question 7

What are some examples of developmental scales? 0-5y

Answer 7

• Ages and Stages Questionnaire
• MacArthur-Bates CDI
• Language Development Survey
• Rossetti Infant & Toddler Language Scale
• Communicative & Symbolic Behaviour Scales (CSBS)
• Infants 6-24m
• Measures 7 language predictors: emotion/eye gaze, communication, gesture, sounds, words, understanding, use of objects

Question 8

What are standardised tests and their benefits? 0-5y

Answer 8

Designed to elicit specific linguistic behaviours - normed on large samples
- Clear admin/scoring, clear outcomes, easily comparable to age group, often necessary for funding, assist in identifying specific areas of deficit

Question 9

What are some examples of standardised tests? 0-5y

Answer 9

• PLS-5 (birth-8y)
• CELF-P3 (3-7y)
• CSBS (6m-2y)
• RAPT and bus story (3-8y)
• PPVT-4 (2.5-90+y)
• Child Initiated Pretend Play Assessment CHIPPA (3-8y)

Question 10

What is observation assessment? 0-5y

Answer 10

Observation of social communication abilities, play, connected conversational language - can structure environment to elicit desired behaviours (eg. appropriate toys, communication temptations)

Question 11

What is descriptive analysis and its benefits? 0-5y

Answer 11

Rate of communication: determining the number of communication acts per minute, refer to Brown’s stage of development, semantic catergories/early word combinations
- Eg. LARSP, SUGAR
- Cost effective, naturalistic, child-led, identify functional areas of deficit, allows parent to take a role

Question 12

What is dynamic assessment?

Answer 12

• Test-teach-test
• Teach using mediated learning
• Examine participates and assessment is fluid/responsive