Study Guide Flashcards
What are the major goals of assessment?
- providing a diagnostic level is the LEAST important part
- accurately describing the complex language systems of the individual child is the MOST important part
- to recommend treatment, follow up, or referral
What does the SLP need to determine during an assessment?
- whether or not a problem exists
- the causal-related factors
- the overal intervention plan (if one is warranted)
- recommendations for caregivers and teachers
What are the reasons to assess?
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Why is a parent interview important?
- it gives you a perspective of the child’s language in the home
- gives you parents goals and concerns
- gives information on possible causal factors for language impairment
- Parent response gives indication of where to start and what to look for
What are the types of testing?
Standardized (psychometric procedures) and non-standardized testing
What are the different types of standardized tests?
- criterion-referenced (neutralist philosophy)
- norm referenced (normalist philosophy)
What is criterion-referenced testing?
- compares the child’s present performance to past performance and/or is descriptive in nature
- performance is summarized meaningfully with raw scores
What is Norm-referenced testing?
- based on norm or average performance level
- this is often a score that society considers typical of normal functioning
- main purpose is to rank individuals
- performance is summarized using standard scores and percentiles
What are different informal approaches to testing?
- language sampling
- observation
What is the best indicator of the child’s abilities when obtaining an informal language sample?
spontaneous speech
Is conversational language sampling valuable?
-requires probing, but still can be valuable
What are the types of language sampling?
- spontaneous
- conversational
What is the qualifying standard score and percentile in a public agency?
- 1.5 standard deviations below the mean
- this is 77.5-which is approximately the 7th percentile
- (100-15-7.5=77.5)
- It must be found on two measures!
explain what is involved in descriptive approaches and why it’s important
- language sampling
- observation
- gut level is important
- reporting these things highlights the individualistic nature of a child’s communication abilities
- normative testing does measure isolated skills, but it imposes group criteria on the individual student. A complete assessment needs to assess the INDIVIDUAL. Normative testing by itself cannot do this
What does descriptive approaches in general allow for?
- flexibility
- allows for notation of pragmatic behaviors
- allows us to note different behaviors in different environments
What is the gold standard for obtaining a language sample?
-observing the client in three different environments
What do we observe during a language sample?
- use (pragmatics)
- Content (semantics)
- form (syntax and morphology)
what are the disadvantages of language sampling?
- level of expertise needed by SLP for analysis
- time needed to collect
- reliability and validity of the sample is often subjective (protocols do exist to help with collection for standardized testing)
What is the most natural way to assess a child? and how do we do it?
- through observation
- we observe caregivers and peers with the child in everyday settings (home and classroom)
How do we observe in more clinical settings?
- toys and both structured and non-structured conversational activities with the caregiver or others and items from home. As typical as possible.
- SLP can observe from camera or corner
- Take notes. Descriptions should detail as closely as possible what has observed–tape record or video.
- infer and make hypotheses only later (this doesn’t always happen. infer the whole time your watching–it’s probably the most appropriate thing to do)
- refer to developmental language charts
what do we observe during informal assessment observation?
- form of language
- understanding of semantic intent
- language use
- rate of speech
- sequencing
what do we observe when observing form of language?
single words, phrases, sentences? negatives, interrogatives, passives? elaborations?
what do we observe when observing the understanding of semantic intent?
does the child respond appropriately to various question form-the wh’s? does the child confuse words from different semantic classes?
What do we observe when observing language use?
- look for a range of functions:
- asking for information and help, replying, statements, conversational turns, introduction of topics and maintenance of them through turns, repairs?
what do we observe when observing rate of speech?
- too slow?
- too fast?
- pauses between turns or before words or utterances?
- fillers used frequently (um’s)?
- word substitutions?
What do we observe when observing sequencing?
- can he/she relate events in a sequential fashion based on order of occurrence?
- can he/she discuss recent past events or recount stories-narratives?
Should you go formal/standardized or informal/descriptive?
a combined approach is recommended
Why should we do a combined approach of assessment?
- no single measure or session is adequate
- multiple assessment of language features and behaviors in a variety of contexts
- allows for alternation of structured and non-structured tasks (attention)
- adapt methods to the child
- the result is the most thorough individualized method of evaluation possible
what are the parts of a combined approach?
- questionnnaire and/or caregiver interview
- environmental observation
- SLP directed formal standardized assessment (psychometric)
- Child-directed informal assessment (conversational sample)
* Components, of course, vary by child and work setting but each step becomes more focused!
(think about the picture of the upside down triangle)
What are some other things to assess in terms of pre-literacy skills?
- obtain a reading sample. particularly if dyslexia or LD (LLD) is suspected.
- Choose age-appropriate text. Note fluency. ask comprehension questions. read a story to the student and ask them comprehension questions. Compare results.
- ask about school performance in language arts curriculum. particularly w/ regard to reading fluency scores and reading comprehension scores.
- phonemic awareness
- rapid automatic naming
For what population is it particularly important to assess written language? What do we look for in the language sample?
- written language sample-particularly if dyslexia or LD/LLD is suspected
- evaluate for phonological and linguisitic awareness, word boundaries, vocabulary and use, ability to communicate thoughts precisely, sequentially, and systematically. Generation and organization of ideas, morpheme use, syntactic use, semantic awareness, word associations, and handwriting.
What does a well-designed, thorough assessment of communication skills and deficits help you with?
the diagnostic process
What must we keep in mind about assessing and therapy?
assessment and measurement are ongoing throughout therapy
What assessment questions should we remember?
-why a child is being assessed (purpose of assessment)
leads to->
-what behaviors to assess
leads to->
-(how)the best evaluative methods to use
What does 100 mean on a bell curve?
exactly average
How many points is one standard deviation from the mean? and what does this indicate?
- 15 points
- one standard deviation below or above the mean is within normal range
What does standardized mean?
a consistent manner of presenting testing items
What can modifications of a standardized test affect? and what must we do if anything has been modified during a standardized test?
-modifications or deviations of a standardized test can affect normative data and should be reported in your written evaluation report
what does normed mean?
given to a group of children that supposedly represent all children for whom the test was designed.
Once the score has been determined what can be attached and what is it associated with?
a verbal level can be attached that describes associated levels of severity
What does a standardized test assume about the “average” score?
that the “average” score for a sample population is the “normal” score for the larger population
how much of the population falls within 1 standard deviation above or below the mean?
2/3
What can standard scores be converted into?
age and grade equivalent scores (these aren’t very strong, though)
What kind of scores do we generally try to stick to because they are more accurate?
-Standard scores and percentiles
Check Becky’s notes to go over the standard score chart! we need to be able to interpret the scores, their importance, and where it falls, and if the child qualifies for the public agency. We need to explain why!
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What must we avoid diagnosing?
a difference vs. a disorder
Describe the a difference vs. a disorder.
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What are some test selection variables?
- is the test appropriate for the child’s age/functioning level?
- is the norming population large and varied?
- does the manner of presentation of the test match the optimal conditions for testing for your client?
- are you familiar enough with the test procedures?
- is the test reliable