Language Assessment Of Children Research Articles

Testing the Continuum/Spectrum Model in Russian-Speaking Children With and Without Developmental Language Disorder.

Previously, Lancaster and Camarata (2019) showed that the continuum/spectrum model of the developmental language disorder (DLD) best explained the high heterogeneity of symptoms in children with DLD. We hypothesize that the continuum/spectrum approach can include not only children with DLD but also typically developing (TD) children with different timelines and patterns of language acquisition. This model can explain individual language profiles and deficits in children. We assessed language abilities in a group of Russian-speaking children with DLD aged 4-7 years (n = 53) and their age- and gender-matched peers without speech and language diagnoses (n = 53, TD). We evaluated the children's performance at four language levels in production and comprehension domains, using 11 subtests of the standardized language assessment for Russian: Russian Child Language Assessment Battery (RuCLAB). Using the k-means cluster method and RuCLAB scores, we obtained two clusters of children and analyzed their language performance in individual subtests. The analysis revealed that the two clusters of children both included DLD and TD participants: Group 1, with higher test scores (TD = 45, DLD = 24 children), and Group 2, with lower scores (TD = 8, DLD = 29). Children from Group 1 mostly had lower scores at one of the language levels, whereas those from Group 2 struggled at several language levels. Furthermore, children with DLD from both groups tended to be more sensitive to linguistic features such as word length, noun case, and sentence reversibility compared to TD children. The presence of two mixed groups shows that children with diagnosed DLD could perform on par with TD children, whereas some younger TD children could perform similarly to children with DLD. Our findings support the continuum/spectrum model: Linguistic skills in preschool children are a continuum, varying from high to poor skills at all language levels in comprehension and production. To describe a child's language profile, the tasks assessing all language levels should be used. https://doi.org/10.23641/asha.25521400.

Reliability and Feasibility of Administering a Child Language Assessment via Telehealth.

Despite the speed with which telehealth use advanced during the COVID-19 pandemic, evidence is needed to support the remote delivery of standardized assessments. This study investigated the reliability and feasibility of administering a standardized language assessment administered in real-world telehealth scenarios compared to in-person administration. A total of 100 children between the ages of 3 and 12 years were administered one of three versions of the Clinical Evaluation of Language Fundamentals (CELF). Children were administered the CELF by the same licensed speech-language pathologists (SLPs) in person and using telehealth, with the order counterbalanced. Means for Core Language standard scores were compared between conditions and among devices. Descriptive statistics summarized the behavior and technology disruptions during administration as well as the results of parent and SLP telehealth perception surveys. In-person and telehealth mean scores on all three versions of the CELF revealed no systematic differences of one condition under- or overestimating another. The incidence of child behavior disruptions was similar for both test administration conditions. Adaptations compensated for the rare technology disruptions. Despite no significant language score and behavior differences between testing conditions, parents reported they continued to prefer in-person assessments. SLP participants viewed telehealth overall positively but identified conditions in which they continued to prefer in-person delivery. This study provides evidence of minimal or no differences in scores and behavioral or technological disruptions between remote and in-person administration of the CELF core language assessments. SLP and parent participants' attitudes toward remote delivery of standardized tests appear to be evolving in a positive direction compared to previous studies. https://doi.org/10.23641/asha.25292752.

Language Assessment in Bilingual Turkish-Speaking Preschoolers With Developmental Language Disorders: A Tutorial

Purpose: Developmental language disorder (DLD) is a common childhood disorder that hinders children from functioning in other developmental areas, such as social–emotional and cognitive domains. Consequently, a comprehensive speech and language assessment of children is of great importance. Of concern, however, is the challenge for speech and language pathologists to assess the speech and language skills of bilingual children. This article aims to inform clinicians, researchers, and other experts working with bilingual Turkish-speaking children with DLD about bilingual language assessment. Method: The current literature on Turkish–English bilingual language acquisition and bilingual language assessment is reviewed, and the general characteristics of bilingual development are reported. In order to understand how the first language affects the second language, a contrastive analysis of the Turkish and English languages is summarized. A case study is described to highlight essential factors to take into account when creating a comprehensive language assessment battery for Turkish, covering all areas impacted by DLD. Results: The results of the proposed language assessment protocol are analyzed, and its practical use is discussed. Additionally, the case study child's strengths and the skills requiring support are interpreted with regard to their implications for daily life activities and prospective academic requirements. Conclusions: This tutorial highlights the importance of comprehensive language assessment for the differential diagnosis of DLD in bilinguals as the most essential step to develop an appropriate intervention program and counseling procedures. Such assessment considers individual as well as cultural differences of children and their family members.

Exploring clinical reasoning in child language assessment through decoloniality

Purpose Clinical reasoning has been taught, practised, and researched under Western epistemologies, which have been fallible in addressing the complexity of clinical reasoning within Indigenous cultures and societies. We explored how speech-language pathologists in Sri Lanka negotiate and value Indigenous and Western perspectives in clinical reasoning within a decolonial framework. Method This study used participatory research methodology within the decolonised qualitative research paradigm to produce data collaboratively with eight Sri Lankan speech-language pathologists. Oral history narratives and object-based textual reflections generated the necessary data for the study. Systematic visual-textual analysis and reflexive thematic analysis were carried out iteratively, and the data analysis and interpretation were undertaken collaboratively with the participants. Result We generated four key themes about professional education, individuality in practice, holistic thinking, and balancing interests and priorities. The results demonstrate that social, political, and economic forces impact practitioners’ clinical reasoning. Conclusion Practising science in its original form within Indigenous contexts is challenging. Colonial roots and imperialism impact the delivery of appropriate services in socially and politically marginalised communities. Practitioners’ self-awareness about authentic identities and practical wisdom can develop culturally relevant knowledge for equitable practice.

Morphosyntactic skills in Arabic-speaking children with autism spectrum disorder: Evidence from error patterns in the sentence repetition task.

Although autism spectrum disorder (ASD) has not traditionally been associated with morphosyntactic impairments, some children with ASD manifest significant difficulties in this domain. Sentence Repetition (SRep) tasks are highly reliable tools for detecting morphosyntactic impairment in different languages and across various populations, including children with ASD. This study is among the first to evaluate morphosyntactic abilities of Palestinian-Arabic (PA) speaking children using a PA SRep task. A total of 142 PA-speaking children, aged 5-11, participated in the study: 75 children with typical language development (TLD) and 67 children with ASD. The PA SRep task targeted morphosyntactic structures of varying complexity (simple subject-verb-object [SVO] sentences, biclausal sentences, wh-questions, relative clauses). Children's accuracy scores were assessed across these structures and error patterns encompassing morphosyntactic and pragmatic aspects were analyzed. Two subgroups of ASD emerged: 43% showed age-appropriate language skills (ASD + NL) pairing up with TLD peers, while 57% showed signs of morphosyntactic impairment (ASD + LI). Children in both groups exhibited a higher frequency of morphosyntactic errors than pragmatic ones. Children with ASD + LI showed difficulties with producing complex morphosyntactic structures, such as relative clauses and object wh-questions. Error analysis revealed that children in the ASD + LI group produced sentence fragments and simplified constructions when complex structures were targeted. The current study extends the cross-linguistic evidence of the heterogeneity of morphosyntactic profiles in children with ASD to Arabic-speaking children. Error analysis indicates that poor morphosyntax, rather than pragmatics, challenges children's performance on the SRep task. Our results emphasize the importance of comprehensive language assessment in children with ASD and underscore the need for tailored intervention plans targeting impaired morphosyntactic structures in some children with ASD.

Differences in Child Language Assessment Practices Between School-Based and Non-School-Based Speech-Language Pathologists: Results From a Nationwide Survey.

The purpose of this study was to compare child language assessment practices of speech-language pathologists (SLPs) working in school and nonschool settings to determine if their place of employment impacts the diagnostic decision-making process. School-based SLPs (e.g., direct service providers employed in preschool and/or K-12 schools; n = 382) and non-school-based SLPs (e.g., direct service providers employed in private practices, university clinics, and/or medical settings; n = 147) completed a web-based questionnaire. The questionnaire examined the types, frequency, and perceived importance of specific assessment tools and potential workplace factors that may impact their diagnostic decision-making process. Both school-based and non-school-based SLPs reported using a combination of assessment tools when evaluating children with potential language disorders. School-based SLPs tended to rank the frequency of use and importance of most assessment tools similarly, while non-school-based SLPs ranked interviews as the most frequently used and most important assessment tool. Statistically significant group differences indicated that school-based SLPs ranked the frequency of use and importance of standardized testing higher compared to their non-school-based counterparts. Also, school-based SLPs rated employment-based factors impacting diagnostic decision making higher compared to non-school-based SLPs. SLPs practicing in school-based settings seem to handle more employment-based factors that impact independent diagnostic decision making than SLPs working in different employment settings when assessing children for potential language disorders. Clinical recommendations are provided, and implications for implementation-based assessment research in child language are discussed.

Language Assessment in Children with Stuttering

Abstract Background The incidence rate of stuttering is 5% among preschool children and about 1% among adults. Although the cause of stuttering has not been identified, a multifactorial hypothesis of stuttering has gained acceptance. Aim of the Work To evaluate and to assess language in children with stuttering. Patients and Methods This analytical (observational) cross sectional study was carried out at the outpatient clinic of Phoniatrics unit, ENT department, Ain Shams University Hospitals, included 30 children with stuttering as a case group, in addition to 30 healthy age and sex matched controls. Each child in the studied group was subjected to the protocol of assessment of fluency disorders (Kotby et al., 2015). Results In the current study, there was no statistically significant difference in the severity of stuttering between boys and girls with stuttering included in the current study. There was high statistically significant difference between the studied two groups regarding phonology and syntax. There was a statistically significant strong positive correlation between chronological age with receptive language age (p < 0.001), expressive language age and total language age (p < 0.001). There was a statistically significant strong positive correlation between receptive language age and expressive language age and total language age (p < 0.001). Conclusion Language is markedly affected among stuttering children in comparison to healthy control group. Recommendation Early diagnosis and assessment of stuttering is essential for proper intervention before language and behavioral deterioration.

Comparison of Automatic Speech Recognition System for School-aged Children’s Narratives: Naver Clova Speech and Google Speech-to-Text

Objectives: Language sample analysis (LSA) is a critical component of child language assessment. However, most clinicians consider LSA to be time consuming work. In particular, transcription is seen as an overwhelming task. Due to rapid technological advances, various automatic speech recognition systems have been developed. This study aimed to investigate the accuracy and the characteristics of two automatic speech recognition programs, Naver Clova Speech (Naver Clova) and Google Speech-to-Text (STT).Methods: A total of 40 school-aged children with typical development (TD) and children with language learning disabilities (LLD) participated in the study. Each child was asked to generate two fictional narratives. In total, 72 narratives produced by 36 children were used. To examine the accuracy of Naver Clova and Google STT, syllable error rate was analyzed and compared to reference transcripts. For the detailed analysis, types of error such as substitution, deletion and insertion were examined.Results: Results showed that Naver Clova was significantly lower than Google STT in error rate of transcription. But the transcription error rate of the two child groups was not significantly different. Additionally, the Naver Clova error rate was higher in substitution, deletion, and insertion respectively. The Google STT error rate, on the other hand, was higher in deletion, substitution and insertion respectively.Conclusion: Naver Clova were more accurate than Google STT in transcribing children’s narratives. But the transcription accuracy of two child groups was not different. This suggests that recently developed automatic speech recognition systems have clinical utility. These systems can reduce clinician’s workload in regards to LSA and this would contribute to qualitatively enhanced language assessment.

Remote First-Language Assessment: Feasibility Study With Vietnamese Bilingual Children and Their Caregivers.

There is a shortage of bilingual speech-language pathologists (SLPs) in the United States. For Vietnamese, less than 1% of SLPs speak the language compared with a Vietnamese American population of > 2.1 million. This study examines the feasibility and social validity of remote child language assessment with the help of a caregiver to address the need for first language assessments among Vietnamese-speaking children. Twenty-one dyads of caregivers and typically developing children (aged 3-6 years) completed two assessment sessions in their first language, Vietnamese, using Zoom videoconferencing. Sessions were counterbalanced between two conditions in which either the clinician or the caregiver was the task administrator. Children's language samples were elicited using narrative tasks. Social validity was also assessed through caregiver and child questionnaires at the end of each session. There were no significant differences between conditions on language sample measures nor the measures of social validity. Both caregivers and their children felt positively about the sessions. The caregivers' feelings were related to their perception of children's feelings about the sessions. Children's feelings were related to their Vietnamese language proficiency, caregiver-reported language ability, and whether they were born outside of the United States. Findings build the evidence base for telepractice as an effective and socially valid service delivery model for bilingual children in the United States. This study supports the potential for caregivers as task administrators in a telepractice setting, making assessment in a child's first language more feasible and accessible. Future investigation is needed to extend results to bilingual populations with disorders.

Language Assessment in children with Stuttering

Language Assessment in children with Stuttering

Systematic Analysis of Language Transcripts Solutions: A Tutorial

Purpose: In the early 1980s, researchers and speech-language pathologists (SLPs) collaborated to develop the Systematic Analysis of Language Transcripts (SALT). Research and development over the ensuing decades has culminated into SALT Solutions, a set of tools to assist SLPs to efficiently complete language sample analysis (LSA) with their clients. In this tutorial, we describe how SALT can assist with the accurate identification of children with language disorders and provide a rich description of children's functional language use. After summarizing the multiple elicitation methods developed by the SALT team, we provide case studies, showing how to select an elicitation method that aligns with a child's characteristics. We then summarize major considerations when transcribing, analyzing, and interpreting language samples with SALT. We revisit our case studies to illustrate how SALT adds value to the comprehensive assessment of language in children. Conclusions: LSA is a powerful assessment tool for children suspected of having language disorders. The SALT suite of solutions provides a toolkit to assist SLPs with their comprehensive language assessments.

Oral language assessment of children with visual impairments: an integrative literature review

RESUMO Objetivo revisar a literatura nacional e internacional a respeito dos instrumentos, métodos e técnicas para avaliação de linguagem de crianças com deficiência visual. Estratégia de pesquisa foram realizadas buscas nas bases BVS, PubMed e Scopus, utilizando-se os descritores transtornos da visão, linguagem infantil, baixa visão, cegueira, fonoaudiologia e reabilitação. Critérios de seleção artigos publicados em periódicos nacionais e internacionais, nos idiomas inglês, espanhol e português. Trabalhos indisponíveis para leitura, com amostra composta por não crianças, não pertencentes ao assunto abordado, ou que mencionassem deficiências sensoriais associadas à visual, foram excluídos. Foram também excluídos os artigos que versassem sobre intervenção, salvo os que também abordassem a avaliação. As referências dos artigos lidos na íntegra foram selecionadas de acordo com esses critérios. Analisaram-se os instrumentos/métodos/técnicas de avaliação propostos, os objetivos dos estudos, sua amostra e principais resultados obtidos. Resultados foram recuperados 157 artigos, dos quais, selecionaram-se, a partir dos critérios de exclusão, 6 para leitura integral, e mais 6 obtidos de suas referências, totalizando 12 artigos. Sete trabalhos foram realizados com crianças pré-escolares e cegas e os instrumentos/métodos/técnicas de avaliação foram variados, contemplando desde avaliações de níveis linguísticos específicos, até habilidades sociocomunicativas. Os objetivos dos estudos relacionaram-se à comparação entre o desenvolvimento da criança com deficiência visual e vidente. Conclusão a revisão trouxe contribuições para pensar a avaliação da linguagem de crianças com deficiência visual, como a utilização dos sentidos remanescentes; nenhum estudo apresentou instrumento para avaliação de níveis da linguagem em crianças escolares com deficiência visual.

A Scoping Review of Assessment Tools and Factors Influencing Spoken Language Development Among Pediatric Cochlear Implant Users

The spoken language development strongly depends on the normally functioning auditory system. For children with severe or profound hearing loss, cochlear implant has become the best solution in improving and promoting spoken language, quality of life, self-esteem and social well-being. Standardized self-report questionnaires are considered as the most widely used and low-cost approach to measure spoken language development among children. We aimed to provide an overview of the questionnaires available for assessing the spoken language development among children with cochlear implant. In addition, factors that may influence the development of good spoken language were also reviewed. A literature search from January 2010 to December 2020 making use of the Science Direct and PubMed databases was conducted. Medical Subject Headings (MeSH) and other key words for the search were (communication OR language) AND cochlear implant AND (children OR pediatric) AND (questionnaire OR survey). Research articles that were identified in the database using the keywords were refined by year. Only original articles were selected. Articles that quoted all the selected key words in the title and abstract; and written in English with full text were included in the review. Twelve instruments were utilized in the methodology of the 10 articles. Only one instrument was specific for spoken language assessment of children with cochlear implant. The age at which a child received an implant, good rehabilitation program and active involvement of parents was found to influence development of good spoken language skills among the cochlear implanted children. Cochlear implants provide deaf children with the opportunity to develop spoken language skills. Longer use of a cochlear implant dramatically affects the amount of spoken language. Rather, it was cochlear implantation at a younger age that served to assists spoken language competence. Keywords: Cochlear implant; communication; factors; spoken language; questionnaire; children

Cognitive, Motor, and Language Assessment in Children with Human Immunodeficiency Virus

Highlights: HIV-infected children had lower capute scores than normal children. HIV child age range 12-24 months almost suffer delayed speech, and were in suspect criteria was founded. Abstract: The cognitive, motor and language aspect of HIV-infected children is an important issue affecting their quality of life. The capute scale, divided into Cat and Clams scores, is commonly used to assess children's cognitive, motor, and language functions. This study assessed Cat and Clams’ scores of HIV-infected children. We performed Cat and Clams assessment on 136 children consisting of 68 HIV-infected children and 68 normal children as control aged 0-36 months. The Capute scale examined both groups at the first meeting (first month), and for the rest six months, we evaluated the progress of cognitive, motor, and language development. In the first meeting, we found that HIV-infected children had significantly low capute scores than the control group. The sixth-month Capute score in HIV-infected children was also significantly lower than the control group. HIV-infected children had lower Capute scores than normal children.

Remote Natural Language Sampling of Parents and Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder: Role of Activity and Language Level

Natural language sampling (NLS) is a common methodology in research and clinical practice used to evaluate a child's spontaneous spoken language in a naturalistic context. Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a complex neurodevelopmental condition that results in heterogeneous language profiles. NLS has emerged as a useful method for better understanding language use and development in this population. Prior work has examined the effects that contexts (e.g., home, lab) and conversational partners (e.g., examiner, parent) have on childrens language production, but less is known about remote collection of interactions between parents and children with ASD at home. Increasing our understanding of in-home remote NLS with children with ASD will improve naturalistic approaches to language assessment in children with ASD. We analyzed natural language samples of 90 dyads of parents and four- to seven-year old children with ASD collected remotely in the home using items and activities from the family's own home. The 15-min parent-child interactions were transcribed and analyzed for the child's language level measured by the number of different words. We examined the range of activities and the relationship between activities and the child's language level. We found that in-home parent-child activities fell into 13 descriptive categories, but we found no significant difference in child's language level (measured by the mean number of different words) across activities. We found that dyads involving children with higher language levels engaged in significantly fewer different activities compared to children with lower language levels. We found no difference in the number of different words elicited in the five most frequent activities in our sample. These results support the feasibility of remote in-home language sampling. While the types of activities that parent-child dyads engaged in did not affect the richness of language elicited, the number of different activities was associated with the child's language level. Allowing parents to steer children with lower language levels toward more different activities may allow children with lower language to more fully demonstrate their spoken language abilities.

Barriers and facilitators: Clinicians' opinions and experiences of telehealth before and after their use of a telehealth platform for child language assessment.

Despite emerging evidence of validity and reliability, speech and language therapists' (SLT) uptake of telehealth has been limited and barriers remain to the effective and confident use of this service model. The COVID-19 pandemic has caused significant disruption to essential health services, including speech and language therapy assessment and intervention, meaning that telehealth must now be considered as part of the suite of service delivery options for all clinicians. To explore the perceived barriers and facilitators of telehealth among community paediatric SLTs before and after their use of a telehealth platform with an embedded standardised assessment tool. Mixed-methods questionnaires were developed for this study and completed by SLTs before and after the 3-month trial of the telehealth platform. A total of 38 SLTs completed the pre-trial questionnaire and training in the use of telehealth platform (Coviu), including instruction in using a standardised, norm referenced language test as an integrated tool within the Coviu platform. A total of 27 SLTs went on to use the telehealth platform, and 25 of these completed the post-trial questionnaire on which subsequent qualitative and quantitative analysis was completed. Prior to using the platform, perceived barriers included technology issues, limited clinician experience and concerns around parent acceptance of the service. Potential facilitators included access to appropriate platforms, tools and resources as well as increased clinician confidence with telehealth. Following the trial, barriers to telehealth use continued to include technology barriers, particularly internet stability, and client issues, including suitability for telehealth services. Facilitators for future telehealth use included access to appropriate platforms for telehealth, stable and appropriate internet connectivity, and more extensive telehealth resources for both assessment and intervention for this mode of service delivery. This study provides insights into the perceptions of the barriers and facilitating factors for telehealth use among community-based SLTs. This information will be useful in developing strategies to promote uptake and effective and confident use of telehealth as a mode of service delivery beyond the pandemic. What is already known on the subject Research about telehealth has shown that it is a reliable and valid way of delivering speech pathology services, yet many clinicians have been wary of its use and uptake of telehealth prior to COVID-19 had been limited. We wanted to know what SLTs thought about using telehealth before and after participating in a 3-month trial of a telehealth platform with an embedded formal language assessment. What this study adds to existing knowledge This study indicates that technology issues including internet stability are a barrier to effective telehealth services, but that appropriate telehealth platforms, resources and experience are facilitators of uptake and successful use of telehealth. What are the potential or actual clinical implications of this work? This information will be useful in developing strategies to promote uptake and effective and confident use of telehealth as a mode of service delivery for children during and beyond the pandemic, including those isolated by geographical or transport barriers.

Expressive and Receptive Language in Russian Primary-School-Aged Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder

BackgroundAbnormal language development in both expressive and receptive domains occurs in most children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), although the language deficit is not a core symptom of ASD. However, previous studies disagree on the difference in the degree of impairment between expressive and receptive language in ASD. Existing research has concentrated on vocabulary and ‘global expressive and receptive language’, often using parental reports for language assessment. Moreover, most of these studies have focused on toddlers and preschoolers with ASD, whereas data from school-aged children with ASD are very limited. At the same time, the age of children might account for the inconsistencies across publications on expressive-receptive language difference in children with ASD. AimsThe goal of the study was to directly compare the expressive and receptive language abilities of Russian primary-school-aged children with ASD (7–11 years old) at the levels of vocabulary, morphosyntax, and discourse. Methods82 children with ASD participated in language testing. We used tests from the Russian Child Language Assessment Battery in order to assess vocabulary, morphosyntax, and discourse in expressive and receptive domains. ResultsOur results revealed different expressive and receptive patterns, depending on the linguistic level and tests complexity. Importantly, we showed that children’s non-verbal IQ partly accounted for the difference between production and comprehension abilities. ConclusionsThe expressive-better-than-receptive pattern in language has been considered by some authors as the unique hallmark of ASD. However, several studies, including our own, show that this is not a universal characteristic of ASD. We also revealed that expressive and receptive language patterns differed depending on the linguistic level, children’s non-verbal IQ, and assessment tools.

Language Abilities of Russian Primary-School-Aged Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder: Evidence from Comprehensive Assessment.

The purpose of the present research was to comprehensively assess the language abilities of Russian primary-school-aged children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), varying in non-verbal IQ, at all linguistic levels (phonology, lexicon, morphosyntax, and discourse) in production and comprehension. Yet, the influence of such non-language factors as children's age, the severity of autistic traits, and non-verbal IQ on language functioning was studied. Our results indicate a high variability of language skills in children with ASD (from normal to impaired) which is in line with the previous studies. Interestingly, the number of children with normal language abilities was related to the linguistic levels: according to more complex morphosyntax and discourse tests, fewer children with ASD were within the normal range unlike the results in simpler phonological and lexical tests. Importantly, we found that language abilities were best predicted by non-verbal IQ but were independent from age and the severity of autistic traits. The findings support the claim that formal language assessment of children with ASD needs to include all linguistic levels, from phonology to discourse, for helping speech-language therapists to choose an appropriate therapy target.

Using Free Computer-Assisted Language Sample Analysis to Evaluate and Set Treatment Goals for Children Who Speak African American English.

Purpose Spoken language sample analysis (LSA) is widely considered to be a critical component of assessment for child language disorders. It is our best window into a preschool child's everyday expressive communicative skills. However, historically, the process can be cumbersome, and reference values against which LSA findings can be "benchmarked" are based on surprisingly little data. Moreover, current LSA protocols potentially disadvantage speakers of nonmainstream English varieties, such as African American English (AAE), blurring the line between language difference and disorder. Method We provide a tutorial on the use of free software (Computerized Language Analysis [CLAN]) enabled by the ongoing National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders-funded "Child Language Assessment Project." CLAN harnesses the advanced computational power of the Child Language Data Exchange System archive (www.childes.talkbank.org), with an aim to develop and test fine-grained and potentially language variety-sensitive benchmarks for a range of LSA measures. Using retrospective analysis of data from AAE-speaking children, we demonstrate how CLAN LSA can facilitate dialect-fair assessment and therapy goal setting. Results Using data originally collected to norm the Diagnostic Evaluation of Language Variation, we suggest that Developmental Sentence Scoring does not appear to bias against children who speak AAE but does identify children who have language impairment (LI). Other LSA measure scores were depressed in the group of AAE-speaking children with LI but did not consistently differentiate individual children as LI. Furthermore, CLAN software permits rapid, in-depth analysis using Developmental Sentence Scoring and the Index of Productive Syntax that can identify potential intervention targets for children with developmental language disorder.

Инструмент для комплексного обследования речевых навыков КОРАБЛИК и опыт его применения в группе младших школьников с РАС

In speech-language pathology practice, standardized language assessment tools are used to evaluate the level of language development and to specify the details of language impairment. For Russian language, a novel Russian Child Language Assessment Battery (RuCLAB) was developed. The RuCLAB provides the assessment of phonology, vocabulary, morphosyntax, and discourse in production and comprehension. Present study aims to describe RuCLAB in detail and to report its application in 7—11 years-old children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). The results revealed between-group differences in children with and without ASD as well as highlighted some individual features in the group of children with ASD: for example, expressive and receptive patterns differed depending on the linguistic level and non-verbal IQ; also children with ASD (as children with complex language disorders) better acquired nouns in comparison to verbs, and the words’ frequency influenced the accuracy in sentence repetition. The results indicate sensitivity and diagnostic importance of RuCLAB as a tool for language assessment in children with ASD.