Using Language Proficiency Information in Speech-Language Evaluations

Knowing the age of first exposure to English and current exposure to English and other languages helps evaluators understand what to expect and how to go about testing. Current research tells us that there is a point at which formal testing in a language doesn’t help inform our diagnostic decisions.

We will look at different ways language proficiency impacts test performance so we can make more informed diagnostic decisions for bilingual children. We’ll cover these details and many more about the impact of language proficiency on the assessment process.

Participants will be able to:
1. Describe two important steps to take prior to the evaluation.
2. List the three different steps of working with interpreters.
3. Describe the process of selecting assessment tools for students who speak a language you do not.
4. Describe how to differentiate language influence patterns from language errors indicative of a disorder.
5. Describe how to use dynamic assessment to improve diagnostic accuracy.
1. List four things that impact language proficiency
2. Describe the difference between age of first exposure and current exposure in terms of impact on the assessment process
3: Describe how we can use information about language structure to help us understand whether a child’s language patterns are indicative of Developmental Language Disorder or not.

Time-Ordered Agenda

5 minutes Intro – Why we need to know about language proficiency
15 minutes Language Exposure – Years and Current Exposure
10 minutes How language context impacts the speech-language assessment
10 minutes Language Domains and how they vary across bilingual children
10 minutes How language structure helps us analyze test item errors
30 minutes Q&A with Case Studies