Early Language Informal Assessment- Early Intervention Speech Therapy

Are you looking for an informal language assessment that you can use with your late talkers and preschoolers with language delay? Would it be helpful to have an assessment form that can self-score and track the child’s progress? This Early Language Informal Assessment is ideal for informally assessing children’s language skills in your Speech and Language Therapy sessions.

*** This Informal Early Language Assessment is also available in a money-saving bundle ***

This informal Early Language Assessment comes with digital and printable versions, making it perfect for use in both teletherapy sessions and face-to-face sessions.

Easily and quickly assess receptive and expressive language skills from single words to short phrases with this early language assessment.

This informal language assessment also comes with three different data collection forms, so you can pick the version that is most convenient for you!

• There is a printable version that you can print and fill out.
• There is a digital editable version, which you can open in a PDF program such as Adobe Reader (free) and fill in on the computer (drop-down boxes make it easy to score the receptive section). Please note, this does not work on iPads.
• There is also a self-scoring Excel document that you can fill out on the computer. This version comes with drop-down boxes for receptive items, and is self-scoring, which makes scoring the assessment and monitoring the child’s progress a breeze!

This informal assessment covers early language targets from one key word level up to three key word level (KWL). The Key Word Level (KWL) is based on the number of Information Carrying Words* in the instruction, i.e., the minimum number of words the child needs to understand in order to comprehend an utterance. It also relates to the target response that the child would be expected to produce (i.e., a one-word, two-word, or three-word utterance). Key Words and Information Carrying Words are the same; they are the words that hold meaning in the utterance.

There are receptive and expressive targets for most of the stimulus items in the informal assessment. The following targets are included:

• 1 KWL includes- nouns (inc. animals, vehicles, clothing, food, furniture, and body parts), verbs, and prepositions (in, on, under, and out of).
• 2 KWL includes- phrases consisting of two key words with the following semantic structures**: subject + verb (“agent + action”), verb + object (“action + object” and “action + locative”), possessor + possession, as well as prepositions (in, on, under, out of, off), and concepts/attributes.
• 3 KWL includes- phrases consisting of three key words, including subject + verb + object phrases (“agent + action + object” and “agent + action + locative”), and prepositions (in, under, on, out of, off).

References:

Flahive, L.K., and Lanza, J.R. (2012). Linguisystems Guide to Communication Milestones: 2012 Edition. LinguiSystems, Inc. Retrieved online, January 2020.

* The concept of Information Carrying Words is based on the work by Knowles and Masidlover (1982) and underpins the ‘Derbyshire Language Scheme’ a commonly used language program in the UK and Ireland. (Ref: Knowles W, Masidlover M. (1982) The Derbyshire Language Scheme. Derby: Derbyshire County Council, UK).

** The information re. semantic structures is based on the work of Brown (1973), as cited in the ASHA Practice Portal:

https://www.asha.org/Practice-Portal/Clinical-Topics/Late-Language-Emergence/Semantic-Relationships/ (Accessed online, November 2020).

Disclaimer:

• This informal assessment of early language skills is designed to be used by a certified/licensed Speech-Language Pathologist/Speech and Language Therapist.
• This informal assessment is intended to provide a general overview of a child’s language abilities. It has not been normed/standardized. It is important that you use your professional judgment when interpreting any results and when making any decisions regarding next steps.
• This informal assessment is NOT designed to be a replacement for a formal language assessment and should NOT be used to diagnose any speech and language delay/disorder, or to determine whether a child does/does not receive services. It is advised that a formal language assessment be administered for the purposes of reports, IEPs, IFSP, etc.  The SLT Scrapbook, owners and creators, accept no responsibility for decisions related to the determination of eligibility and/or amount of services or any other decisions made as a result of this assessment.