We compared parent and teacher ratings for a group of 16 preschool children on the Receptive-Expressive Emergent Language Scale. Paired t-tests indicated no significant differences between parent and teacher ratings of expressive language, but a significant difference on the receptive language subscale. Pearson's correlations showed significant and positive relationships between parent and teacher ratings. These results suggest the device could be used in research to document language delay and perhaps for classification purposes. However, interrater agreement was only 31.25% for receptive language age and 56.25% for expressive language age. Thus, reliability appears too low for instructional planning.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.
References
1.
BernheimerL. P., GallimoreR., & KaufmanS. Z. (1993). Clinical child assessment in a family context: A four-group typology of family experiences with young children with developmental delays. Journal of Early Intervention, 17, 253–269.
2.
BrownF., & SnellM. (1993). Meaningful assessment. In SnellM. (Ed.), Instruction of students with severe disabilities (4th ed.) (pp. 61–98). New York: Macmillan.
3.
BurnettP. C. (1989). Assessing satisfaction in people with an intellectual disability living in community-based residential facilities. Australian Disability Review, 1, 14–19.
4.
ButterfieldN. (1994). Play as an assessment and intervention strategy for children with language and intellectual disabilities. In LinfootK. (Ed.), Communication strategies for people with developmental disabilities (pp. 12–44). Sydney: Maclennan and Petty.
5.
BzochK. R., & LeagueR. (1971). Receptive-Expressive Emergent Language Scale. Baltimore: University Park Press.
6.
BzochK. R., & LeagueR. (1991). Receptive-Expressive Emergent Language Scale (2nd ed.). Austin, TX: Pro-ed.
7.
CalhounM. L., & RoseT. (1994). Early intervention. In CipaniE. O. & SpoonerF. (Eds.), Curricular and instructional approaches for persons with severe disabilities (pp. 367–386). Boston: Allyn & Bacon.
8.
FeyM. E. (1986). Language intervention in young children. San Diego: College-Hill Press.
9.
FontanaA. F., MarcusJ. L., DowdsB. N., & HugesL. A. (1980). Psychological impairment and psychological health in the psychological well-being of the physically ill. Psychosomatic Medicine, 42, 279–288.
10.
JohnsonD. L. (1973). Review of the Bzoch-League Receptive-Expressive Emergent Language Scale. Journal of Personality Assessments, 37, 581–582.
11.
KahnJ. V. (1983). Sensorimotor period and adaptive behavior development of severely and profoundly mentally retarded children. American Journal of Mental Deficiency, 88, 69–75.
12.
KahnJ. V. (1992). Predicting adaptive behaviour of severely and profoundly mentally retarded children with early cognitive measures. Journal of Intellectual Disability Research, 36, 101–114.
13.
MahoneyG. (1984). The validity of the Receptive-Expressive Emergent Language Scale with mentally retarded children. Journal of the Division for Early Childhood, 9, 86–94.
14.
MahoneyG., & O'SullivanP. (1990). Early intervention practices with families of children with handicaps. Mental Retardation, 28, 169–176.
15.
OwensR. E., & RogersonB. S. (1988). Adults at the presymbolic level. In CalculatorS. N. & BedrosianJ. L. (Eds.), Communication assessment and intervention for adults with mental retardation (pp. 189–238). San Diego: College-Hill Press.
SheehanR. (1988). Involvement of parents in early childhood assessment. In WachsT. D. & SheehanR. (Eds.), Assessment of young developmentally disabled children (pp. 75–90). New York: Plenum Press.
