The Quality of a Language Sample as a Function of Its Placement in an Assessment Battery

Abstract

Language evaluations in a clinical setting typically involve both standardized testing, in which a child is often required to merely point to correct responses, and the collection of a spontaneous language sample that is later subjected to various analyses. The present study sought to determine if beginning an evaluation with standardized tests that require only a pointing response might not predispose a child to talk less and use less complex language, since such tests require little or no verbal response. The results indicated that the placement of the elicitation of the spontaneous language sample in the initial language evaluation did not influence the length, complexity or spontaneity of the samples obtained from the children studied. These findings suggest that the clinician can exercise flexibility in choosing the order of presentation of diagnostic procedures in an initial language assessment.