We began our final day at the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital in Kumasi. As we walked inside, we were greeted by children and adults of all ages who had come to see the talented Kumasi Cleft Palate Team for pre- and post-surgical consultation. The faces of tiny babies as young as two- months stared back at us from colorful cocoons on their mothers’ backs as we smiled and stroked their beautiful faces. Once in the clinic, we assessed the speech and language of children with repaired and non-repaired cleft lips and/or palates and provided recommendations. However, the highlight of the morning was the time we spent demonstrating safe feeding techniques to mothers of babies with non-repaired cleft palates.
Category: Assessment and Evaluation
Evaluation is the process of identifying the presence of a disability and eligibility for special education and related services. Assessment is planning interventions, including IEPs and the extent of services, based on the strengths and needs of an individual with a disability.
Model Eval: 5;1- Spanish/English- Typically Developing
Model Eval-English.Spanish.5-1.pdf
MS, a 5;1 year old bilingual/bicultural (English-Spanish) male was evaluated for speech and language. After a language evaluation, it was determined that MS’s language skills were within normal limits. Read More
Model Eval: 4;7- Spanish/English- Typically Developing
Model Eval- Spanish.English.4-7.pdf
AR is a 4;7 year old sequential bilingual Spanish/English girl. AR has recently entered a monolingual English preschool and has demonstrated emerging skills in English. However, she is also experiencing language loss in Spanish in her new environment. Through the parent interview and appropriate assessment, AR was determined to be typically developing despite evidence of deficit in both languages. Read More
Ghana January 2014: Lessons in Kumasi: Komfo Anokye Hospital
We awoke bright and early this morning to our beautiful new digs in Kumasi. After breakfast, we boarded the bus to start our day at Komfo Anoyke hospital. It was a busy morning of introductions, and more assessments similar to those at Korle Bu. We saw kids with hearing loss, cerebral palsy, Waardenburg syndrome, and stuttering. For most of us, it was our first exposure to Waardenburg syndrome, which served as a particularly interesting case to assess and analyze.
Once our work at the hospital was complete, we grabbed a quick lunch to fuel ourselves for more market shopping. In the very back of the market was a painter who had no functional use of his arms and had to use his mouth to paint. He demonstrated his talent to us as we flipped through and purchased his pieces. Needless to say, they were all unbelievably stunning. However, that wasn’t the only craft shop that stood out to most of us. There was a father and son who owned a woodworking shop with gorgeous handcrafted pieces. They even went so far as to carve it in front of you to make sure it’s exactly what you want.
The night ended with a class discussion about the work we are doing and suggestions for next years trips.
Thanks to Jenn Stanis for the post.
Model Eval: 8;1- Tagalog/English Typically Developing
Model Eval- Tagalog.English.8-0.pdf
TL is an 8 year old sequential Tagalog/English bilingual with typically developing language skills. TL began learning English once she entered school, which is taught in English. Read More
Model Eval:12;11- Mandarin/English Typically Developing
Model Eval- English.Mandarin.12-11.pdf
WaLi is a 12 year old Mandarin/English sequential bilingual attending middle school in Chinatown, Manhattan. WaLi is an English Language Learner who is in the process of acquiring academic language in English but experiencing language loss in Mandarin as a result of his linguistic environment.
Model Eval: 10;0- Spanish/English- Typically Developing
Model Eval- Spanish.English.10-0.pdf
IN is a sequential Spanish/English bilingual 10-year old girl demonstrating typically developing language skills. She attends a prestiguous public school with a heavy hispanic population and is currently in a general education classes receiving no related services or extra supports. Ines is demonstrating language loss in Spanish, however this is expected given her current linguistic environment.
Model Eval: 6;4- English/Hebrew- Typically Developing
This model evaluation is of a simultaneous bilingual English/ Hebrew boy with typically developing language skills. However, he is experiencing some language loss in the first language (Hebrew) due to lack of exposure and practice now that he has entered a monolingual English speaking kindergarten.
