Validity refers to the degree to which an item is measuring what it’s actually supposed to be measuring. Read More
Category: Standardized Test
A standardized test is any test that is administered in the same way each time it is given, regardless of the test taker. This includes the form of the test, the way it is administered, the conditions of the test taking environment, the way it is scored, and any other potential variables that could affect performance during administration of the test.
Report Writing: Quantification
Even though standardized test scores should not be used to determine or diagnose disability, quantification is required to demonstrate that a child should receive services. Depending on the district, city, and state laws, a child with a certain percentage of delay in one or more domains is eligible to receive related services or to be placed in special education. It is the evaluator’s job to use his or her clinical judgement to determine percentage of delay if it exists. Read More
Understanding Assessment: Assessment Materials- Language Sample
Language sampling is an essential part of any speech and language evaluation and research has shown it to be less biased against culturally and linguistically diverse children than standardized tests. Information presented in the language sample will consist of utterances collected from the parent interview in critical question 9 as well as language elicited during the evaluation. Read More
Understanding Assessment: Bias Towards Individuals with Motor, Attention, Memory, and Other Disabilities
Bias towards individuals with disabilities, such as ADHD or cerebral palsy, can result in the mislabeling of these individuals as being language impaired or intellectually disabled. The examiner may exhibit bias against those with these disabilities for several reasons. Read More
Understanding Assessment: Methods for Evaluating Socioeconomic Status
Socioeconomic status (SES) affects cultural perspective and speech and language development and can be found in testing materials and the evaluator’s interpretation of assessment performance. Read More
Report Writing: Background
It is important to be as thorough as possible when writing the background section of the evaluation as extenuating circumstances could explain a delay in language development and also help the evaluator differentiate between a delay, disorder, or normal language development, given the circumstances. Read More
Understanding Assessment: Understanding the Standard Error of Measure
The standard error of measure indicates the amount of uncertainty that a sample (such as a normative sample) is truly representative of the general population. In the case of administering standardized tests, it conveys the level of uncertainty that a single test performance observed by the evaluator represents how the child would do if it were administered multiple times. Read More
