CSDS 109 module 5

Language Sample

A collection of spontaneous speech produced by a child or adult during a naturalistic communication context, used to assess linguistic abilities.

Frequency Measures

Counts how often a particular behavior occurs in a set period of time.

Durational Measures

Recording the length of time a behavior lasts, used to observe engagement in tasks.

Verbal Interaction Sampling

Recording conversations to evaluate a child’s use of language in different settings.

Criterion-Referenced Tasks

Assess performance based on specific criteria rather than comparisons to others.

Obligatory Context

Situations where a specific grammatical form must occur.

Psychometrics

The study of psychological measurement, including tests and assessment tools.

Norm-Referenced Tests

Tests that compare a child's performance against a normative group.

Norm

A standard score derived from a large representative group's performance.

Validity

The degree to which a test measures what it is intended to measure.

Reliability

The consistency of a test’s results over time or across different situations.

Basal

The starting point in a standardized test where earlier items are assumed correct.

Ceiling

The upper limit of a standardized test marking the endpoint for administration.

Raw Score

The total number of correct answers on an assessment.

Standard Score

A transformed score representing the average score set to a specific number.

Mean Score

The average score calculated by summing all scores and dividing by their number.

Standard Deviation

A measure of the variation or dispersion of a set of scores.

Confidence Interval

A range of scores likely to include the true score based on statistical methods.

Standard Error of Measurement (SEM)

Represents the expected error in an individual's score due to various factors.

Constituent Definition

Defines a term by listing the components that make it up.

Operational Definition

Explains a concept in terms of how it will be measured or observed.

Baseline

Initial data or measurements taken before intervention begins.

Independent Clause

A group of words that contains a subject and a predicate and can stand alone.

Dependent Clause

A group of words that cannot stand alone and depends on an independent clause.

Subject (in a Sentence)

The noun or pronoun that tells who or what the sentence is about.

Verb (in a Sentence)

The action or state of being in a sentence.

Object (in a Sentence)

The noun or noun phrase that receives the action of the verb.

Prepositional Phrase

A phrase beginning with a preposition and ending with a noun or pronoun.

Simple Sentence

Contains only one independent clause.

Compound Sentence

Contains two or more independent clauses joined by a coordinating conjunction.

Complex Sentence

Contains one independent clause and at least one dependent clause.

Compound-Complex Sentence

Contains two or more independent clauses and at least one dependent clause.

Descriptive Informal Measures of Assessment

Assessment methods capturing language in natural settings, providing a holistic view.

Naturalistic Observations

Monitoring communication in daily life or structured activities.

Checklists and Rating Scales

Tools used to assess communication behaviors and skills.

Pragmatic Skills

How language is used for various social functions.

Physical Setting

The environment where the language sample is taken.

Interactional Partners

Who the child is speaking to, affecting language usage.

Social Interactions

Language use during peer interactions or group activities.

Academic Language

Language used in classroom discussions, projects, and assignments.

Follow-up Questions

Used to gauge the child's understanding during language sampling.

Ecological Validity

Observing language use in real-life situations.

Individualized

Tailored to the child’s unique communication needs.

Subjectivity

Measure influenced by clinician’s interpretation, leading to potential inconsistencies.

Age Appropriateness

Ensuring a test is suitable for the child's developmental stage.

Cultural Relevance

Considering the child’s cultural and linguistic background when selecting tests.

Standardization

Administering the test consistently for fair comparisons.

Positive Reinforcement

Providing praise or encouragement during standardized testing.

Objective

Area of strength in norm-referenced standardized testing, providing quantifiable results.

Cultural Bias

Inappropriateness of some tests for children from diverse backgrounds.

Specific

Clearly defined target behavior that can be observed.

Measurable

Target behavior that can be quantified.

Achievable

Within the child's developmental or functional abilities.

Relevant

Pertinent to the child’s language goals.

Time-bound

Defining a specific time frame for achieving the goal.

Physical Cues

Visual prompts used in discrete trial therapy to evoke language behaviors.

Concrete Examples

Using familiar objects when teaching new words or concepts.

Semantic Feature Analysis

Teaching words through their features to enhance vocabulary.

Contextual Teaching

Providing examples of words with different meanings based on context.

Figurative Language

Common expressions including similes and metaphors that may be challenging for some children.

Focus on Comprehension

Using tasks to assess and teach receptive vocabulary.

Morphology

The study of the smallest units of meaning in words.