CDI445 Final 1

What is a language sample?

A language sample is a criterion-referenced task used to evaluate a child’s spontaneous or self-generated language in natural contexts.

Why are language samples considered criterion-referenced?

Because the child’s language output is compared to developmental data rather than compared only to a standardized score.

What do language samples evaluate?

They evaluate a person’s natural, spontaneous language skills, including how they use words, sentences, grammar, and communication functions.

Are language samples usually used alone or with other assessments?

They are typically used along with norm-referenced standardized tests.

How long does a language sample usually last?

Usually about 10–15 minutes.

What is the goal number of utterances for a language sample?

The goal is usually 50–100 utterances.

How can an SLP obtain a language sample from a child?

Through natural, child-led play using joint attention to understand the child’s current language abilities.

What should the adult communicator do during a language sample?

Respond to the child’s speech with semantically related information that is about the same length as the child’s utterance.

Should adults ask a lot of questions during a language sample?

No. Questions should be kept to a minimum so the sample reflects the child’s natural language.

What happens after a language sample is collected?

It is recorded and transcribed so the SLP can analyze qualitative and quantitative language features.

What are examples of analyses used with language samples?

Mean Length of Utterance, Type-Token Ratio, Brown’s Morpheme Analysis, and Dore’s Primitive Speech Acts.

What does MLU stand for?

Mean Length of Utterance.

What does MLU measure?

MLU measures the average length of a child’s utterances in morphemes.

How do you calculate MLU?

Count the total number of morphemes and divide by the total number of utterances.

What is the formula for MLU?

MLU = total number of morphemes ÷ total number of utterances.

If a child produces 21 morphemes across 5 utterances, what is the MLU?

21 ÷ 5 = 4.2 MLU.

Why is MLU useful?

It helps show a child’s grammatical development and sentence complexity.

What is a morpheme?

A morpheme is the smallest unit of meaning in a word.

What is a free morpheme?

A free morpheme can stand alone as its own word.

Give examples of free morphemes.

Examples include dog, it, her, drive.

What is a bound morpheme?

A bound morpheme is a word element that cannot stand alone.

Give examples of bound morphemes.

Examples include re-, -s, and -ing.

Why do bound morphemes matter when calculating MLU?

Because bound morphemes count as morphemes and affect the total morpheme count.

How many morphemes are in 'Daddy go work'?

3 morphemes.

How many morphemes are in 'We put toys here'?

5 morphemes.

How many morphemes are in 'I like mixing colors'?

6 morphemes.

How many morphemes are in 'Baby is sleep'?

3 morphemes.

How many morphemes are in 'Can you help me?'

4 morphemes.

What does TTR stand for?

Type-Token Ratio.

What type of analysis is Templin’s Type-Token Ratio?

It is a semantic analysis.

What does Type-Token Ratio analyze?

It analyzes the relationship between the number of different words used and the total number of words in a sample.

How do you calculate Type-Token Ratio?

Divide the total number of different words by the total number of words.

What is the formula for TTR?

TTR = number of different words ÷ total number of words.

What can TTR tell an SLP?

It can provide information about vocabulary diversity and missing word classes.

What word categories may be used in TTR analysis?

Nouns, verbs, adjectives, adverbs, prepositions, pronouns, negatives/affirmations, and other word types.

If a sample has 10 different words and 11 total words, what is the TTR?

10 ÷ 11 = 0.90 TTR.

What type of analysis is Brown’s Morpheme Analysis?

It is a syntactic analysis.

What does Brown’s Morpheme Analysis examine?

It examines whether a child is using grammatical morphemes expected for their age.

What should the SLP note during Brown’s Morpheme Analysis?

The SLP should note any grammatical morphemes the child uses during the language sample.

What is Brown’s Morpheme Analysis compared to?

The child’s use of morphemes is compared to their age range and Brown’s Morpheme stages.

What type of analysis is Dore’s Speech Acts?

It is a pragmatic analysis.

What does Dore’s Speech Acts analyze?

It analyzes children’s utterances based on their communication intentions.

What are primitive speech acts?

Primitive speech acts include basic communication intentions such as labeling, repeating, answering, greeting, protesting, and requesting.

Name examples of primitive speech acts.

Labeling, repeating, answering, greeting, protesting, and requesting.

What are examples of conversational speech acts?

Request, response to request, description, statement, acknowledgement, organizational device, performative, and miscellaneous.

How can the percentage of each speech act be calculated?

Divide the total number in each speech act category by the total number of utterances.

What is the formula for speech act percentage?

Speech act percentage = number in speech act category ÷ total number of utterances.

What did the 2016 survey ask school-based SLPs?

It asked whether they use language sample analysis.

What did one-third of SLPs report in the 2016 survey?

One-third reported that they did not use language sample analysis in the previous school year.

Which SLPs were less likely to use language sample analysis?

SLPs serving middle and high school students were less likely to use it.

What was one issue reported about language sample size?

Many SLPs did not use samples larger than 50 utterances.

What was another issue reported about transcription?

Many SLPs used real-time transcription.

What was the biggest reason SLPs gave for not using language sample analysis?

It was considered too time consuming.

What is SALT Software used for?

SALT Software is used to help with language sample analysis.

What is the approximate cost of SALT Software mentioned in the PowerPoint?

About $200 per computer license.

What is SUGAR?

SUGAR is a free program for language sample analysis using word processing programs like Word or Google Docs.

What are two tools that can help solve LSA usage problems?

SALT Software and SUGAR.

What are the four major types of analysis mentioned for language samples?

MLU, Type-Token Ratio, Brown’s Morpheme Analysis, and Dore’s Speech Acts.

Which analysis focuses on average utterance length?

Mean Length of Utterance, or MLU.

Which analysis focuses on vocabulary diversity?

Type-Token Ratio, or TTR.

Which analysis focuses on grammatical morphemes?

Brown’s Morpheme Analysis.

Which analysis focuses on communication intentions?

Dore’s Speech Acts.

What is the main purpose of language sample analysis?

To understand a child’s natural language abilities in context.