CDI445 Final 5

Evaluation Report Writing Flashcards

Front: What is the purpose of an evaluation report?
Back: An evaluation report documents the findings of a clinical evaluation.

Front: Who may read and use evaluation reports?
Back: Parents, teachers, administrators, other SLPs, and other professionals.

Front: Why should evaluation reports be written clearly?
Back: Because they are used by many different people, including individuals who may not understand technical language.

Report Writing Guidelines

Front: What type of sentences should be used in evaluation reports?
Back: Clear, short sentences.

Front: Should evaluation reports use specific or ambiguous language?
Back: Specific language should be used instead of ambiguous language.

Front: Why should nontechnical language be used in evaluation reports?
Back: So parents, teachers, and other readers can understand the report.

Front: What should you do if you use a technical term?
Back: Explain the term in simple language.

Front: What should you do before using an abbreviation?
Back: Define the abbreviation first.

Front: Should colloquial expressions be used in evaluation reports?
Back: No. Colloquial or casual expressions should be avoided.

Front: What type of word choice should be used in reports?
Back: Formal word choices instead of casual word choices.

Front: Should reports use active or passive sentences?
Back: Active sentences should be used.

Front: What type of language should be avoided in reports?
Back: Qualifiers and non-committal language, such as “some” or “sometimes.”

Front: Should reports label the individual or describe behavior?
Back: Reports should describe behavior instead of labeling the individual.

Front: Instead of saying a child was “defiant,” what should you write?
Back: Describe the behavior, such as “The child refused to complete the subtest.”

Front: Instead of saying a child “bounced off the walls,” what should you write?
Back: Describe the behavior, such as “The child left his seat three times.”

Front: Instead of saying “semantics,” how could you explain it in simple terms?
Back: Semantics means word meaning.

Sections of an Evaluation Report

Front: What are the main sections of an evaluation report?
Back: Demographic information, initial impressions, case history, communication status, communication behavior observations, summary, and recommendations.

Front: What information is included in demographic information?
Back: Name, date of birth, parents or guardians, date of evaluation, type of evaluation, and evaluators.

Front: What is included in the initial impression section?
Back: Subjective information about when and where the client was evaluated, referral information, concerns, previous services, and the client’s demeanor.

Front: What question does the initial impression section answer about the referral?
Back: How the client was referred for an evaluation.

Front: What question does the initial impression section answer about concerns?
Back: When concerns were noticed and who noticed them.

Front: What should be noted about the client’s demeanor?
Back: How the client acted or presented when entering the evaluation.

Case History

Front: What is included in the case history section?
Back: Developmental information, parent-reported communication abilities, relevant medical information, living situation, and how the child communicates at home.

Front: Why is developmental information important in case history?
Back: It helps the evaluator understand the child’s background and communication development.

Front: Who may provide background information for the case history?
Back: The parent or guardian.

Front: What type of medical information should be included in case history?
Back: Any relevant medical information that may affect communication or development.

Front: What home information may be included in case history?
Back: Where the child lives, who the child lives with, and how the child communicates at home.

Communication Status

Front: What is included in communication status?
Back: Testing and observations related to hearing, speech, oral mechanism, language, and communication behavior.

Front: What communication areas may be assessed or observed?
Back: Hearing, speech, oral mechanism, language, and observations.

Front: Why is hearing included in communication status?
Back: Hearing can affect speech, language development, and communication.

Front: Why is oral mechanism included in communication status?
Back: It helps determine whether oral structures and functions may affect speech or communication.

Standardized Test Information

Front: What scores should be reported when discussing standardized tests?
Back: Raw scores, standard scores, percentile ranks, and age-equivalent scores.

Front: How should standardized test scores be explained?
Back: In layman’s terms, or simple language that families can understand.

Front: What should be included when describing test performance?
Back: Strengths, areas in need of improvement, and examples from the test.

Front: Instead of labeling weaknesses negatively, what phrase can be used?
Back: “Areas in need of improvement.”

Front: Why should examples from the test be included?
Back: They help explain what the child could or could not do during testing.

Front: What language information should be included in observations?
Back: MLU, types of words used, how language was used, sentence structure, eye contact, morphemes, and other important language behaviors.

Front: What does MLU stand for?
Back: Mean Length of Utterance.

Front: Why are observations important in an evaluation report?
Back: They give information about how the child communicates beyond test scores.

Summary and Recommendations

Front: What is included in the summary section?
Back: A summary of all information collected throughout the assessment.

Front: What should the summary explain?
Back: What was found during testing and what was observed during the evaluation.

Front: What is included in the recommendations section?
Back: Whether the child should be referred for services and why or why not.

Front: What question should recommendations answer?
Back: Do you recommend this client begin services?

Front: Why should recommendations include reasoning?
Back: To explain why the child does or does not need services.

School Evaluation Reports

Front: What guidelines must school-based SLPs follow when writing evaluation reports?
Back: Guidelines provided by the school district, state regulations, and federal regulations.

Front: What documentation do SLPs use in Kentucky?
Back: Kentucky Eligibility Guidelines, also called KEG.

Front: What is written in addition to a full school evaluation report?
Back: A summary on the child’s newly developed IEP.

Front: What does IEP stand for?
Back: Individualized Education Program.

Front: What are implications for learning?
Back: A description of how the child’s deficits may affect classroom performance and learning.

Front: Why are implications for learning important in school reports?
Back: They explain how communication difficulties may impact the child’s ability to function in the classroom.

Front: How can expressive language difficulties affect classroom learning?
Back: They may affect the child’s ability to understand and learn new concept words in the classroom.

Front: How can poor turn-taking skills affect a child in school?
Back: They may affect the child’s ability to socially interact with peers and participate effectively in group work.

Quick Review Flashcards

Front: What is the main goal of evaluation report writing?
Back: To clearly document evaluation findings and explain the child’s communication abilities and needs.

Front: What type of language should be used in evaluation reports?
Back: Clear, specific, formal, and nontechnical language.

Front: What should writers avoid in evaluation reports?
Back: Ambiguous terms, undefined abbreviations, colloquial expressions, passive sentences, qualifiers, and labels.

Front: What should reports describe instead of labeling the child?
Back: Specific observable behaviors.

Front: What are the major communication status areas?
Back: Hearing, speech, oral mechanism, language, and observations.

Front: What should standardized test results include?
Back: Scores, explanations, strengths, areas in need of improvement, and examples.

Front: What section explains whether services are recommended?
Back: Recommendations.

Front: What section summarizes everything found during the evaluation?
Back: Summary.

Front: What does KEG stand for?
Back: Kentucky Eligibility Guidelines.

Front: What does the school report need to explain about classroom performance?
Back: How the child’s communication deficits may impact learning and participation.