Assessment of Language Disorders in Children

by McCauley, Rebecca J.

• ISBN13: 9780805825626
• ISBN10: 0805825622
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2000-11-01
• Publisher: Lawrence Erlbau

Summary

This book constitutes a clear, comprehensive, up-to-date introduction to the basic principles of psychological and educational assessment that underlie effective clinical decisions about childhood language disorders. Rebecca McCauley describes specific commonly used tools, as well as general approaches ranging from traditional standardized norm-referenced testing to more recent ones, such as dynamic and qualitative assessment. Highlighting special considerations in testing and expected patterns of performance, she reviews the challenges presented by children with a variety of problems--specific language impairment, hearing loss, mental retardation, and autism spectrum disorders. Three extended case examples illustrate her discussion of each of these target groups. Her overarching theme is the crucial role of well-formed questions as fundamental guides to decision making, independent of approach. Each chapter features lists of key concepts and terms, study questions, and recommended readings. Tables throughout offer succinct summaries and aids to memory. Students, their instructors, and speech-language pathologists continuing their professional education will all welcome this invaluable new resource. Distinctive features include: * a comprehensive consideration of both psychometric and descriptive approaches to the characterization of children's language; * a detailed discussion of background issues important in the language assessment of the major groups of children with language impairment; * timely information on assessment of change--a topic frequently not covered in other texts; * extensive guidance on how to evaluate individual norm-referenced measures for adoption; * an extensive appendix listing about 50 measures used to assess language in children; and * a test review guide that can be reproduced for use by readers.

Author Biography

Rebecca J. McCauley is Professor of Communication Sciences at the University of Vermont

Table of Contents

Preface	xi
Why I Wrote This Book
How This Book Is Organized
Acknowledgments
Introduction	1	(16)
Purposes of This Text	1	(1)
Why Do We Make Measurements in the Assessment and Management of Childhood Language Disorders?	2	(2)
What Problems Accompany Measurement?	4	(3)
A Model of Clinical Decision Making	7	(4)
Summary	11	(1)
Key Concepts and Terms	11	(1)
Study Questions and Questions to Expand Your Thinking	12	(1)
Recommended Readings	12	(1)
References	12	(5)
PART I: BASIC CONCEPTS IN ASSESSMENT
Measurement of Children's Communication and Related Skills	17	(32)
Theoretical Building Blocks of Measurement	17	(7)
Basic Statistical Concepts	24	(6)
Characterizing the Performance of Individuals	30	(8)
Case Example	38	(5)
Summary	43	(1)
Key Concepts and Terms	44	(2)
Study Questions and Questions to Expand Your Thinking	46	(1)
Recommended Readings	47	(1)
References	47	(2)
Validity and Reliability	49	(29)
Historical Background	49	(2)
Validity	51	(15)
Reliability	66	(6)
Summary	72	(1)
Key Concepts and Terms	73	(2)
Study Questions and Questions to Expand Your Thinking	75	(1)
Recommended Readings	76	(1)
References	76	(2)
Evaluating Measures of Children's Communication and Related Skills	78	(35)
Contextual Considerations in Assessment: The Bigger Picture in Which Assessments Take Place	79	(9)
Evaluating Individual Measures	88	(17)
Summary	105	(1)
Key Concepts and Terms	106	(1)
Study Questions and Questions to Expand Your Thinking	106	(1)
Recommended Readings	107	(1)
References	107	(6)
PART II: AN OVERVIEW OF CHILDHOOD LANGUAGE DISORDERS
Children With Specific Language Impairment	113	(33)
Defining the Problem	113	(3)
Suspected Causes	116	(11)
Special Challenges in Assessment	127	(3)
Expected Patterns of Language Performance	130	(2)
Related Problems	132	(5)
Summary	137	(1)
Key Concepts and Terms	138	(1)
Study Questions and Questions to Expand Your Thinking	l39	(1)
Recommended Readings	140	(1)
References	140	(6)
Children With Mental Retardation	146	(22)
Defining the Problem	147	(2)
Suspected Causes	149	(7)
Special Challenges in Assessment	156	(2)
Expected Pattern of Strengths and Weaknesses	158	(3)
Related Problems	161	(1)
Summary	161	(1)
Key Concepts and Terms	162	(1)
Study Questions and Questions to Expand Your Thinking	163	(1)
Recommended Readings	164	(1)
References	164	(4)
Children With Autistic Spectrum Disorder	168	(19)
Defining the Problem	169	(4)
Suspected Causes	173	(1)
Special Challenges in Assessment	174	(2)
Expected Patterns of Language Performance	176	(2)
Related Problems	178	(3)
Summary	181	(1)
Key Concepts and Terms	182	(1)
Study Questions and Questions to Expand Your Thinking	183	(1)
Recommended Readings	184	(1)
References	184	(3)
Children With Hearing Impairment	187	(26)
Defining the Problem	188	(8)
Suspected Causes	196	(2)
Special Challenges in Assessment	198	(5)
Expected Patterns of Oral Language Performance	203	(1)
Related Problems	204	(1)
Summary	205	(1)
Key Concepts and Terms	205	(1)
Study Questions and Questions to Expand Your Thinking	206	(1)
Recommended Readings	207	(1)
References	207	(6)
PART III: CLINICAL QUESTIONS DRIVING ASSESSMENT
Screening and Identification: Does This Child Have a Language Impairment?	213	(37)
The Nature of Screening and Identification	214	(2)
Special Considerations When Asking This Clinical Question	216	(20)
Available Tools	236	(4)
Practical Considerations	240	(2)
Summary	242	(1)
Key Concepts and Terms	243	(1)
Study Questions and Questions to Expand Your Thinking	244	(1)
Recommended Readings	244	(1)
References	244	(6)
Description: What Is the Nature of This Child's Language?	250	(43)
The Nature of Description	251	(1)
Special Considerations for Asking This Clinical Question	252	(3)
Available Tools	255	(25)
Practical Considerations	280	(3)
Summary	283	(1)
Key Concepts and Terms	284	(2)
Study Questions and Questions to Expand Your Thinking	286	(1)
Recommended Readings	286	(1)
References	287	(6)
Examining Change: Is This Child's Language Changing?	293	(35)
The Nature of Examining Change	294	(2)
Special Considerations for Asking This Clinical Question	296	(15)
Available Tools	311	(6)
Practical Considerations	317	(4)
Summary	321	(1)
Key Concepts and Terms	322	(1)
Study Questions and Questions to Expand Your Thinking	323	(1)
Recommended Readings	324	(1)
References	324	(4)
Appendix A	328	(6)
Appendix B	334	(5)
Author Index	339	(14)
Subject Index	353