Independent Educational Evaluations (IEEs)

Why Accuracy Matters: The Hidden Risks of Flawed Language and Literacy Tests

Leave a Comment / Clinical Assessment, Developmental Language Disorder (DLD), Discriminant Accuracy, Independent Educational Evaluations (IEEs), Learning Disabilities, Special Education Disputes, Speech Pathology, Standardized Tests / /

When it comes to diagnosing students with developmental language disorders (DLD) and literacy deficits, the choice of assessment tools is critical. Many commonly used language tests have serious psychometric flaws that undermine their validity, leading to misidentifications that can have lasting educational and social consequences. This post examines the psychometric properties of several widely used […]

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Dear Parents: Ask the Right Questions to Get the Right Services

Leave a Comment / Dyslexia and Reading Disorders, Evidence-Based Intervention, Independent Educational Evaluations (IEEs), Learning Disabilities, Reading Programs, Social Pragmatic Deficits, Speech Pathology / /

As a parent, ensuring your child receives the right interventions for their reading or writing deficits is crucial. However, many narrowly focused reading and spelling programs emphasize isolated aspects of reading and writing. While these approaches can limitedly help with specific skills, they often fail to address the broader, critical contributions of oral language and

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Limitations of the CELF-5 in Detecting Subtle Language and Literacy Needs

Leave a Comment / Developmental Language Disorder (DLD), Discriminant Accuracy, Dyslexia and Reading Disorders, Independent Educational Evaluations (IEEs), Learning Disabilities, Special Education Disputes, Speech Pathology, Standardized Tests / /

The Clinical Evaluation of Language Fundamentals, Fifth Edition (CELF-5) is one of the most widely used tools for assessing language abilities in children. However, despite its popularity, significant limitations exist in its ability to accurately diagnose Developmental Language Disorder (DLD) and identify subtle language and literacy needs. These limitations are particularly evident in its construct

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Supporting Adolescents with High IQ and Language/Literacy Needs

Leave a Comment / Dyslexia and Reading Disorders, Evidence-Based Intervention, Independent Educational Evaluations (IEEs), Learning Disabilities, Speech Pathology, Twice Exceptional/High IQ, Working Memory / /

It may come as a surprise to many that adolescents with high IQs can still experience significant language and literacy challenges. Just like any other struggling reader, adolescents with high IQ follow a similar assessment and intervention trajectory. Let’s explore why—and how—these learners require tailored support that addresses their specific needs. Comprehensive Assessment: The First

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The Role of Independent Language and Literacy Assessments in Speech Pathology

Leave a Comment / Clinical Assessment, Evidence-Based Intervention, Independent Educational Evaluations (IEEs), Learning Disabilities, Special Education Disputes, Speech Pathology / /

Independent assessments of language and literacy are crucial tools for designing precise, beneficial treatment recommendations for students with language and literacy needs. Independent assessments conducted by speech-language pathologists (SLPs) outside the school system can provide valuable insight into the client’s strengths and needs as well as effectively aid in creating targeted interventions. Purpose of Independent

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Manifestations of Social Pragmatic Deficits in Children

Leave a Comment / Independent Educational Evaluations (IEEs), Learning Disabilities, Social Pragmatic Deficits, Special Education Disputes, Speech Pathology / /

Social communication plays a pivotal role in the development of relationships, friendships, well-being, and mental health. However, some children may experience difficulties in this domain, leading to what is known as social pragmatic deficits. Social pragmatics refers to the use of language in social contexts, including the ability to interpret and respond to verbal and

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On the Life-Saving Value of Clinical Assessments

Leave a Comment / Clinical Assessment, Independent Educational Evaluations (IEEs), Learning Disabilities, Speech Pathology, Standardized Tests / /

Today, I’d like to elaborate on the importance of clinical assessments in speech-language pathology, especially as relevant to our older teen clients 14-18 years of age. Notice my choice of words in the title – “life-saving”. It is not an over-exaggeration or an attempt at sensationalism for clickbait. For our clients with more subtle higher-order

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Comprehensive Assessment of Preschool and Kindergarten-Aged Children

Leave a Comment / Independent Educational Evaluations (IEEs), Learning Disabilities, Special Education Disputes, Speech Pathology, Standardized Tests / /

Typically, I write posts pertaining to certain aspects of the assessment and treatment of school-aged children. However, due to an increasing number of requests, today, I wanted to share some advice regarding how speech pathologists can comprehensively assess the language and literacy abilities of preschool and kindergarten-aged children. Now some professionals may ask, “Isn’t it

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How Early can “Dyslexia” be Diagnosed in Children?

Leave a Comment / Dyslexia and Reading Disorders, Independent Educational Evaluations (IEEs), Learning Disabilities, Special Education Disputes, Speech Pathology, Standardized Tests / /

In recent years there has been a substantial rise in awareness pertaining to reading disorders in young school-aged children. Consequently, more and more parents and professionals are asking questions regarding how early can “dyslexia” be diagnosed in children. In order to adequately answer this question, it is important to understand the trajectory of the development

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Free Webinar: The Controversy of the Auditory Processing Disorder Diagnosis

Leave a Comment / Auditory Processing Disorder, Dyslexia and Reading Disorders, Evidence-Based Intervention, Independent Educational Evaluations (IEEs), Learning Disabilities, Special Education Disputes, Speech Pathology / /

In June 2021, I did an outreach webinar for Georgia IDA, which reviewed current controversies pertaining to the validity of assessment and treatment of auditory processing disorder (APD). Its major focus was on how this diagnostic label frequently results in professionals discounting true language and literacy deficits in students who require appropriate language and literacy

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