Over the past several years, second-opinion consultations and reassessments have repeatedly put reports with Clinical Assessment of Pragmatics (CAPs) results on my desk that simply did not make clinical sense. I am not talking about one borderline score or a child who happened to perform better than expected on one task. I am talking about
As a profession, speech-language pathology has appropriately focused on reducing the misidentification of culturally and linguistically diverse students. Furthermore, we now recognize that dialect, bilingualism, second-language acquisition, and limited educational opportunity are not disabilities. Assessment must be nondiscriminatory in evaluating bilingualism. However, protecting students from over-identification cannot come at the cost of missing real disability.
When “Difference” Hides Disability Read More »
For parents, educators, and speech-language pathologists working with children with developmental language disorder One of the most frustrating conversations I have with parents and professionals happens after a reevaluation. Everyone has seen the child improve. The child explains ideas more clearly and asks better questions. They need less support, write more effectively, and repair misunderstandings.
The Test Score Stayed the Same. The Child’s Skills Didn’t. Read More »
As a speech-language pathologist (SLP) specializing in language and literacy assessment, I’ve reviewed hundreds of educational, psychoeducational, and neuropsychological evaluations for students with complex learning needs. I repeatedly see students who are clearly struggling in the classroom, despite strong support at home, undergoing assessments that fail to identify their needs accurately. As a result, they
In the field of speech language pathology and allied services, we carry the immense responsibility of identifying and supporting children who struggle with language and literacy. Yet all too often, our good intentions are undercut by poor testing practices, superficial conclusions, and a harmful tendency to reassure students by telling them “there’s nothing wrong with
Stop Saying “You’re Fine”: Why Struggling Students Deserve the Truth and Real Help Read More »
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
Why Accuracy Matters: The Hidden Risks of Flawed Language and Literacy Tests Read More »
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
Limitations of the CELF-5 in Detecting Subtle Language and Literacy Needs Read More »
The role of attention in learning is a topic of great interest to both researchers and clinicians alike when it comes to the discussion of the causes of learning difficulties in children (Posner & Rothbart, 2007). Attention plays a crucial role in learning, since if you cannot attend you cannot commit stimuli to memory and
Attention: All That Matters Read More »
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
On the Life-Saving Value of Clinical Assessments Read More »
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
Comprehensive Assessment of Preschool and Kindergarten-Aged Children Read More »