Let's Talk About Speech & Language Screening Tools

As a Speech Language Pathologist, often parents and teachers asked me the difference between "screenings" and "evaluations".  Speech and language screenings are used to determine if a child needs further testing to determine if s/he has a speech and/or language delay or disability.  They are usually quick and short.  Speech and language evaluations are used to determine the existence of a delay or disability.  They are more thorough and lengthier.  Basically, screening tools are a quick way to determine who might need further speech and language testing and who doesn't; while evaluation tools determine the actual existence of a delay or disability.

Today, I'm linking up with my amazing and talented friend and fellow bloggers, the Frenzied SLPs, to talk about different screening tools.

What I have realized during my many years working in elementary schools is sometimes teachers need a little help determining whether they should refer a student for a speech and language screening.  During my first few years as a Speech Therapist (20+ years ago), it was no big deal to tell the parents that the school Speech Therapist was going to have a "small chat with Johnny" to determine if a referral was the appropriate course of action.  Nowadays, no way.  SAY WHAT?!?!  It's true.  Parent permission is needed for a Speech Therapist to actually have a "small chat with Johnny".  

In order to help teachers determine if a speech and language screening referral is an appropriate course of action, I created two "teacher friendly" screening tools.  These tools can be used by Speech Therapists as informal screening tools OR used by classroom teachers to determine if a referral to the Speech Therapist is appropriate.

Speech and Language Skills Assessment (SALSA for short) is available in a preschool/kindergarten version and a 1st/2nd grade version.

SALSA for preschool & kindergarten screens the child's ability to label common objects as well as verbally state the function of those objects.  The objects were specifically chosen in order to hear how the child pronounces certain sounds.  For example, "computer" was chosen in order to hear Becky say a 3 syllable word as well as the initial /k/ sound in that word.  If Becky says, "tompu", then that is valuable information for the Speech Therapist to know in determining whether Becky needs that speech and language referral.  (By the way, she does!)  This screening tool also looks at the child's ability to answer a variety of simple questions.  Does the child know to answer a WHO question with a person and a WHERE question with a place?

 

SALSA for 1st and 2nd graders also screens the child's ability to label common objects as well as listening to how the child pronounces certain sounds while labeling those objects.  This screening tool also screens the child's ability to compare and contrast common objects, provide 2 descriptive words, make predictions/inferences, follow directions, explain how to do a common activity as well as answer simple and more complex questions.

Both SALSA screening tools come with an additional file that allows you to view the necessary pictures on your computer or iDevice.  (No need to print the pictures so this will save your color ink cartridge.)  Detailed instructions on how to prepare the screening tool as well as how to administer it are also provided.  It's very user friendly -- a fact that my co-workers have told me repeatedly.

Another screening tool that I use frequently is the informal Articulation Screener (No Prep!) created by The SLT Scrapbook.  I love how this tool screens all positions of single sounds as well as the initial position of two-letter blends.  The chosen pictures are mostly common items that my students should be able to identify, so if they can't that also gives me some insight regarding their vocabulary skills.  I also love the fact that I don't have to print any cards/pictures - I display them on my computer screen or my iPad (when I remember to bring my iPad to school).  The scoring form is 3 pages long and my "bifocal-needing eyes" enjoy the font size that The SLT Scrapbook chose to use.  If you don't have 40+ year old eyes (or aren't waiting for your optometrist to get your refraction correct so new glasses can be ordered), you can opt to print the 3 recording pages on 1 page.  Not unreasonably small, but my "bifocal-needing eyes" just say NO to that option.

Now that you've read my suggestions, please remember this:  The screening tools you create or the screening tools you purchase from TPT are informal tools.  They are not standardized.   They don't (or shouldn't) provide pass/fail guidelines as they haven't been standardized to accurately provide that information to you.  They are informal tools.  They can provide you with knowledge about a student's speech and language skills which you must interpret using your professional expertise.  Informal screening tools should not be used to determine whether a child has a delay or disability.   These informal tools should be used to add to the information you have about this child (through observations, teacher report, and/or standardized screening tools) in order to make a professional decision regarding the need for an actual speech and language evaluation.

What do you use to screen speech and language skills?  Share what you use in a comment below -- I love learning what you are doing.  If you are classroom teacher reading this post, I'd love to know your thoughts on using one of my screening tools to determine if you should refer that student to your school's Speech Therapist.

If you want more fabulous ideas on speech and language screening tools, click on the links below to visit my amazing friends and fellow bloggers.

An InLinkz Link-up