1. Speech and Language Assessment with English Language
Learners By: Kelsey White
2. Why did I choose this project? As a graduate student in
Speech and Language Pathology I have administered many speech and
language assessments but I have never administered an assessment
with someone who spoke any other language than English. As a future
Speech and Language Pathologist it is vital that I become familiar
with assessing English Language Learners, because I will likely be
encountering them through-out my time working in a school.
3. Why did I choose this project cont. By becoming familiar
with the best assessment methods for working with an English
Language Learner student, I will more easily be able to determine
if my student is displaying a language/speech delay, or a
language/speech difference.
4. What have I learned What I have learned is that it is always
best to assess a student in his/her native language and that one
standardized test is not a comprehensive approach to identifying if
an individual has a communication impairment. The best approach to
assessing an ELL student is to combine the use of both a
standardized test (when possible), and dynamic assessment that
emphasizes the learning process. This is so that the clinician
obtains a good picture of the students abilities and deficits. It
is also sometimes necessary that when assessing ELL students in
another language other than our own that a translator be used.
5. What I have learned cont. The
America-Speech-Language-Hearing Association provides a
comprehensive list of all assessments including ones in multiple
languages to be used with students who are ELL.
6. How will I use this information? Through using appropriate
methods for assessing students who are English Language Learners I
will be able to gain the information I need to make an accurate
diagnosis and identify the needs of the students. After identifying
these needs and deficits I will be better equipped to decide the
goals that are the most appropriate for the student. From the
skills learned from this project I will be better informed and more
competent when working with English Language Learners in the
future