There are many types of tests speech language pathologists (SLPs) use for diagnosing and assessing clients. Case history, informal and formal assessments, and conversation samples are some examples of the numerous factors that are critical when diagnosing a client as impaired, delayed, or typical. Norm-referenced standardized tests are one of the more reliable measures of assessment because the results are objective and can determine whether a client is performing within normal limits. Many conclusions can be made from the scores on standardized tests, one of them is age-equivalent scores. Age equivalent scores signify the mean or median score as a result of a normative sample for a certain age group. In general, age-equivalent scores are used …show more content…
to aid in explaining the results of a standardized test to caregivers and teachers. There is criticism that correlates with age-equivalent scores because the evidence does little to support that they can determine anything about a client’s diagnosis other than personal growth. The article reports several limitations associated with using age-equivalent scores that describe why SLPs should not use age-equivalent scores when decided if a client is impaired or not. The first limitation stated in the article is the impossibility to compare standard scores and percentile ranks with age-equivalent scores for those who scored within average parameters. Age-equivalent scores do not take into account the range of typical performance. A client that scored within normal limits may obtain an age-equivalent score well below his/her age chronological age because age-equivalent scores do not include scores within the normal performance range. Age-equivalent scores also compare individuals to a specific average aged child, when the term “average” describes a range of skill sets for a certain age group. Another restriction associated with age-equivalent scores is the lack of data the scores say about the client’s performance on a particular test.
For example, two children of different ages could have the same age-equivalent score but it would be incorrect to say that both children performed at the same level. The way each child determined their answers on the test could be extremely different. All an age-equivalent score would do, is prove that both children answered the same amount of questions correctly.
One of the most prominent limitations of age-equivalent scores are the way they are calculated. Age-equivalent scores are essentially estimated or predicted by a group of children that fall within a certain age range that are in the normative sample. Age-equivalent scores are then paired with mean raw scores from a specific age group of children. In result, the age-equivalent scores being used embody a group of individuals that were not tested.
Age-equivalent scored also do not represent children who scored extremely high and extremely low on the given test. Age-equivalent scores are not estimated for the extreme scores at either end of the spectrum. Children that fall within these ranges are given a generalized age-equivalent score of below the lowest age derived or above the highest age. This results in inadequate information for all individuals that scores are reflected on these parts of the
spectrum. When SLPs use age-equivalent scores other than for personal growth of the client, the results can be misleading especially to caregivers. Because of this, SLPs should not rely on age-equivalent scores when reporting standardized scores. If an SLP does intend on using age-equivalent scores when reporting scores, he or she must be certain that the individual receiving the information understands how age-equivalent scores should be interpreted.
Grade-based normative information was obtained for Fall and Spring administrations, with interpolated performance for Winter norms, allowing for more precise measurement. Each score is a standard score with a mean of 100 and standard deviation of 15. Qualitative descriptors for examinee performance may be based on a 10-point or a 15-point classification system, allowing the user to match descriptors across cognitive and other achievement measures. Additional age and grade equivalents, percentile ranks, normal curve equivalents, growth scale values, and stanines may also be
Norm-referenced standardized tests (NRST) used for different administration over the decades. The NRST classifies individuals. It highlights achievements differences between and among students to develop reliable scores. In school systems NRSTs helps identified students for remedial programs. The U.S. Congress, Office of Technology Assessment (1992), establish a standardized test as one that uses (NAGC - ED Norm- and Criterion-Referenced Testing. (n.d.) (Retrieved from http://www.nagc.org/index.aspx?id=314). Similar procedures for application and scoring in order to ensure that results from different people are comparable (Bond, 2010). NRST compares the performance of students with other students from large groups. Using a standardized test like the NRST will grade students in order from high to low achievers. A valid population must be from the widest range of the student population. Accordingly, the assessment must also report the status of student achievement “broken down by gender, ethnicity, disability, economic disadvantage, English proficiency, and...
The article draws attention to the limitations of age-equivalent (AE) scores in reporting the result of norm-referenced tests. Using a group study and the Peabody Picture Vocabulary test-III (PPVT-III), Emily Maloney and Linda Larrivee have built a strong argument against the use of AE scores. They provide ample information about the limitations of AE scores, as well as results that speech-language pathologists should not continue to use age-equivalence scores in reporting results of norm-referenced testing.
This assessment is an individually administered test for children ages 5 through 21 years of age. The CELF-4 is composed of Raw Scores, Standard Scores, Percentile Ranks, and Age Equivalence. The following is a brief description of what these ranks and scores indicate: Raw Scores: The raw scores is the amount of questions answered correctly by the examinee. Standard Scores: The standard score is a method of standardizing each score with reference to the rest of the scores. It tells the examiner how many standard deviations the raw score is away from the mean. The mean represents the average performance of the examinee for a particular assessment. The standard score is helpful because it tells the examiner how different an individual’s score is compared to the average. Percentile Ranks: A percentile rank is another expression of an individuals standing in comparison to the normal distribution. The percentile rank tells the percentage of people scoring at or below a particular score. Age Equivalence: Age equivalence is a comparison of the examinees performance compared to age groups whose average scores are in the same range in a particular
These individuals would evaluate and determine if there is aphasia present and, if so, determine what type of aphasia it is by one’s symptoms. Three tests that can be done as an assessment to test to diagnose aphasia is formal testing, screening and instrumentation. During the process of screening, one is usually checked for their overall performance and then referred to another professional for additional testing and assessments if there appears to be something wrong. The upside of screening is that they are usually inexpensive. Formal testing is used to determine how severe, how present, and what type of aphasia one has. This can be done using assessments such as the Western Aphasia Battery. The aphasia battery test takes around 1.5 hours to complete the full assessment to test for reading, writing, construction and praxis levels, and helps determine the location of the lesion causing aphasia. Instrumentation that is used is usually online instrumentation. This instrumentation is applied in the assessment when measuring one’s communication such as repeating words they see or naming pictures they see as well. Overall, the assessment of aphasia is examining an individual’s auditory comprehension along with their skills pertaining to reading, naming, and
Myers, C.L., Bour, J.L., Sidebottom, K.J., Murphy, S.B., and Hakman, M. (2010). Same constructs, different results: Examining the consistency of two behaviors-rating scales with referred preschoolers. Psychology in the Schools,47, 205-216.
Build on learners' prior knowledge; (4.) Provide constant review; (5.) Simplify language; (6.) Build other skills while developing English. The use of standardized testing to identify and assess the progress of English language learners with special needs is problematic. Normally designed for native English speakers, many assessment instruments do not reliably assess speakers of other languages because they ignore differences among linguistic and cultural groups (Schwarz & Burt, 1995). Assessment of English language learners with special needs should...
Achievement tests are retrospective in their purpose. That is, they are designed to evaluate development in knowledge and skills obtained in the relatively recent past (Murphy & Davidshofer,
The older person that I interviewed was my great-grandfather, Kay Wilson. He is eighty-three years old and is currently retired, living at home. Wilson was born on February 27, 1934 and raised in Sylacauga, AL by his mother. His father was not active in his life, but his grandparents were his main caretakers growing up.
When evaluating Suzy for the first time, the Speech Language Pathologist could utilize several screening tools to address the possible need for further exploration. As Calis et al. (2008) explained in their article regarding screenings, the Dysphagia Disorders Survey (DDS) and the Schedule for Oral-Motor Assessment (SOMA) are both a quick check, which can be completed in a naturalistic environment and are non-invasive screening tools. It is also extremely important to
Standardized testing is a deeply flawed system. The American government continues to throw money at a program that has little or no hope of achieving the goals it set at its inception. The important message is that no test is valid for all purposes and “high stakes” decisions should not be made on the basis of a single test score. Test scores provide only a small picture of student achievement or potential (APA 2014).
The Infant and Toddler Rating Scale is just one of the four scales that share the same format and use a scoring system. All the scales have different requirements because they assess different age groups and different settings. These tests are checking on the organization of space, interactions, activities, schedules and provisions of staff and parents. This scale is specifically setup for children from birth to 30 months of age; this group is most vulnerable physically, emotionally and mentally. This scale assesses the environment for the children’s health and safety, appropriate stimulation through language and activities with warm interactions.
Popham, W. James. “Standardized Achievement Tests: Misnamed and Misleading.” Education Week. September 2001. Web. 28 June 2015.
It’s interesting to know that clinics like the one I volunteer for are approved by the Department of Education and can provide additional services to children who need them. I have been told by quite a few people that in the past, speech-language pathologists had to know a little bit of everything, and while that still holds true today, specialized speech-language pathologists are becoming more of the norm. The American Speech-Language-Hearing Association offers SLPs the opportunity to receive their Clinical Specialty Certification, which is a step beyond the Certificate of Clinical Competence. These areas include Child Language and Language Disorders, Fluency and Fluency Disorders, Swallowing and Swallowing Disorders, and Intraoperative Monitoring; Auditory Verbal Therapy (AVT), what the SLP that worked with Student A was certified in, is governed by the Alexander Graham Bell Academy for Listening and Spoken Language. As a future speech-language pathologist, I will be able to refer a child whose speech and language issues go beyond hearing loss to the appropriate SLP and work collaboratively with him/her; educators will be able to advocate for their
Solley, B. A. (2012). On Standardized Testing: An ACEI Position Paper. Childhood Education, 84(1), 31-37. Retrieved December 3, 2012, from http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/00094056.2007.10522967