Explain why the classroom teacher should understand the implications of a language evaluation. Describe the current trend for the responsibility of diagnosing problems and designing intervention programs to improve a student's language skills. Include a description of the teacher's role in the assessment process

Question

What will be an ideal response?

Answer 1

Classroom teachers should understand the implications of a language evaluation because language pervades the curriculum. In the past, speech and language assessments were viewed as separate from the curriculum and the sole responsibility of the speech and language pathologist. However, this trend is changing, with emphasis being placed on the teacher and the speech and language specialist sharing the responsibility for diagnosing problems and designing intervention programs to improve a student's receptive and expressive language skills. After becoming familiar with the basic principles of language development, the teacher undoubtedly will identify numerous youngsters who exhibit language problems in the classroom and would benefit from systematic assessment and instruction in the use of spoken language.

Language development assessment is an evaluation of the student's receptive and expressive language skills. The components assessed include phonology, morphology, syntax, semantics, and pragmatics. The teacher can assess all of these components or decide to assess only one or two specific components. An experienced examiner obtains information or observes the student before deciding what to assess. The information gathered can include various observations (e.g., the student is difficult to understand, the student has difficulty understanding what others say, the student uses short sentences, the student uses few words, or the student cannot start and maintain a discussion topic).

The student who is difficult for others to understand, but who understands what others say and uses many words and long sentences, may have problems in phonology. Thus, assessment should begin in this area. The student who uses only a few words needs to be assessed in semantics, and the student who uses short sentences needs assessment in semantic relationships and syntax.