How do you test an untestable student's language skills? Ideas for what to assess, why to assess and how to assess

1. More Than A Score
Language and Communication Assessment in
Minimally Verbal and Pre-Verbal Students
Vicki Clarke, MS CCC-SLP

2. Let’s Get Connected!
gosslpfall18

3. Minimally Verbal
a definition:
small number of words or learned phrases
words are used in limited contexts
may limit words to specific functions (ex: requesting)
low rate of spoken language
may include scripted, trained phrases (“I want …”)
may include non-functional echolalia speech.

4. Forms of Assessment
Testing Watching Listening

5. Standardized Testing Limitations
Kasari, C., Brady, N., Lord, C. and Tager-Flusberg, H. 2013. Assessing the Minimally Verbal School-Aged Child With Autism
“Less Than 55” Phenomena
Unfamiliar Environment
Lack of Access to AAC
Lack of Appropriate Peers for Comparison
Autism Specific Challenges

6. The Value of Standardized Tests
•
Justify professional time & money for
services
IEPs

7. The Value of Standardized Tests- Guide Treatment
Comparison of Aided and Spoken Language Skills & Comprehension

8. Language Concepts to Consider
Noun Categorization
Understanding of Grammatical Organization
Understanding of Question Forms
Single Word Vocabulary Understanding
Single Word Expression: Aided and Unaided
Progress in Single Word Expression

9. Vocabulary Evaluation Instruments

10. Comprehensive Language Evaluations
Not for Age Equivalencies
or Standard Scores!
Specific Skills Assessment &
Comparison of Results Over
Time

11. Modifications to Standardized Test Administration
Get Everyone Comfortable
Allow All Forms of Communication
• Provide sufficient wait time to allow for response latency

12. Reporting Standardized Test Results
Use Raw Scores to show growth over time
Use Subtests/Test Items to Inform Need for Further Info
Avoid Age Equivalencies
Report Standard Scores Cautiously
• Document Testing Accommodations Carefully When Reporting

13. Don’t Forget!
Consider related developmental assessments
Gather Medical History
Assess Speech & Sound Production

14. Speech, Language and….
Speech
Blah blah
blahdeeblah
Language

15. …Expressive Communication
“Communication is a range of purposeful behavior
which is used with intent
to transmit information, observations, or internal states,
within the structure of social exchanges,
or to bring about changes in the immediate environment.”changes in the immediate environment
purposeful
intent
social exchanges
transmit information
Susan Stokes: “Developing Expressive Communication Skills for Non-verbal Children With Autism” under a contract with CESA 7
and funded by a discretionary grant from the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction. “
accessed at https://www.cesa7.org/sped/autism/nonverbal/non11.htm June 7 2017

16. Expressive Communication
changes in the immediate environment
purposeful
intent
social exchanges
transmit information

17. How Do We Communicate?
Purposeful Behavior
Pre-Intentional Behavior:
facial expression
vocalization
eye gaze
motor movements

18. Pre-Intentional Communication
facial expression & orientation

19. How Do We Communicate?
Purposeful Behavior
Intentional Behavior:
gestures to draw attention
gestures to convey meaning
symbolic gestures
conventional gestures
distinct & differentiated vocalization

20. Intentional Gestures
Reject Commenting & Requesting

21. Intentional Gestures: Requesting
Requesting Action using vocalizations,
pointing and pushing to indicate

22. Your Turn
Make a quick video
showing an intentional
behavior you use to
convey a message that
everyone should
recognize!
Intentional Behavior
IDEAS---> gestures to draw attention, convey meaning, symbolic (point to mouth
when hungry), conventional gestures ("come here," "yes"), distinct vocalization
(laugh, sigh, whimper)
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23. How Do We Communicate?
Purposeful Behavior
Symbolic Communication
Representative Objects
Picture Symbols
ASL
Spoken/Written Words

24. Symbolic Communication
Object Symbols on Voice Output Device
Pointing to Symbols

25. Symbolic Communication: AAC Device
Spelling with Voice Output
Talking with Symbols

26. Expressive Communication
changes in the immediate environment
purposeful
intent
social exchanges
transmit information

27. Intent
“expressive communication is a
function of the child’s intent.”
Burkhart & Porter, 2010

28. Key Concept
NO true expressive
communication
occurs without the
child intending to do
something

29. How Do We Know They Mean It?
performs behavior only when others are present
individual directs the behavior toward another person
individual waits for a response from his behavior and
then stops when responded to
individual persists or tries another way if not responded to
individual reacts if she’s given something different than
what she requests
Rowland, Charity 2013

30. How Do We Teach Intent?
Motivation Provides Intent -
without motivation, intent is external and
requires more cognitive effort to perform
Linda Burkhart

31. Every Move Counts, Clicks and Chats
Sensory Assessment Materials

32. Every Move Counts, Clicks and Chats
Early Developing PreIntentional Responses to Sensory Input:
assess response to
visual, auditory, proprioceptive, gustatory, vestibular and tactile informatio
Sensory Assessment
visual,
auditory,
proprioceptive,
gustatory,
vestibular
tactile information

33. Every Move Counts, Clicks and Chats
Early Developing PreIntentional Responses to Sensory Input:
assess response to
visual, auditory, proprioceptive, gustatory, vestibular and tactile informatio
Sensory Assessment

34. Every Move Counts, Clicks and Chats
Early Developing PreIntentional Responses to Sensory Input:
assess response to
visual, auditory, proprioceptive, gustatory, vestibular and tactile informatio
Summary of Sensory Responses

35. Expressive Communication
changes in the immediate environment
purposeful
intent
social exchanges
transmit information

36. Social Context for Communication
One of the primary functions of communication is to
establish and maintain social relationships but even
more significant than that is the fact that ALL
communication involves a social exchange.
Regardless of the purpose of the interaction there
must be at least 2 people involved or it isn’t
communication. We can perform many acts that
look communicative but aren’t because there are no
other people involved.

37. Social Context for Communication
YouTuber Liza Koshy
Accessed 7/5/2017 at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8IavLKa3dy0

38. Key Concept
Communication is
SOCIAL. There must
be at least 2 people
involved or it’s not
communication.

39. Social Interaction
Request Social Routine
Solicit Attention
Affirm
Greet
Acknowledge
Request Permission

40. Expressive Communication
changes in the immediate environment
purposeful
intent
social exchanges
transmit information

41. Transmit Information
Relay Information
Request Information
Comment

42. Transmit Information
Relay Information
Request Information Comment

43. Expressive Communication
changes in the immediate environment
purposeful
intent
social exchanges
transmit information

44. Why Do We Communicate?
Or to Control the Environment

45. Behavioral Regulation
Obtain
Request Object
Request Action
Refuse
Protest
Deny
Reject

46. Tools for Assessing Early Language
Communication Matrix
Communication Sampling & Analysis
Every Move Counts-3: Communication Assessment

47. Every Move Counts, Clicks and Chats
Communication Assessment

48. Communication Matrix
www.communicationmatrix.org

49. Communication Matrix

50. Communication Matrix

51. Communication Matrix

52. Communication Matrix

53. Communication Matrix

54. Communication Matrix

55. Communication Matrix

56. Communication Matrix

57. Communication Matrix

58. Communication Sampling & Analysis

59. Communication Sampling & Analysis

60. Goal Setting
More Communication Functions
MoreAbstractLanguageForms

61. Goal Setting

62. Your Turn!

63. Coding
csa.acts-at.com

64. csa.acts-at.com

65. Thank You!
Please feel free to connect with me!
Vicki Clarke
www.mydynamictherapy.com
vicki@mydynamictherapy.com
Facebook: Dynamic Therapy Associates, Inc
Twitter/Instagram: AACchicks