Description of the Peabody Picture Vocabulary Assessment, Third Edition

1. Daniel Marx, Betty Kiesling, and Daphne
Francois

2.  Author: Lloyd M. Dunn, Leota M. Dunn, and
Douglas M. Dunn, in collaboration with Kathleen
T. Williams
 Publisher: American Guidance Services, Inc.
 Address of Publisher:
4201 Woodland Road
Circle Pines, MN 55014-1796
 Phone Number of Publisher: 1-800-328-2560

3. Purpose of Test: The test is
designed to measure verbal
and receptive language and
ability in Standard American
English.

4. • The PPVT-III • A vocabulary test
standardized used to assess
vocabulary skills,
• individually- single word lexical
administered knowledge and
• un-timed receptive language
• norm-referenced skills in children and
adults from 2.5 years
• wide-range of age to 90+ years
old.

5.  Thetest materials consist of the PPVT-III
Record Booklets A and B, examiner’s manual,
norms booklet, grade-based norms booklet,
technical manual, PPVT-III form B and form
A, PPVT-III-A easel and PPVT-III-B easel

6.  Type of Test: Standardized; norm-referenced
 Administration Time: 11-15 minutes (12 minutes
preferred) for individual administration
 Type of Administration: Individual
 Who Administers This Test: Psychologist, special
educators, speech and language therapists,
general education teacher
 Age/Grade Levels: Ages 2.5-90+

7. SubtestInformation:
There are no subtests for
the PPVT-III

8.  Scoring Information: Scores are presented
in the following manners:
 Age levels
 Standard scores-range- 40-160
 converted from raw scores and are based on the
examinee’s chronological age in years and
months.
 To convert a raw score to a standard score, use
Table 1 in the Norms Booklet
 Locate the examinees raw score in the table then
scroll across to see corresponding equivalent
standard score. Then transfer the score to the
correct indicated space on the Performance
Record.

9.  PercentileRank-converted from the standard
scores using Table 2 in the Norms Booklet
 Thefirst column lists standard score. To
obtain the percentile rank that corresponds
with the standard score, read across the next
three columns to find the appropriate score.
 Recordthis value in the designated space in
the Record of Scores box on the front page of
the Performance Record.
 Normal Curve Equivalent – Follow the same
steps as for percentile rank.

10.  The age equivalent is converted from the
raw score using Table 3 in the Norms Booklet
for Form IIIA and Table 4 for Form IIIB.
Locate the examinee’s raw score in the left
column and then read across to the next
column, which will give the age equivalent
for that raw score in years and months.
Record this value in the appropriate space in
the Record Scores box on the front of the
Performance Record

11.  Stanine– Use the same procedure as for the
percentile rank and normal curve equivalent
 Deviation-typenorm – Used to verify that the
percentile rank, normal curve equivalent,
and stanine are approximately correct.

12.  Strengths of the PPVT-III
 Untimed if needed.
 Used with children and adults with physical
and speech/language impairments
 Non-verbal responses are acceptable
 Easy to administer and score
 Testing instructions are easy to follow
 Strong reliability and validity

13.  Weaknesses of the PPVT-III
 Not recommended to be used with children
and adults from low socio-economic statuses
 Construct validity still under investigation
 Results are not valid for examinees who are
English language learners and examinees
with severe visual impairments

14.  Receptive Vocabulary- The body of words that a person
recognizes and understands well enough to comprehend them
when read or heard. Also known as the listening vocabulary, it
contains the productive, or expressive vocabulary.
 Receptive Language Disorder - Receptive language disorder is a
type of learning disability affecting the ability to understand
spoken, and sometimes written, language. Students with
receptive language disorders often have difficulty with speech
and organizing their thoughts, which creates problems in
communicating verbally with others and in organizing their
thoughts on paper.

15.  Lexical-  Lexicalwords-
1. Of or relating nouns referring to
to the vocabulary, things
words, or
morphemes of a
language.
2. Of or relating
to lexicography or
a lexicon.

16.  Linguistics-The study of the nature,
structure, and variation of language,
including phonetics, phonology, morphology,
syntax, semantics, sociolinguistics, and
pragmatics.
 Pragmatics- The branch of semiotics that
deals with the relationship between signs,
especially words and other elements of
language, and their users.

17.  Expressive Vocabulary- The words whose
meanings are known well enough to an
individual that he or she would feel
comfortable using them while writing or
speaking. A person's expressive vocabulary is
generally smaller than the receptive, or
listening vocabulary, which includes words
whose meanings may be only partially
understood.

18.  OralLanguage- Spoken aspect of language
that can be heard, interpreted, and
understood (Note: Do not confuse with the
behavioral concept of "Speech
Communication").

19.  It is estimated that  Not seeming to listen when
between three and five they are spoken to;
percent of children have a  Lack of interest when story
receptive or expressive books are read to them;
language disorder, or a  Inability to understand
mixture of both, and complicated sentences;
there is no standard set of  Inability to follow verbal
symptoms that indicates instructions;
receptive language  Parroting words or phrases
disorder, since it varies (echolalia);
from one child to the
next. However, symptoms
may include:

20.  Language skills below the expected level for
their age;
 Sometimes, inability too understand written
language
 Difficulty with the speech
 Inability to organize their thoughts which creates
problems in communicating verbally with others;
 Difficulty organizing their thoughts on paper;
 May present difficulty understanding spoken
language

21.  Dunn, L.M., Dunn, L.M., & Dunn, D.M. (1997). Peabody
Picture Vocabulary Test, Third, Edition. MN: American
Guidance Service, Inc.
 Schwartz , T. (2006). Glossary of education. Retrieved
from http://www.education.com/definition/receptive-
vocabulary
 State Government of Victoria, (2010). Receptive language
disorder. Retrieved from
http://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/bhcv2/bhcarticles.ns
f/pages/receptive_language_disorder