So there is this odd thing that happens once in a while when you are using SALT: a measure comes back with a seemingly nonsensical standard deviation (SD) value. We’ve seen them come in as low as 21 SDs below the mean. And it’s not [...]
My dog Elton, who puts the famous Marley to shame, is a frequent source of my embarrassment. His naughty acts are regularly followed by my apologies (and often payment) to whomever is the recipient of his deed. Because of Elton's bad manners, I often find [...]
As school-based SLPs head back to school this fall, we no doubt will be thinking about impending IEPs. All of those before and after school meetings are an essential part of our job. Most IEP meetings go off without a hitch and we walk away [...]
Hopefully you already know that language sample analysis can be used to analyze the speech and language of special populations, such as clients with Down syndrome (DS). But you might be wondering just exactly how well it works and how valid the SALT analysis can [...]
You mean, I can’t just record the language sample right into SALT? When talking with people new to SALT I frequently hear, “Oh, I have to transcribe the sample? Can’t I just record into SALT?” There is typically a look of disappointment when I reply [...]
Is LSA using SALT a standardized assessment? No. But we think you should be taking language samples anyway. We frequently hear from SLPs that they can’t - or don’t - use LSA because it’s not standardized. We recognize that standardized tests are a necessary part [...]
Why don’t you use language sample analysis in your practice? “It takes too much time.” “The results are difficult to interpret.” “It’s just hard to learn how to do it.” “The whole process is too difficult.” Sound familiar? I promise you, it’s not as [...]
According to ASHA, evidence-based practice (EBP) in speech and language proceeds in a four-step process: Step 1: Framing the Clinical Question Step 2: Finding the Evidence Step 3: Assessing the Evidence Step 4: Making the Clinical Decision The examples ASHA provides to illustrate this four-step [...]
You didn’t get a degree in Speech-Language Pathology without at least hearing about language sample analysis (LSA). For those of us who had to learn to analyze a language sample by hand, I feel your pain. In another post, I share why I believe the [...]
Another evaluation! Starting an evaluation can be a daunting task. You may have a vague idea of the language deficits of the student being referred; for example, you may have been told that the student offers minimal information during classroom discussions. He or she may [...]
