The CELF Clinical Evaluation of Language Fundamentals (CELF) is an assessment designed to evaluate language skills. Those skills include phonology, morphology, syntax, and semantics, as well as pragmatic abilities (also known as social language). To administer the test, a trained assessor should follow all instructions in the CELF manual. This includes gathering background information about the individual who is being tested, setting up the testing environment, introducing oneself to the individual and explaining the purpose of the evaluation, and administering the subtests. After scoring and interpreting the results, it is important to provide feedback to any clinicians involved in the evaluation process.
I administer the CELF at least once a week (the CELF4 in Spanish) and I’ve learned a few things. I wanted to share my tips and tricks with you, which I do in the above video.
Choosing Which Language Assessment
When determining which receptive and expressive language assessments to use, there are several factors to consider. The age and stage of development of the individual, any existing communication deficits, and relevant medical history are important variables. It’s important to select the most appropriate assessment for the individual’s needs. Additionally, it is important for the speech-language pathologist to ensure that the assessments chosen provide an accurate evaluation of language comprehension and expression, as well as meaningful data to inform the intervention plan.
5 Ways to Choose the Right Receptive and Expressive Language Test
- Referral Details – What did the referral note as the primary concerns or the “chief complaint?” Refer back to the referral for that information and then select the appropriate assessment
- Age of the Client – Consider the client’s age and which assessment is the best for that age
- Cognitive Status – How well can they pay attention? Can they follow directions to complete an assessment?
- Whole Test or Subtest(s) Only – Maybe you don’t have to give the entire test, but instead just a couple subtests that relate to the primary concerns of the referring party.
- Visual Support – I love various different assessments, but they don’t have good visual support. That makes it hard for me to use them with students who perform better with visual support.
Speech and Language Evaluation: The Process
Speech-language pathologists (SLPs) administer language assessments to evaluate the patient’s expressive and receptive language skills. The evaluation typically includes assessing the patient’s vocabulary, grammar, word finding ability, problem solving capabilities, auditory memory, and other related aspects of communication. In addition, speech-language pathologists may use standardized language assessments to compare a patient’s language performance against that of their peers. Depending on the results of these evaluations, a speech-language pathologist may recommend therapy. SLPs may even recommend further testing, a referral, or no intervention at all. Many evaluations show age-appropriate language skills
SLPs use language assessment evaluations to diagnose communication disorders and inform treatment plans. These evaluations are typically conducted in a series of steps, beginning with patient history and interview questions, progressing to observation and testing, and culminating in evaluation and diagnosis. Speech-language pathologists may also evaluate the impact of a disorder on a patient’s daily life and suggest strategies to help patients cope. Through these evaluations, speech-language pathologists provide invaluable information and guidance to both patients and their families.