This set of short stories was created to evaluate children’s understanding of spoken stories. There are three versions of each, for three different age groups (ages 5 and up).
Downloadable pdf: SLAM Understanding Spoken Stories
These stories were created by Cate Crowley and Miriam Baigorri as a prompt for evaluating receptive and expressive language. Both stories have three versions, appropriate for different age groups. You can find the stories and accompanying questions below or download them as pdf in the link above.
Crowley & Baigorri SLAM. School Age Language Assessment Measures
Understanding Spoken Stories Receptive and Expressive Language
SNOW DAY
(Do not grade the student on boredom)
5-7 years
Danny was sitting in class looking out the window. The skies were grey and it looked freezing cold out. Then snowflakes started falling. At first there were just a few but in a few minutes all Danny could see was falling snowflakes. Just then the teacher told the class that this was going to be a big storm and tomorrow would be a snow day. Everyone started clapping and laughing and high fiving each other!
- What did the sky look like when Danny looked out the window?
- What did the teacher tell the students?
- How do you think the teacher found out that there was going to be a big storm?
- Why did the students start clapping and laughing and high fiving each other?
8-10 years
Danny’s teacher was reading a book to the class but Danny wasn’t interested. He was looking out the window and thinking about the weather. In the morning Danny walked to school under a blue sky with a bright sun. But now the skies were grey and it looked cold out. All of a sudden Danny saw a few snow flakes falling from the sky. At first there were just a few but in a few minutes the sky was full of snowflakes and that was all Danny could see. Just then the teacher announced that this was going to be a big storm and tomorrow would be a snow day. Everyone started clapping and laughing and high fiving each other!
- What was the teacher doing with the class when Danny was looking out the window?
- What was the weather like in the morning on the way to school?
- What did Danny see when he looked out the window?
- Were there a lot of snowflakes or just a few?
- What did the teacher tell the students?
- How do you think the teacher found out that there was going to be a big storm?
- Why did the students start clapping and laughing and high fiving each other?
11 years and above
Daniel was sitting in class waiting for the final bell so he could go home. Today had not been a good day. They had testing all morning and then it was too cold to go outside to run around at lunch time. But just before the end of the day, his luck changed. His teacher said, “I have an important announcement. The weather report says there is a snow storm coming tonight, they say it might be a blizzard. If it turns into a blizzard we might have a Snow Day tomorrow.” This made the kids so happy, they were high fiving each other and yelling “Snow Day!” Even the teacher had a big smile on her face. The only student who just sat there with a puzzled look on his face was Daniel’s new friend, Mateo, who had just moved to New York from sunny Florida. Daniel went over to Mateo to tell him the good news.
- Why had today not been a good day for Daniel?
- Why was the teacher happy that there might be a Snow Day the next day?
- How did the teacher find out there was a snow storm coming?
- How did the students find out there was a snow storm coming?
- What is a “blizzard”?
- Why did Mateo have a puzzled look on his face when the other students were celebrating?
- What was Daniel going to tell Mateo?
PROBLEMS AT BURGER KING
(Do not grade the student on boredom)
5-7 years
Everyone was coming for dinner to celebrate Matthew’s 10th birthday. Matthew wanted Burger King for dinner. Sofie and her big sister were chosen to pick up the food. When they got to the Burger King they had to wait a long time because it was really busy. Finally they ordered the food, but when it was time to pay, Sofie and her sister realized they did not have the money. They must have left it on the kitchen table!
- Why was everyone coming to dinner?
- Whose birthday was it?
- Why did they have to wait at Burger King?
- Where was the money they were supposed to use to pay for the food?
- What do you think Sofie was going to do now that she didn’t have the money?
8-10 years
Everyone was coming for dinner to celebrate Matthew’s 10th birthday. They were having Burger King for the birthday and Sofie and her big sister were chosen to get the the food. There were 10 people coming and everyone was getting double cheeseburgers. Sofie was also supposed to get six large orders of french fries and lots of extra ketchup. They didn’t need to buy any drinks because their Aunt Rosie, who was coming to the party, was bringing all the drinks. When it was time to order, Sofie and her sister remembered the order but when it was time to pay, they did not have the money. They must have left it on the kitchen table!
- Why was everyone coming to dinner?
- Whose birthday was it?
- How many people were coming to dinner?
- What were Sofie and her big sister supposed to buy at Burger King?
- Why didn’t they need to buy drinks at Burger King?
- Where was the money they were supposed to use to pay for the food?
- What do you think Sofie was going to do now that she didn’t have the money?
11 and above
Everyone was coming for dinner to celebrate Matthew’s 10th birthday. They were having Burger King for the birthday and Sofie and her big sister were chosen to get the the food. There were 10 people coming and everyone was getting double cheeseburgers. Sofie was also supposed to get six large orders of french fries and lots of extra ketchup. They didn’t need to buy any drinks because their Aunt Rosie, who was coming to the party, was bringing all the drinks. Once Sofie got to the Burger King she saw that it was really busy. The line to order there was almost to the front door. Sofie texted her mom to tell her that so she would not worry. Finally it was her turn to order. She remembered everyone’s order. But when it was time to pay, she did not have the money. She realized she must have left it on the kitchen table!
- Why was everyone coming to dinner?
- Whose birthday was it?
- How many people were coming to dinner?
- What were Sofie and her big sister supposed to buy at Burger King?
- Why didn’t they need to buy drinks at Burger King?
- When they got to Burger King, why did Sofie text her mom?
- Where was the money they were supposed to use to pay for the food?
- What do you think Sofie was going to do now that she didn’t have the money?
