Linguistic bias can be bias towards speakers of other languages or dialects, or towards bilingual speakers and results in inaccurate assessment of children from linguistic backgrounds other than Standard American English.
A standard deviation (SD) is a quantity derived from the distribution of scores from a normative sample and can be defined as the average distance (or deviation) from the mean.
A variety of assessment materials and procedures, including both static and dynamic assessments and language samples, are frequently used in speech and language as well as psychoeducational evaluations.
The terms normative sample and standardization sample refer to the same concept and are often used interchangeably. A norm referenced test uses a normative or standardization sample from the general population to determine what is “typical” or “normal” in that population.
Validity refers to the degree to which an item is measuring what it’s actually supposed to be measuring.
The parent/primary caregiver interview is a necessary part of any quality evaluation and can be used to gain information used in several parts of the evaluation.
Even though standardized test scores should not be used to determine or diagnose disability, quantification is required to demonstrate that a child should receive services. It is the evaluator’s job to use his or her clinical judgement to determine percentage of delay if it exists.
Clinical judgment is the knowledge an evaluator develops over years of practice and ongoing education about typical language development and second language acquisition in a certain community.
Language sampling is an essential part of any speech and language evaluation and research has shown it to be less biased against culturally and linguistically diverse children than standardized tests.
Bias towards individuals with disabilities, such as ADHD or cerebral palsy, can result in the mislabeling of these individuals as being language impaired or intellectually disabled.
