Author Description

First published in 2001.This book constitutes a clear, comprehensive, up-to-date introduction to the basic principles of psychological and educational assessment that underlie effective clinical decisions about childhood language disorders. Rebecca McCauley describes specific commonly used tools as well as general approaches ranging from traditional standardized norm­ referenced testing to more recent ones such as dynamic and culturally valid assessment. Highlighting special considerations in testing and expected patterns of performance, she reviews the challenges presented by children with a variety of problems-specific language impairment, hearing loss, mental retardation, and autism spectrum disorders. Three extended case examples illustrate her discussion of each of these target groups. Her overarching theme is the crucial role of well-formed questions as fundamental guides to decision making, independent of approach. Each chapter features lists of key concepts and terms, study questions, and recommended readings. Tables throughout offer succinct summaries and aids to memory. Students, their instructors, and speech-language pathologists continuing their professional education will all welcome this invaluable new resource. Special features include: a comprehensive consideration of both psychometric and descriptive approaches to the characterization of children's language; a detailed discussion of background issues important in the language assessment of four groups of children with language impairment; timely information on assessment of change-a topic frequently not covered in other texts; extensive guidance on how to evaluate individual norm-referenced measures for adoption; an extensive appendix listing about SO measures used to assess language in children, and a test review guide that can be reproduced for use by readers.