Discussion of Issues Related to Assessing Signed or Spoken Language in Children with Developmental Language Disorder

Abstract

Issues regarding assessment of the deaf and hard-of-hearing (D/HH) child with developmental language disorder (DLD) have implications for the assessment of the child with DLD who is not D/HH. Of note are suggestions regarding literacy, the potential for semantic fluency assessment to contribute to the identification of DLD, the use of standardized protocols to support assessment at the conversational level, and the necessary skills of those completing assessments. Similarly, issues in assessment and identification of children with DLD who are not D/HH have implications for practice with children who are D/HH. These include the shift from exclusionary approaches to identification and recognition of co-occurring conditions, addressing the impact of development over time and considering the contribution of dynamic assessment. This chapter is a joint discussion of key items related to the assessment of deaf and hearing children with a developmental language disorder that were presented in Chapters 5.1 and 5.2.