Evaluation of methods used to assess language development of 3–4-year-old Danish children

Abstract

This paper targets assessment instruments used by speech-language therapists in Denmark for monolingual 3–4-year-old children. The paper is based on two studies. In the first study 29 assessment instruments were compared with respect to language constructs that were covered by the instruments. In the second study 26 assessment instruments were evaluated based on international guide-lines. The main finding from the first study revealed a lack of appropriate assessment instruments targeting relevant language constructs in assessment instruments for this age-group. The most important result from the second study revealed a massive lack of information and documentation, which probably in many cases points to a lack of use of established, scientific principles.

• Assessment instruments
• language constructs
• speech-language therapists
• validity