Background/Aims: To design and standardize the Preschool Language Test (Teste de Linguagem-Avaliação da Linguagem Pré-Escolar, TL-ALPE) which assesses European Portuguese (EP)-speaking children's receptive and expressive language abilities. Methods: To standardize TL-ALPE, data was collected on 817 EP-speaking children aged 3 years and 0 months to 5 years and 12 months. The standardization, validity and reliability procedures of TL-ALPE followed the standard recommendations. Results: TL-ALPE presented a strong cohesion (internal consistency, >80%) and strong inter- and intrajudge reliability (>90%). The content validity was verified by the description of instrument domain and the items. The construct validity of TL-ALPE was confirmed by the proportional increase in mean score values with age for both receptive and expressive abilities. The results of concurrent validity revealed strong correlations between TL-ALPE and other EP preschool language tests for expressive and total language scores. Conclusion: TL-ALPE is a valid and reliable instrument to assess language skills of EP-speaking preschool children. © 2014 S. Karger AG, Basel

Keywords:
Language, Assessment, Child language
1.
Law J, Boyle J, Harris F, Harkness A, Nye C: Prevalence and natural history of primary speech and language delay: findings from a recent systematic review of the literature. Int J Lang Commun Disord 2000;35:165-188.
2.
Hammer CS, Pennock-Roman M, Rzasa S, Tomblin JB: An analysis of the test of language development - primary for item bias. Am J Speech Lang Pathol 2002;11:274-284.
3.
Plante E, Vance R: Selection of preschool language tests. Lang Speech Hear Serv Sch 1994;25:15-24.
4.
Shipley KG, McAfee JG: Assessment in Speech-Language Pathology: A Resource Manual, ed 4. New York, Delmar Cengage Learning, 2009.
5.
Zimmerman IL, Steiner VG, Pond RE: Preschool Language Scale (PLS-4). San Antonio, Psychological Corporation, 2002.
6.
Newcomer PL, Hammill DD: Test of Language Development: Primary (TOLD-P:4), ed 4. Austin, Pro-Ed, 2008.
7.
Semel E, Wiig E, Secord W: Clinical Evaluation of Language Fundamentals Preschool-2, ed 2. London, Psychological Corporation, 2004.
8.
Sua-Kay E, Tavares MD: TALC: Teste de avaliação da linguagem na criança, ed 5. Lisboa, Oficina Didáctica, 2008.
9.
Friedmann N, Novogrodsky R: Subypes of SLI: SySLI, PhoSLI, LeSLI, and PraSLI; in Gavarró A, João Freitas M (eds): Language Acquisition and Development. Cambridge, Cambridge Scholars Press/CSP, 2008, pp 205-217.
10.
Mendes AP, Afonso E, Lousada M, Andrade F: ALPE - avaliação de linguagem pré-escolar: um projecto em execução. XIV Semana de Fonoaudiologia/III Jornada Mauro Spinelli PUC-SP. São Paulo, 2007.
11.
Lousada M, Mendes AP, Valente AR, Hall A: Standardization of a phonetic-phonological test for European Portuguese children. Folia Phoniatr Logop 2012;64:151-156.
12.
Faul F, Erdfelder E, Lang AG, Buchner A: G*Power 3: a flexible statistical power analysis program for the social, behavioral, and biomedical sciences. Behav Res Methods 2007;39:175-191.
13.
Cunha C, Cintra L: Breve gramática do português contemporâneo, ed 11. Lisboa, Edições João Sá da Costa, 1998.
14.
Instituto Nacional de Estatística: Classificação nacional de profissões. INE, 1994.
15.
Nascimento MF, Marques ML, Cruz ML: Português fundamental, métodos e documentos, tomo 1, inquérito de frequência. Lisboa, Instituto Nacional de Investigação Científica, Centro de Linguística da Universidade de Lisboa, 1987.
16.
Scientific Advisory Committee of the Medical Outcome Trust: Assessing health status and quality-of-life instruments: attributes and review criteria. Qual Life Res 2002;11:193-205.
17.
Lohr KN, Aaronson NK, Alonso J, Burnam MA, Patrick DL, Perrin EB, Roberts JS: Evaluation quality-of-life and health status assessment instruments: development of scientific review criteria. Clin Ther 1996;18:979-992.
18.
Kerlinger FN, Lee HB: Foundations of Behavioral Research, ed 4. Fort Worth, Hartcourt College Publishers, 2000.
19.
Shipley KG, McAfee JG: Assessment in Speech-Language Pathology: A Resource Manual, ed 4. Clifton Park, Delmar Cengage Learning, 2009.
20.
Pring T: Research Methods in Communication Disorders. London, Whurr, 2005.
21.
Bloom L, Lahey M: Language Development and Language Disorders. New York, Wiley & Sons, 1978.
22.
Craig H, Washington J: Oral language expectations for African-American preschoolers and kindergartners. Am J Speech Lang Pathol 2002;11:59-70.
23.
Craig H, Washington J, Thompson C: Oral language expectations for African-American children in grades 1 through 5. Am J Speech Lang Pathol 2005;14:119-130.
24.
Rowe M: Child-directed speech: relation to socioeconomic status, knowledge of child development and child vocabulary skill. J Child Lang 2008;35:185-205.
25.
Bates E, Marchman V, Thal D, Fenson L, Dale P, Reznick JS, Reilly J, Hartung J: Developmental and stylistic variation in the composition of early vocabulary. J Child Lang 1994;21:85-123.
26.
Almeida LS, Freire T: Metodologia da investigação em psicologia e educação, ed 4. Braga, PsiQuilibrios, 2007.
27.
Field A: Discovering Statistics Using SPSS, ed 3. Los Angeles, Sage, 2010.
© 2014 S. Karger AG, Basel
2014
Copyright / Drug Dosage / Disclaimer
Copyright: All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be translated into other languages, reproduced or utilized in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, microcopying, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher.
Drug Dosage: The authors and the publisher have exerted every effort to ensure that drug selection and dosage set forth in this text are in accord with current recommendations and practice at the time of publication. However, in view of ongoing research, changes in government regulations, and the constant flow of information relating to drug therapy and drug reactions, the reader is urged to check the package insert for each drug for any changes in indications and dosage and for added warnings and precautions. This is particularly important when the recommended agent is a new and/or infrequently employed drug.
Disclaimer: The statements, opinions and data contained in this publication are solely those of the individual authors and contributors and not of the publishers and the editor(s). The appearance of advertisements or/and product references in the publication is not a warranty, endorsement, or approval of the products or services advertised or of their effectiveness, quality or safety. The publisher and the editor(s) disclaim responsibility for any injury to persons or property resulting from any ideas, methods, instructions or products referred to in the content or advertisements.
You do not currently have access to this content.