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Unlocking the Power of Language Samples: Insights for Speech-Language Pathologists

Unlocking the Power of Language Samples: Insights for Speech-Language Pathologists

Language sample analysis (LSA) is a cornerstone of evaluating children's language development, offering unique insights beyond formal tests. However, its clinical use, particularly in French-speaking regions like Quebec, remains limited. The study "Long versus short language samples: A clinical procedure for French language assessment" by Elin Thordardottir provides valuable data-driven insights that can help practitioners make more efficient and effective assessments.

This study compared the effectiveness of different sample lengths (100, 50, 25, and 12 utterances) in evaluating language measures such as Mean Length of Utterance (MLU) and morphological diversity in children with typical development (TD) and language impairment (LI). Remarkably, the study found that even shorter samples (down to 25 utterances) can provide reliable data, making LSA more feasible for clinical settings.

Key Findings

Practical Applications

For speech-language pathologists, these findings can revolutionize the way LSA is conducted, making it more practical and less time-consuming. Here are some actionable steps based on the study:

  1. Collect Shorter Samples: Aim for 25-utterance samples in conversational contexts to save time while still gathering reliable data.
  2. Compute MLUw: Use the total number of words produced by the child in the sample divided by 25 to compute MLUw.
  3. Use Predictive Tables: Refer to tables from the study to predict which grammatical morphemes should be expected at different MLU levels.

By implementing these steps, practitioners can make more data-driven decisions, ultimately improving outcomes for children. For a more in-depth understanding and access to the original research, please follow this link: Long versus short language samples: A clinical procedure for French language assessment.

To read the original research paper, please follow this link: Long versus short language samples: A clinical procedure for French language assessment.


Citation: Thordardottir, E. (2016). Long versus short language samples: A clinical procedure for French language assessment. Canadian Journal of Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology, 40(3), 176-197.
Marnee Brick, President, TinyEYE Therapy Services

Author's Note: Marnee Brick, TinyEYE President, and her team collaborate to create our blogs. They share their insights and expertise in the field of Speech-Language Pathology, Online Therapy Services and Academic Research.

Connect with Marnee on LinkedIn to stay updated on the latest in Speech-Language Pathology and Online Therapy Services.

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