Language Support Program

Back to:

Module 3.1 Resources for identifying and profiling students

Module 3.1 of the Language Support Program (LSP) provides a general introduction to identifying and profiling students with language difficulties using curriculum knowledge and analysis and sound assessment practices. Advice about referral to other professionals is also provided.

 

Resources

 

Glossary

  • EDC P–10 – English Developmental Continuum P–10
  • ICPAL language framework – Ideas, Conventions, Purposes and Ability to Learn in both the expressive and receptive areas of (oral) language
  • Indicators of Progress – Points on the learning continuum that highlight critical understandings required by students in order to progress through curriculum standards

 

Timing

90 minutes

Back to Top

Referral to other professionals

Once a student has been identified as having language difficulties, the teacher, in consultation with the Language Support Program Team (and if applicable, the Student Support Group) must decide whether these can be addressed through targeted teaching, or whether the student’s difficulties warrant referral to another relevant professional, such as a speech pathologist or psychologist.

In deciding whether referral to other professionals is required, the team will consider the student’s learning across the curriculum; their developmental history; their language background; information received through discussion with the student’s parents; and the teaching strategies that have already been put in place to support the student. The use by the teacher of the assessment tools (Resources 3.1.2, or 3.1.3) to profile students in the classroom would provide valuable information for discussion with other professionals.

Clinical diagnosis of a language disorder can only be made by formal standardised assessment, carried out by an interdisciplinary team including a speech pathologist and a psychologist. In order to make a diagnosis of a language disorder, the speech pathologist and psychologist would need to establish that the student’s language abilities are significantly below the level of the student’s non-verbal cognitive abilities.

 

Going further

Identification and profiling is not a one-off event; rather schools need to adopt processes for tracking students over time.

Professional learning activities

  • Use reflective learning techniques

If you are a school leader or an LSP coordinator, audit and describe your school’s processes for ongoing identification, profiling, and communication to teachers about a student with language difficulties. If you are unsure whether these meet best practice, consult with regional staff and specialists.

A number of other templates or checklists have been produced that you might like to use to identify a student or students with language difficulties. These can direct and clarify your classroom observations of students.

  • Clinical Evaluation of Language Fundamentals (CELF–4) [24]

    The Clinical Evaluation of Language Fundamentals (CELF-4) is designed to be used by trained speech pathologists and other professionals.
    The CELF-4 is a comprehensive language test used to measure a student's ability to understand words and sentences, follow directions, recall and formulate sentences, and understand relationships between words and categories.

  • Clinical Evaluation of Language Fundamentals (CELF–4) Screening Test

    Quickly and accurately screens children who may be experiencing language difficulties, using the most discriminating items from the CELF-4.
    With accredited training from Harcourt assessment, for the first time User Level T (teachers) can use this test.

  • Language for Learning – A Checklist for Language Difficulties Primary Level and Language for Learning – A Checklist for Language Difficulties Secondary Level

    Developed by speech pathologists from the Language Learning Disability – Special Interest Group (Victoria).
    Available for purchase through Oz Child Education Services, email: edservice@ozchild.com.au
Back to Top