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The language sampling process
A language sample can contribute to an evaluation, help develop intervention priorities, or document performance over time. These five guides cover preparation through reporting, with entry points for the task you are working on now. The examples focus on child language sampling, particularly in school settings.
Stage 1
Plan and prepare
Choose the task, materials, and analysis together, accounting for the speaker’s communication profile and the purpose of sampling. Check the requirements for any intended reference comparison and arrange recording, storage, and access for transcription.
Plan and prepare for a language sample →Stage 2
Collect
Conduct and record the interaction. This guide examines what different prompts contribute, how changes in activity or support affect the sample, and which details to retain in collection notes.
Collect a language sample →Stage 3
Transcribe
Represent the recording using the conventions for your chosen analysis. This includes utterance boundaries and the treatment of repetitions, revisions, and partially understood speech. If you start with speech recognition, review the draft for errors that can affect language analysis.
Transcribe a language sample →Stage 4
Analyze and interpret
Calculate the selected measures, apply reference comparisons, and examine the language behind the results. Examples show how similar scores can describe different profiles and how prompts affect interpretation. The guide also covers unavailable analyses and comparisons across time.
Analyze and interpret a language sample →Stage 5
Report findings and decide next steps
Organize the sample conditions, results, examples, and implications for a report or discussion. A retell example connects an observed pattern to evaluation findings, a possible intervention target, and monitoring.
Language sample reporting and next steps →The guides connect to method-specific instructions and resources where those details are needed. You can enter at any stage, including when you already have a recording or transcript.
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