Screeners and Tests, Oh My!-Appy Hour Review

On the third day of posting this Speech Lady gave to me, some screeners and evaluations. 

Smarty Ears-Common Core Early Language Screener

The Common Core Early Language Screener is a screening tool used to identify weaknesses in early language skills.  The screener is made for children Pre-kindergarten-Kindergarten age.  This screener has some great features including:

"1. Ability to watch a video tutorial of how to effectively use the app;
2. School and evaluator information only has to be entered one time, then it is automatically added to each new screening and report;
3. Ability to enter a student’s name and track progress over time;
4. Ability to review past screenings;
5. Generate a report analyzing performance in each subtest;
6. Ability to print evaluator form and/or child form."

I have used this app to monitor progress with several of my kids.  I initially gave the screening, and then 9 weeks later gave it again to track progress.  The analyzing of data that this app provides is extremely helpful in determining what comes next for short term goals and what goals have been mastered.  Below are the language targets in the screening.

Here are some screen shots of test items.  I love all the colorful images as this helps with keeping kids attention!

Sunny Articulation and Phonology Test

This assessment is a series of pictures targeting English phonemes in initial, medial and final position.  This test is not a standardized measure, but it is made to be used in conjunction with standardized assessments (I would use it along side the Goldman Fristoe Test of Articulation-2). 



It starts with adding students.  You enter their name, birthday (which they automatically calculate the chronological age) and whether English is the only spoken language.  Then you can start the assessment.  Each picture is a clear, colorful and engaging picture.  The word is at the top and the targeted sounds are green.  When there is an error you click on the sound and you are given options of whether they deleted, distorted, assimilated, substituted etc.  as well as the most common phonological processes associated with that sound.  I love that you can also record your session while giving the assessment (the only suggestion I would make is that you can have more than one recording).  Once the assessment is complete it gives you a detailed description of all the errors including phonological patterns etc.  It gives you a raw score which you can then compare to your standardized assessment to decide if they are commensurate with each other.  What I like about this is the ability to progress monitor without pulling out files and going through millions of papers (or is that just my files?!) I really like the fact that it's on the iPad because let's face it kids are waaay more likely to entertain the idea of sitting through 20+ pictures if it's on the iPad and there are pretty pictures. 

All in all I'm very excited to have these two items in my arsenal!