Client Name

Clinic Number

COMMUNICATION SCIENCES AND DISORDERS

UNIVERSITY OF KENTUCKY

REPORT OF SPEECH / LANGUAGE EVALUATION

Client: / Client No:
Guardian: (both parents) / Birthdate: C.A.:
Address: / Date of Evaluation:
Phone: (home or cell) / Student Clinician:
Address: / Clinical Instructor:
Referral Source

I.  BACKGROUND INFORMATION

PATIENT NAME, a 4 year, 11 month old female, was seen at the University of Kentucky Communication Disorders Clinic for a speech and language evaluation on September 25, 2012. She was given the Comprehensive Test of Phonological Processing, (CTOPP-2), secondary to concerns regarding her phonological processing skills.

II.  OBSERVATIONS

III.  SUMMARY OF SPEECH/LANGUAGE EVALUATION

The CTOPP-2 was administered in order to assess phonological processing abilities related to reading. The CTOPP-2 is an individually administered, norm-referenced assessment tool that consists of nine subtests measuring the four areas of phonological processing that are highly associated with success in reading and writing: Phonological Awareness, Phonological Memory Rapid Symbolic Naming and Rapid Non-Symbolic Naming ability. This assessment indicates a child’s strengths and weaknesses within these areas. Phonological Awareness is the ability to access to the phonological structure of oral language. Phonological Memory is the ability to code information phonologically for temporary storage in working or short-term memory. Rapid Naming ability is the retrieval of phonological information from memory and the ability to complete a sequence of operations quickly and repeatedly. In addition to their role in learning to read, phonological processing abilities also support effective mathematical calculation, listening comprehension, and reading comprehension.

Subtest / Scaled Score
(mean = 10+/-2) / %ile Rank
(mean = 50th%) / Composite Score
(mean = 100+/-15) / %ile Rank
(mean = 50th%) / Descriptive Term
Elision / 11 / Phonological Awareness =
100 / 50th% / Average
Blending Words / 16
Sound Matching / 10
Memory for Digits / 9 / Phonological Memory = / 50th% / Average
Non-word Repetition / 11
Rapid Digit Naming / 15 / Rapid Symbolic Naming = / 50th% / Average
Rapid Letter Naming / 11
Rapid Color Naming / 10 / Rapid Non-Symbolic Naming = / 50th% / Average
Rapid Object Naming / 10

Phonological awareness is an awareness of and access to the sound structure of oral language. Children with well-developed phonological awareness learn to read more easily than do children with poorly developed phonological awareness. XXX’s composite score in phonological awareness places her in the average category for a student her age. The Elision subtest required her to delete, or take out, certain sounds in words or certain parts of words, such as one half of a compound word, or the beginning, middle, or ending sound of a word. The Blending Words subtest required XXX to put together parts of a compound word, or single sounds to make up a complex word. The Sound Matching subtest required her to find two pictures that begin or end with the same sound. She scored in the average to above average range for all three subtests, and in the average range for the phonological awareness composite when compared to others her age. This suggests she has the necessary basis for reading at an age appropriate level.

Phonological memory represents the examinee’s ability to code information phonologically for temporary storage in working or short-term memory. Specifically the composite score provides an assessment of the functioning of the part of memory called the phonological loop, which provides a brief, verbatim storage of auditory information. The phonological loop is comprised of (a) a phonological store that records the most recent two seconds worth of auditory information and (b) an articulatory control process that provides input to the phonological loop initially and also can refresh information already in the loop so that it can be stored for longer than two seconds. A deficit does not inevitably lead to poor reading of familiar material but is more likely to impair decoding of new words, particularly words that are long enough to decode bit by bit, as a means of storing intermediate sounds. A deficit in phonological memory may not impair listening or reading comprehension for simple sentences but is likely to impair both listening and reading comprehension for more complex sentences. XXX’s score on both the memory for digits and the non-word repetition subtest placed her in the average range. XXX’s overall phonological memory score places her solidly in the average range for a student her age. This suggests that XXX should be able to decode and comprehend text at an age appropriate level.

The Rapid Symbolic Naming Composite Score measures the efficient retrieval of phonological information from long-term or permanent memory and executing a sequence of operations quickly and repeatedly. Efficient retrieval of phonological information and execution of sequences of operations are required when readers attempt to decode unfamiliar words. Because of the timed nature of the subtests that make up the composite score, individuals who score poorly commonly have problems with reading fluency. Individuals who have deficits in both rapid naming and phonological awareness appear to be at greater risk of reading problems compared to individuals with difficulties in only one of the two areas. XXX’s composite score of 100 places her in average range for rapid naming. This suggests that she should be able to read fluently at the same level as similar age peers.

Overall, XXX performed in the above average range for phonological awareness, average in phonological memory, and average in rapid symbolic and non-symbolic naming. These scores suggest that she should be able to decode, comprehend, and efficiently read at a level that is similar to her same age peers. XXX appears to have the necessary phonological foundation for reading decoding and comprehension at an age appropriate level.

III IMPRESSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

Results of this evaluation revealed that PATIENT NAME presented with ______. Based on these results it is recommended that PATIENT NAME receive / continue to receive speech therapy once a week. Goals may include the following:

PATIENT NAME is a delightful little girl and it is a pleasure to participate in her care. If you have any questions or need further information please feel free to contact our Communication Disorders Clinic at (859) 218-0553.

______

(type name here) (type CI’s name here), (Type Degree, CCC-SLP

Graduate Clinician Clinical Instructor