Successful communication requires a strong foundation in language. While speech intelligibility can impact a listener’s understanding of a spoken message, language deficits can have the same impact across modalities. Therefore, a complete communication assessment should consider language use and ability.

Language is inclusive of phonology, morphology, semantics, syntax, and pragmatics. It is important to consider each of these areas when evaluating students and selecting assessment materials. Especially for Deaf and hard-of-hearing students with language goals, comparison between spoken and written language samples can give clarity to error patterns, and determine if errors are a result of speech or language deficits.

It is also important to note the context of the assessment as it relates to the environment, communication partner, and required tasks. Completing a structured, standardized assessment of language in a quiet therapy room with a familiar listener will give a clinician different information than assessing communication in a more natural setting. Further, while standardized assessments can give us important information about a student’s language abilities, they are generally not normed on Deaf and hard-of-hearing students and should be interpreted with caution.

During assessment, it is also important to consider the listener’s role in communication. Comprehension varies with characteristics of the speaker and the listener by means of linguistic and cognitive skills and knowledge that both participants bring to the task. In many cases, assessment of language will also consider a student’s ability to identify and repair communication breakdowns.

Some ways to assess language include:

• Standardized assessments
• Spoken, written, and signed language samples
• Evaluation of classroom or job related materials (e.g. essays, resumes/CV, emails)
• Questionnaires and interviews