Standardized assessment plays an important role in evaluation of language skills. Depending on your setting, standardized assessment may be a requirement for insurance or therapy justification. While these assessments give valuable insight into students’ needs, they are often not normed on Deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals. When this is the case, it should be documented in the report and clearly communicated when findings are presented.

Standardized testing can assist in gaining information about specific skills more explicitly, including:

• Expressive and receptive vocabulary
• Morphology and grammar
• Syntax and sentence structure
• Advanced vocabulary and figurative language concepts
• Phonology and phonological awareness

Anytime standardized assessments are utilized, the applicability of these skills in everyday environments must be considered. The goal of communication therapy is to grow skills that will support students’ communication beyond the therapy room.