Reducing Assessment Bias in Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CLD) Populations

presented by

Valerie Johnson, Ph.D, CCC-SLP

Course Description

The challenges of providing a reliable and valid assessment of language skills in CLD populations has been well documented in the literature. The bulk of the evidence is from research studies, and to a far lesser extent, case studies. This seminar will present the current trends in reducing assessment bias. In addition, this seminar will provide a review of second language acquisition in childhood bilingualism and features of dialectal variation. Broader clinician understanding language variation and current trends in language assessment can enhance a clinician’s ability to distinguish a language difference from a language disorder.

Course Objectives

1. The participant will identify characteristics of language variation in children who are bilingual and children who use a dialect other than mainstream American English (MAE).
2. The participant will identify assessment methods that will reduce assessment bias.
3. The participant will describe current evidenced-based research related to alternative assessment methods.

Biographical Information

Dr. Johnson started her career as a speech-language pathologist in the public schools in northern Virginia. She earned a doctorate in speech-language pathology at the University of Massachusetts-Amherst under the mentorship of Harry Seymour and Jill de Villiers. She was a contributor in the development of the Dialectal Evaluation of Language Variation (Seymour, de Villiers, Roeper, 2005) which was the first standardized language assessment tool to be used for all children including those children who speak a dialect other than MAE. In addition to presenting at national and international conferences, her research has been published in journals such as Journal of Speech-Language-Hearing Research, Language Speech and Hearing Services in Schools and Topics in Language Disorders. She is an assistant professor at Montclair State University.

Disclosure:

Financial— Dr. Johnson is an employed faculty member at Montclair State University and a practicing speech-language pathologist.
Nonfinancial — There are no non-financial relationships to disclose for this presentation

Location: 1515 Broad Street, Room 2113, Montclair State University

Date & Time: Wednesday, February 4, 2015, 6:00- 8:00pm

Audience: Speech-Language Pathologists & Audiologists

Course Schedule

5:45-6:00:  Registration

6:00-6:15: Introduction, including pertinent historical information regarding assessment bias

6:15-6:30: Childhood bilingualism

6:30-6:45: Dialectal variation in children who speak African American English

6:45-7:45: Assessment principles and methods to use for children from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds

7:45-8:00: Q & A /Conclusion

Register by Jan. 28, 2015.

There is no fee for this program.

For further information and to register, contact

Joann Kuebler – Phone: (973)655-7752, Email: kueblerj@montclair.edu

(A $10.00 donation is requested to offset expenses. There is no speaker fee.)

This program is offered for .2 ASHA CEUs (advanced level, professional area). Certificates documenting 2 contact hours of professional development will be distributed at the end of the workshop. Participants who arrive more than 15 minutes after the start of the activity or who leave more than 15 minutes before the end of the activity will not receive the certificate or be eligible for CE credit.