CELF-5
Materials
• Examiner’s Manual
• Stimulus Books 1 & 2
• Record Forms (protocol)
Form 1: Ages 5-8
Form 2: Ages 9-21
• Observation Rating Scale
• Reading and writing
Supplements 1 & 2
CELF-5
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A comprehensive tool for the identification,
diagnosis and follow-up evaluation of
language and communication disorders
Administered by SLP, Psychologists, SpEd
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Ages: 5-21 years old
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 Record Form 1: 5-8 years old
 Record Form 2: 9-21 years old
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Observational Rating Form
Anecdotal notes in context
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Core Language Score
 Overall measure of child’s language abilities
 Typically used to identify presence/absence of a language disorder
▪ Once presence of lang. disorder is evident, then define based on modality
affected (receptive, expressive, etc.)
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Combines Individual Subtest Scaled Scores:
 Record Form 1: SC, WS, FS, RS
 Record Form 2 (9-12y.o.): WC, FS, RS
 Record Form 2 (13-21 y.o.): FS, RS, USP
Determine what form to use
Determine Indexes to explore
1.
2.

3.
4.
5.
6.
Use the chart on Record Form p1
to determine necessary subtests
to administer
Administer subtests in any
order
Record subtest raw scores on
first page of protocol
Use Appendix A & B in Manual
to change raw to derived scores
Use derived scores to examine
child’s profile
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TAPE RECORD!
 subtests that require you to write responses verbatim: FS,
RS, WS, USP & WD.
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Demo & Trial Items
 ALWAYS give before test items administered
 If child unable to do these after prompting/encouraging,
discontinue test
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Repetitions:
 do not repeat items on subtests that evaluate student’s
receptive language (the ability to process, interpret and
recall or reproduce auditory info): RS, FD.
 All other subtests, you can repeat items one at a time or as
needed. Don’t repeat when the first response is wrong.
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Use suggested starting points
If begin at #1, basal is already set
If begin later than #1, student must get
perfect score on first two items administered
 If YES, award full credit for items prior to the start
point and proceed with the subtest
 If NO, go back to Item 1 and administer all items
before the start point. Don’t re-administer items
student missed but continue testing beyond this
point
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When uncertain “how to score a response and
cannot decide if you should discontinue a
subtest, administer more items until you are
certain the discontinue rule has been met.
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If, during scoring, you find that you administered
items beyond the point at which you should
have discontinued testing, do not award points
for the items beyond the correct discontinue
point, even if the student’s response would have
earned credit.” (p. 15).
on BOTH Form 1&2
Following
Directions (FD)
Recalling
Sentences (RS)
Formulated
Sentences (FS)
Word Classes
Understanding
Spoken
Paragraphs (USP)
Pragmatics
Profile
(WC)
Form 1 (ages 5-8)
Word Structure
(WS)
Sentence
Completion
(SC)
Linguistic
Concepts (LC)
Form 2 (ages 9-21)
Word
Definitions
(WD)
Sentence
Assembly (SA)
Semantic
Relationships
(SR)
“which go together?”
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Manual p. 46
Easel: only ages 5-10 use stimulus book 1
Repetitions- OK
SCORING: (item analysis table: protocol)
 Circle the words student gives in response
 Correct responses are in bold: circle 1 or 0
 Discontinue after 4 consecutive zeros
“point to the…”
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Easel: student side
Stimulus book 2 Manual p. 51
NO Repetitions BUT make sure have
child’s attention before giving item
SCORING: (response key)
 1,2,3= specified order
 and= must point to both or= can point to either
Protocol
“say the sentence back to me”
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TAPE RECORD!
Manual p. 74
NO Repetitions- make sure child is listening
SCORING (p. 77): Use editing symbols
 1 error
3: zero errors
▪ any word changed, added, substituted or omitted
2: one error
▪ transposition that doesn’t change meaning: The play castle was built by
1: two-three errors
the boys and girls
0: more than four  2 errors
errors
▪ transposition that does change meaning: The tractor was followed by the bus
▪ Count contractions as 2 words (using appropriate contracted form ok)
 Dialectal variations (guidelines p. 78 & Appendix I)
“use it in a sentence”
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TAPE RECORD!
Repetitions OK
Stimulus book 1 Manual p. 55
Write responses verbatim
SCORING: (scoring guide p. 60)
 Credit Rules:
2: complete &
accurate
sentence using
target word
1: complete
sentence using
target word with
one or two errors
0: doesn’t use
word,
incomplete, 3 or
more errors, or
not about picture
▪ Can be part of a dialogue, animal can be speaker, can be stated in 1st person,
can be in form of a ? or statement
▪ If give 2 sentences, score each sentence separately & score sentence with
the word
 Zero points
▪ No target word used, target word change, or not about the picture
 Dialectal Variations: p. 57
“retell the story”
TAPE RECORD
Manual p. 81
Repetitions: NO for paragraphs, 1x for questions
 Administer the trial and all 3 stories for child’s age
 Can read trial paragraph & ?’s 2x if needed
 In TRIAL: if answers are vague/incomplete, prompt for answers
only in trial by providing cues
 In TEST: if answers are ambiguous say, “Can you tell me more?”
SCORING: (error analysis table on protocol)
 ()= answer is optional, comma=multiple parts, / = either is correct
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Record form 2
“define the word- tell what the word means”
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TAPE RECORD!
 Directions: Manual p. 88
Write responses verbatim! Discontinue: 4 consecutive zeroes
Repetitions: OK: If vague response, prompt: “Can you tell me more”
SCORING: error analysis table in protocol
 AND= both criteria required; OR= either criteria required
 / = either is correct; ()= optional response; [ ] examiner directions
 See manual for more guidelines
Record form 2
“put the word into 2 sentences”
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Stimulus book 2 Manual p. 93
Repetitions: OK
Discontinue: 4 consecutive zeroes
SCORING: error analysis table in protocol
 write student’s response verbatim if not listed
 1 point: gives 2 accurate responses
 0 points: gives 1 or no responses
Record form 2
“a teenager is older than…”
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Stimulus book 2 Manual p. 97
Repetitions: OK
Discontinue: 4 consecutive zeroes
SCORING: error analysis in protocol
 Must get both correct to score 1
Record form 1
“which picture represents the sentence”
Stimulus book 1 Manual p. 34
Repetitions: OK
Discontinue: 4 consecutive zeros
SCORING: item analysis in protocol
 Circle letter corresponding to student’s response (correct
responses are bold font)
A B
 Then circle 1 for correct, 0 for incorrect
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C D
Record form 1
“Point to…”
Stimulus book 1 Manual p. 38
 Repetitions: NO
 Discontinue rule: 4 consecutive zeros
 Italicized word in item prompt: target concept but
examiner does not emphasize in directions
SCORING: item analysis in protocol

 1, 2, 3= specified order;
= any order; and = both; or = either
Record form 1
“Listen carefully to what I say about the picture
and help me finish what I say about each one””
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Stimulus book 1 Manual p. 42
Repetitions: OK
Administer ALL items!
Blue line on protocol indicates page change
SCORING: Item analysis on protocol, Appendix I: dialectal variations
 Write response or circle it; correct responses are in brackets
 If response is related with correct structure, score as correct
 If related but incorrect, prompt, “Can you say it another way?”