EVALUATION OF LANGUAGE – The HELP Test Elementary
An assessment of receptive and expressive language skills was conducted. The following is a summary
of the test results.
This test assesses general language skills across six areas to help yield information about the child’s
semantic and syntactical skills in the familiar context of school-related language.
Semantics
Percentile:
Standard Score:
This task presents incomplete sentences, which the student must complete with appropriate and
meaningful words. Students whose performance is weak on this subtest may experience difficulty
completing classroom worksheets and taking tests, since these activities frequently incorporate fill-in-theblank items.
Specific Vocabulary
Percentile:
Standard Score:
This task requires the student to name two or three common items related by function or category.
Students who have difficulty with this subtest may have difficulty assimilating new knowledge into existing
schemata and generalizing information learned in one context to other content areas. For example, if a
student initially learned about fire fighters in a unit on community helpers, he or she may have difficulty
later extending this term to the category of occupations.
Word Order
Percentile:
Standard Score:
This task requires the student to arrange words presented in random order into grammatically correct and
semantically complete sentences. Students who have difficulty with this task may be unable to
understand the rhythm of conversation and instructional language used in the classroom.
General Vocabulary
Percentile:
Standard Score:
This task requires the student to listen to definitions and identify common objects. Students with weak
vocabulary skills will often find themselves at a loss in classroom discussions, particularly if the teacher
calls on students who raise their hand first. If a student is unable to process the features of a word and
quickly retrieve the target word or phrase, he will miss out on many opportunities for reciprocal learning.
Such a student often is placed in the role of an observer rather than an active participant in classroom
activities.
Question Grammar
Percentile:
Standard Score:
This task requires the student to generate grammatically correct questions beginning with specific cue
words with and without a picture stimulus. Students with weak question asking skills will be hesitant to
ask questions in class or conversations. They may eventually score worse than their peers on general
information tests because they have not used their main source of gathering information. Students with
strong skills in this area are able to ask questions to expand and clarify their information base, control
their environment, advocate for themselves and enhance their own learning.
Defining
Percentile:
Standard Score:
This task requires the student to define or describe common objects or concepts by naming the critical
features or functions of each word. Students with weak defining skills are limited in their ability to use
language in a variety of contexts. They often focus very narrowly on a word or concept and find
generalization to new or different situations very difficult. This affects their written language as well as
their oral language and can be a barrier to reading comprehension as well as acquisition and use of
content area language (math language).
TOTAL TEST:
SLP20 (1/08)