SPELT-3: Structured Photographic Expressive Language Test-Third Edition

Target Group: Ages 4-0 through 9-11 years
Administration:  15 to 25 minutes

Structured Photographic Expressive Language Test–Third Edition (SPELT-3) targets the assessment of morphology and syntax (morphosyntax) skills in children from ages 4-0 through 9-11.  This third edition is a revision of an accepted tool for measurement of childrens morphosyntactic development.  The SPELT-3 measures a childs generation of specific morphologic and syntactic structures. It elicits responses from a child through structured visual and auditory stimuli. Each test item includes a visual stimulus that is a full color photograph of an everyday situation or activity.

Individual test items assess the childs use of MORPHOLOGY (preposition, plural, possessive noun and pronoun, reflexive pronoun, subject pronoun, direct/indirect object, present possessive noun and pronoun, reflexive pronoun, subject pronoun, direct/indirect object, present progressive aspect, regular and irregular past tense, modal auxiliaries, contractible/uncontractible copula, and contractible/uncontractible auxiliary) and SYNTACTIC structures (negative, conjoined sentences, wh question, interrogative reversal, negative infinitive phrase, propositional complement, relative clause, and front/center embedded clause).

Manual Contents:

1. Overview of the SPELT-3 including test purpose and discussion of relevant literature on childrens development of syntax and morphology as well as test design and development
2. Administration
3. Scoring of response
4. Scoring guide
5. Analysis and interpretation of test results
6. Development and standardization of the SPELT-3
7. Technical qualities of the SPELT-3

Photographic Stimulus Book contains: a practice item photograph to elicit the appropriate type of response needed for the test items, and Fifty-four 4 x 6 photographs to elicit the various targeted morphological and syntactical structures.

Response Form Includes:

• Identifying information about the child, examiner, and test site
• Administration and response recording instructions
• A practice item to teach the child about the testing process
• Fifty-three test items assessing a variety of morphological and syntactical structures
• A blank space to note correct and incorrect answers
• An abbreviated description of the target structure
• An eliciting statement and additional suggested prompts
• Examples of expected responses (these responses appear in parentheses with the target response underlined)
• Record of Test Results including Raw Score, Standard Score, Confidence Interval, Percentile Rank, Percentile Band, and Age Equivalency

COMPLETE SPELT-3 KIT INCLUDES: Test Manual, Photographic Stimulus Book, and 50 Response Forms all in sturdy storage box. (©2005)