Language Sampling

What is Language Sampling?

Language samples provide the most useful information we can gather about a child’s communication because it’s an immediate snapshot of:


Language samples offer bonus details for diverse populations! Formal assessments can't even provide the information you can obtain from a language sample such as:

Prath, S. (2018, June 20). The how and why of collecting a language sample. @ASHA. Retrieved December 6, 2022, from https://leader.pubs.asha.org/do/10.1044/the-how-and-why-of-collecting-a-language-sample/full/

In our lab, we use a software program called Systematic Analysis of Language Transcripts (SALT) to assist with the language sampling process.

What is SALT?

  • SALT software standardizes the process of eliciting, transcribing, and analyzing language samples. It includes a transcription editor, standard reports, and reference databases for comparison with typical peers.

Why SALT?

  • Databases of typically developing children - normative data
  • Consistent transcription format for all your language samples 
  • Fast results 
  • Easy analysis and interpretation 
  • Assists with diagnostic reports

We are also interested in understanding how SALT compares to other language sample analysis methods, 

like SUGAR (Owens & Pavelko, 2018).

Language Sampling Steps:

Step 1 : Eliciting a language sample in a standardized way


Elicitation Contexts:
  • Play - great for younger kids
  • Conversation - most naturalistic approach and targets pragmatic skills
  • Narrative Retell - most control over content and content is related to academic standards
  • Expository - more advanced, ​appropriate for 5th grade and up, and content related to academic standards 
  • Persuasion - Most advanced, appropriate for 9th grade and up, and content related to academic standards 

Step 2 : Transcribing a language sample systematically
You can utilize a transcription software called "INQSCRIBE" which is installed on all the computers in our lab; it makes transcription faster thanks to a foot pedal!
Follow the SALT transcription conventions.

Step 3 : Analyzing a language sample with SALT


Utilizing the SALT software, you can analyze your sample and compare it to the SALT database!
We often ask SALT to provide a standard measures report and a performance report, but SALT has many more tools that can provide even deeper insights into an individual's communication abilities. 
SALT will let you know what each variable in a sample means and how to interpret it. 

Look out for SALT TRAINING MATERIALS to be uploaded