African American English and its Presence in Standardized Articulation and Phonology Tests
Many dialects exist in America. Therefore, it is important that speech- language pathologists (SLPs) who are charged with evaluating speech and language disorders in children develop a sound understanding of both social and regional dialects. SLPs often administer standardized or norm referenced articulation tests diagnose whether a child has a speech disorder. While bias in testing has been discussed for language measures, fewer studies have addressed bias in articulation/phonology testing. This study sought to determine if frequently used articulation tests are sensitive to the articulation/phonological characteristics of African American English (AAE). The Diagnostic Evaluation of Language Variation-Screening Test is the most sensitive to African American English characteristics. The Goldman Fristoe 2, Picture Articulation Test Third Edition, and the Arizona 3 also proved to be sensitive to African American English characteristics.
School:
Hampton University
Department:
Communicative Sciences and Disorders
Research Advisor:
Adele Proctor
Department of Research Advisor:
Speech and Hearing Science
Year of Publication:
2007