A validity study of the Early Language Inventory: Investigating ecologically appropriate communication assessment for Aboriginal children in western Sydney.
Tracks
20-minute presentations
20-minute presentation
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander
Culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD)
Speech
| Saturday, June 14, 2025 |
| 1:30 PM - 1:40 PM |
| Hall L, Ground Level |
Overview
Chantelle Khamchuang
Details
⏫ Research insights
⏲️ 1.30pm - 1.50pm
⌛20-minutes
📚 Assumed knowledge of attendees: Foundational (new/casual familiarity with the topic e.g. treated a single case)
⏲️ 1.30pm - 1.50pm
⌛20-minutes
📚 Assumed knowledge of attendees: Foundational (new/casual familiarity with the topic e.g. treated a single case)
Presenter
Mrs Chantelle Khamchuang
Western Sydney University
A validity study of the Early Language Inventory: Investigating ecologically appropriate communication assessment for Aboriginal children in western Sydney.
1:30 PM - 1:50 PMPresentation summary
Accurate and culturally appropriate screening and monitoring of speech and language development among Aboriginal children remains challenging for many speech pathologists in Australia.
Aboriginal children’s language development is typically assessed using tools that are designed for families speaking standard Australian English. These tools don’t reflect the diversity of Aboriginal Australian English. In urban areas, this is affecting a large population. In Western Sydney across the areas of Blacktown to Penrith over 25% of the Aboriginal population is aged between 0 to 4-years-old. In western Sydney contexts, a valid and appropriate language assessment is urgently needed to screen and track language development among Aboriginal children.
To adapt and test the validity of the Early Language Inventory (ERLI), an authorised adaptation of the MacArthur-Bates Communicative Development Inventories (CDI), for Aboriginal children growing up in western Sydney. The goal is to leverage the culturally safe aspects of the existing (northern Australian) ERLI tool and ensure it is relevant and safe for western Sydney families.
There were three goals: (1) develop norms on ERLI for Aboriginal children in western Sydney; (2) test ERLI's ecological validity through spontaneous language samples of parent-child interaction in free-play; (3) assess the relationship between ERLI and Hearing and Talking Scale (HATS), an already valid tool for communications skills of young Aboriginal children, if both tools identify the same children who may be at risk of language delay.
Results offered evidence towards cut-off values for typical language development in Aboriginal children in western Sydney. Ecological validity was established in the home-language samples; items on ERLI were identified throughout the audio-video recordings, and there was a significant positive relationship between child language sampling measures and child ERLI scores. The relationship between ERLI and HATS was confirmed through identification of children at risk of language delay at ages 37 to 48 months.
Aboriginal children’s language development is typically assessed using tools that are designed for families speaking standard Australian English. These tools don’t reflect the diversity of Aboriginal Australian English. In urban areas, this is affecting a large population. In Western Sydney across the areas of Blacktown to Penrith over 25% of the Aboriginal population is aged between 0 to 4-years-old. In western Sydney contexts, a valid and appropriate language assessment is urgently needed to screen and track language development among Aboriginal children.
To adapt and test the validity of the Early Language Inventory (ERLI), an authorised adaptation of the MacArthur-Bates Communicative Development Inventories (CDI), for Aboriginal children growing up in western Sydney. The goal is to leverage the culturally safe aspects of the existing (northern Australian) ERLI tool and ensure it is relevant and safe for western Sydney families.
There were three goals: (1) develop norms on ERLI for Aboriginal children in western Sydney; (2) test ERLI's ecological validity through spontaneous language samples of parent-child interaction in free-play; (3) assess the relationship between ERLI and Hearing and Talking Scale (HATS), an already valid tool for communications skills of young Aboriginal children, if both tools identify the same children who may be at risk of language delay.
Results offered evidence towards cut-off values for typical language development in Aboriginal children in western Sydney. Ecological validity was established in the home-language samples; items on ERLI were identified throughout the audio-video recordings, and there was a significant positive relationship between child language sampling measures and child ERLI scores. The relationship between ERLI and HATS was confirmed through identification of children at risk of language delay at ages 37 to 48 months.
References
Adani, S., & Cepanec, M. (2019). Sex differences in early communication development: Behaviorial and neurobiological indicators of more vulnerable communication system development in boys. Croatian Medical Journal. 60(2), 141-149. DOI: 10.3325/cmj.2019.60.141
Adler, S., & Birdsong, S. (1983). Reliability and validity of standardized testing tools used with poor children. Topics in Language Disorders, 3(3), 76–87. DOI: 10.1097/00011363-198306000-00011
Akmese, P. P., & Kanmaz, S. (2021). Narrative to investigate language skills of preschool children. International Electronic Journal of Elementary Education, 14(1), 9-22. DOI: 10.26822/iejee.2021.225
Andersen, M. J., Williamson, A. B., Fernando, P., Redman, S., Vincent, F. (2016). “There’s a housing crisis going on in Sydney for Aboriginal people”: focus group accounts of housing and perceived associations with health. Biomed Central Public Health, 16(429), 10. DOI: 10.1186/s12889-016-3049-2
Anderson, N. J., Graham, S. A., Prime, H., Jenkins, J. M., & Madigan, S. (2021). Linking quality and quantity of parental linguistic input to child language skills: A meta‐analysis. Child Development, 92(2), 484-501. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/cdev.13508
Angelo, D. (2013). Identification and assessment contexts of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander learners of Standard Australian English: Challenges for the language testing community. Papers in Language Testing and Assessment, 2(2), 67-102. DOI: https://www.altaanz.org/uploads/5/9/0/8/5908292/4._plta_2_2__angelo.pdf
Burke, A. W., Welch, S., Power, T., Lucas, C., & Moles, R. J. (2022). Clinical yarning with Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander peoples-a systematic scoping review of its use and impacts. Systematic reviews, 11(1), 129. DOI: 10.1186/s13643-022-02008-0
Burns, B., Grace, R., Drake, G., & Avery, S. (2024). [In Press] What are Aboriginal children and young people in out‐of‐home care telling us? : a review of the child voice literature to understanding perspectives and experiences of the statutory care system. Children And Society. DOI: 10.1111/chso.12880
Butcher, A. & Anderson, V. (2008). The vowels of Australian Aboriginal English. Proc. Interspeech. 347-350, Retrieved from: https://www2.hawaii.edu/~vanderso/Butcher-Anderson.pdf
Dixon, S., & Angelo, D. (2013). Dodgy Data, Language Invisibility and the Implications for Social Inclusion: a Critical Analysis of Indigenous Student Language Data. Australian Review of Applied Linguistics, 37(3), 213–233.
Adler, S., & Birdsong, S. (1983). Reliability and validity of standardized testing tools used with poor children. Topics in Language Disorders, 3(3), 76–87. DOI: 10.1097/00011363-198306000-00011
Akmese, P. P., & Kanmaz, S. (2021). Narrative to investigate language skills of preschool children. International Electronic Journal of Elementary Education, 14(1), 9-22. DOI: 10.26822/iejee.2021.225
Andersen, M. J., Williamson, A. B., Fernando, P., Redman, S., Vincent, F. (2016). “There’s a housing crisis going on in Sydney for Aboriginal people”: focus group accounts of housing and perceived associations with health. Biomed Central Public Health, 16(429), 10. DOI: 10.1186/s12889-016-3049-2
Anderson, N. J., Graham, S. A., Prime, H., Jenkins, J. M., & Madigan, S. (2021). Linking quality and quantity of parental linguistic input to child language skills: A meta‐analysis. Child Development, 92(2), 484-501. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/cdev.13508
Angelo, D. (2013). Identification and assessment contexts of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander learners of Standard Australian English: Challenges for the language testing community. Papers in Language Testing and Assessment, 2(2), 67-102. DOI: https://www.altaanz.org/uploads/5/9/0/8/5908292/4._plta_2_2__angelo.pdf
Burke, A. W., Welch, S., Power, T., Lucas, C., & Moles, R. J. (2022). Clinical yarning with Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander peoples-a systematic scoping review of its use and impacts. Systematic reviews, 11(1), 129. DOI: 10.1186/s13643-022-02008-0
Burns, B., Grace, R., Drake, G., & Avery, S. (2024). [In Press] What are Aboriginal children and young people in out‐of‐home care telling us? : a review of the child voice literature to understanding perspectives and experiences of the statutory care system. Children And Society. DOI: 10.1111/chso.12880
Butcher, A. & Anderson, V. (2008). The vowels of Australian Aboriginal English. Proc. Interspeech. 347-350, Retrieved from: https://www2.hawaii.edu/~vanderso/Butcher-Anderson.pdf
Dixon, S., & Angelo, D. (2013). Dodgy Data, Language Invisibility and the Implications for Social Inclusion: a Critical Analysis of Indigenous Student Language Data. Australian Review of Applied Linguistics, 37(3), 213–233.
**********
Chantelle is an Aboriginal woman from the Dharug community of western Sydney. Chantelle is passionate about fair assessment processes for her community. She completed her PhD at the MARCS institute for Brain, Behaviour, and development investigating culturally appropriate assessment tools for young Aboriginal children.
Session chair
Linda Kendrick
Gladesville Speech Pathology
Student volunteer(s)
Jade Bullock
Haylie Craig
The information contained in this program is current at of the time of publishing but is subject to changes made without notice.
Disclaimer: © (2024) The Speech Pathology Association of Australia Limited. All rights reserved.
Important Notice, please read: The views expressed in this presentation and reproduced in these materials are not necessarily the views of, or endorsed by, The Speech Pathology Association of Australia Limited ("the Association"). The Association makes no warranty or representation in relation to the content, currency or accuracy of any of the materials comprised in this presentation. The Association expressly disclaims any and all liability (including liability for negligence) in respect of use of these materials and the information contained within them. The Association recommends you seek independent professional advice prior to making any decision involving matters outlined in this presentation including in any of the materials referred to or otherwise incorporated into this presentation.
.
