3 Ways to Collect Baseline Data this Back to School Season

Back to school season doesn't have to be stressful.  Let me tell you how I take baseline data with minimal prep.

1. Collect a narrative language sample

I love the School-age Language Assessment Measures available for free from the Leaders Project.  They provide a variety of images, prompts and scoring parameters for collecting language samples via dynamic assessment. 

Lately, I have been using The Crayons Picture, since it is only one picture and allows for a really quick language sample assessment. It's perfect for a baseline assessment!

I also use different picture scenes aimed at both language skills and articulation.  

For example, I often take pictures like the ones below and have students formulate a short narrative based on the picture.  They can describe, make inferences and discuss what is happening in the photo.  The best part is that it comes with visual sentence strips for students who need more support!  

It's important to take baseline data for articulation goals as well.  I made these articulation scenes for the purpose of being able to assess and treat sounds in isolation as well as in phrases and sentences.  Every scene in this unit comes with a visual sentence strip as well!  Almost every single sound and consonant blend comes with 6 different scenes (Yes! EACH sound!), 42 interactive cut and paste sound and word targets and 6 visual sentence strips! (Some come with more!!)  It's perfect for baseline data for students with articulation disorders.

2. Use Boom Cards

If you already own a ton of Boom Cards like me, you are set!  Just use the Boom Cards as trials and either take your own data or let the Boom Cards take the data for you!!

I organized all my Boom Cards by skill and just choose one for each different skill I am assessing.

I designed this fall theme language bundle of Boom Cards with over twenty different language skills targeted, including vocabulary, syntax, and morphology for this very purpose.

3. Engage in play!

Finally, for the little ones, play is a GREAT go to!  You can play with the cut and paste products or real toys if you have them!  Children love interactive tasks, especially when they get to play or cut, glue and color!  I love to use play to target skills like spatial concepts and labeling!  Some toys that my students are really into these days are toys by Learning Resources.  

Whatever you choose, just make sure you are taking that baseline data.  It's so fulfilling seeing their progress over time when you have that solid baseline data.  Like I said, narratives are gold and when you see their progress over time when telling a narrative, it is honestly INCREDIBLE!

Written By: Rosie Sepulveda, Language Encounters