Understanding the Karnofsky scale
For speech-language pathologists (SLPs) who are curious about the CASL-2 assessment, this article has information about the the Comprehensive Assessment of Spoken Language, Second Edition (CASL-2), including CASL-2 protocols and the age range for this assessment.
Spoken language abilities during childhood lay the foundation for communication and impact learning and social interaction at every age.
Being able to express thoughts, ideas, and feelings adequately allows for the development of healthy relationships, provides access to education, and enables participation in all aspects of life.
Assessment of spoken language skills can identify those children who are struggling with expressive language and in need of intervention.
A spoken language disorder refers to a persistent difficulty in the acquisition and use of listening and speaking skills across any of the five language domains: phonology, morphology, syntax, semantics, and pragmatics.
When concern of a spoken language disorder arises, a screening is typically administered first.
A comprehensive assessment includes a case history and formal language testing, which may include the CASL-2 assessment.
What is the Comprehensive Assessment of Spoken Language, Second Edition?
The CASL-2 is a standardized test that measures spoken language across four structural categories: Lexical/Semantic (vocabulary), Syntactic (grammar), Supralinguistic (higher level language comprehension), and Pragmatic Language (social communication skills).
It consists of 14 individual tests, each taking approximately 5 to 10 minutes to administer.
The CASL-2 assessment is designed to evaluate the ability to understand and express language in different contexts.
While CASL-2 subtests can be used as stand-alone assessments of specific areas of language, administering the entire test provides a broad evaluation of oral language skills.
The Pragmatic Language subtest is specifically helpful in assessing social communication skills in children with autism. It is the only test that measures pragmatic language abilities in children under age six.
What is the CASL age range?
The CASL-2 assessment is designed to assess spoken language abilities in children as young as 3 to young adults up to age 21.
What does the CASL-2 assess?
The CASL-2 assessment is used to identify language disorders, to determine eligibility for speech therapy, and to monitor progress during language therapy intervention.
The subtests that make up the CASL-2 include: Receptive Vocabulary, Antonyms, Synonyms, Expressive Vocabulary, Idiomatic Language, Sentence Expression, Grammatical Morphemes, Sentence Comprehension, Grammatical Judgment, Non-literal Language, Meaning from Context, Inference, and Pragmatic Language.
Together, the results provide data on the examinee’s ability in the following areas of language.
Lexical/semantic
The lexical/semantic area of language refers to the understanding of the meaning of words and using words in spoken language.
Semantic language skills include the ability to understand and state labels, recognize and name categories, understand and use descriptive words, comprehend and state functions, and recognize words by their definition as well as define words.
Syntactic
This area of language refers to the knowledge and use of correct grammar.
With syntactic skills, a speaker can arrange words into logical sentences.
Supralinguistic
The supralinguistic area of language refers to interpreting abstract language and understanding implied meaning of spoken language.
These skills enable a speaker to understand and use humor, sarcasm, indirect requests, and inferences.
Pragmatic language
This area of language refers to using language appropriately given the social situation.
These skills include eye contact, taking turns during conversation, interpreting nonverbal cues, asking questions, problem solving, body language, and more.
Pragmatic language skills have a direct impact on socialization and the ability to form friendships.
How to administer the CASL-2 assessment
The CASL-2 takes approximately 45 to 60 minutes to administer for children and young adults ages 7 to 21 and 30 to 45 minutes for children ages 3 to 6.
As for CASL-2 protocols, the examiner reads items aloud from the easel booklet and the examinee responds by speaking or pointing.
The easel provides pictures and words presented to the examinee and the test consists of a variety of tasks including picture identification, sentence repetition, story retelling, and conversation prompts.
The examiner should begin testing at the starting point for the examinee’s age.
Throughout the CASL-2 assessment test, the examinee is asked to perform various tasks and respond to various verbal prompts.
It is important to remember that each CASL-2 subtest has unique basal and ceiling rules.
Administration of each subtest is as follows:
Basic Concept: Examiner reads a sentence aloud while examinee looks at four pictures. Examinee points to the picture or part of the picture that represents the correct response.
Antonyms: Examiner says a stimulus word. Examinee must respond orally with a single word that means the opposite of the stimulus word.
Synonyms: Examiner says a stimulus word and four synonym options, then repeats the stimulus word. The examinee chooses the option that means the same as the stimulus.
Sentence Completion: Examiner reads the stimulus sentence, which is missing the last word. The examinee must respond with a single word that meaningfully completes the sentence.
Idiomatic Language: Examiner reads the stimulus idiom, which is missing its final part. The examinee must complete the phrase with an acceptable form of the idiom.
Syntax Construction: Examiner reads the stimulus item while the examinee looks at a picture. The examinee must respond with a word, phrase, or sentence that is grammatically and semantically appropriate.
Paragraph Construction of Syntax: Examiner reads a stimulus paragraph twice, then reads a series of items relating to the paragraph while the examinee looks at a set of pictures for each item. The examinee must respond by pointing to or giving the number of the correct response.
Grammatical Morphemes: The examiner reads one pair of words or phrases that demonstrates an analogy, then reads the first word or phrase of a second pair. The examinee must complete the analogy of the second pair.
Sentence Comprehension of Syntax: For each item, the examiner reads two pairs of stimulus sentences, one pair at a time. The examinee must determine whether both sentences in each pair mean the same thing.
Grammaticality Judgement: Examiner reads a stimulus sentence that is either grammatically correct or incorrect. The examinee must determine if the grammar is correct or incorrect, and if it is incorrect, must correct it by changing only one word.
Nonliteral Language: Examiner reads the stimulus item and the accompanying question. The examinee must answer by explaining the nonliteral meaning of the item.
Meaning from Context: Each item contains a very uncommon word. The examiner reads the item, and the examinee must explain the meaning of the uncommon word by using context clues.
Inference: Examiner describes a situation in which part of the information is omitted, then asks an accompanying question. The examinee must answer the question using world knowledge to infer the missing information.
Ambiguous Sentences: Examiner reads the stimulus item, and examinee must respond with two possible meanings for the item.
Pragmatic Judgement: Examiner reads a situation that represents some aspect of everyday life that requires communication or a pragmatic judgment. The examinee responds with the appropriate thing to say or do in the situation.
CASL-2 assessment scoring
Each subtest on the CASL-2 assessment yields a standard score, which is a measurement of performance compared to the normative sample.
The mean standard score is 100 with a standard deviation of 15.
Therefore, standard scores between 85 and 115 are within the average range.
The General Language Ability Index (GLAI) is an overall score of spoken language abilities. It can be calculated by combining specific subtest scores depending on the child’s age.
Other speech therapy assessments and speech-language tests
A comprehensive language evaluation often includes multiple formal assessments to obtain a clear sense of abilities in each area of language.
In addition to the CASL-2 assessment, other speech therapy assessments that might be administered include the following:
The Test of Language Development, fifth Edition (TOLD-P:5)
Children’s Communication Checklist, 2nd Edition (CCC-2)
Oral Passage Understanding Scale (OPUS)
The takeaway
The CASL-2 is an assessment of spoken language for children and young adults ages 3 to 21.
Using the CASL-2 assessment can provide SLPs with a wealth of information during a comprehensive language assessment that focuses on expressive language abilities.
Sources
CASL Test Chart. (2024). Pearson Assessments.
Comprehensive Assessment of Spoken Language | Second Edition. (2024). Pearson Assessments.
Carrow-Woolfolk, Elizabeth. Comprehensive Assessment of Spoken Language-2 (CASL-2). (2024). ATP Assessments.
Comprehensive Assessment of Spoken Language - Second Edition (CASL-2). (2024). Stoelting.
Spoken Language Disorders. (2024). ASHA Practice Portal.
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