PLS-5 Training

Who Can Administer the PLS-5 The Manual does not indicate who can administer

What Areas Does the PLS-5 Test? Expressive Communication Auditory Comprehension (Receptive)

Age/Time AGE Birth to 7 years 11 months Can also be administered to older children who function developmentally within the age range. ___________________________________________ Time 0-11 months 25-35 minutes 12 mo-2 yrs 11 months 45-55 minutes

Administering the PLS-5

How Often Can The PLS-5 Be Used? There are no guidelines in the PLS-5 manual that specify a specific amount of time that needs to elapse before you can reassess. General assessment guidelines: Enough time has had to elapse between test administrations so that the child doesn't remember his or her answers to the questions from the first assessment. If the child is now in the next norm group for the test you can reassess.  For example, if the child was previously in a two-and-a- half year old norm group but now is in a two-and-a- half to 3 year old norm group, you could re- administer the test then. 

Starting Point “It is important that the test session begins with the child feeling secure in his/her abilities, so begin with a task that you have determined the child will be able to complete successfully.” “If you think the child has a mild or moderate impairment, begin the testing at the suggested start point for each age level.”

Determining Chronological Age Enter the date of the test session and the child’s birth date in the box on the front of the Record Form. Subtract the birth date from the date.

What do the Brackets Indicate? Developmental Tasks for Age

Methods of Assessment Caregiver (CR) Observation (O) Elicitation (E)

Methods of Assessment Cont. Caregiver Report (CR): “When you ask the caregiver questions circle CR, record the example the caregiver reports, and score the item based on the given example. Example: Seeks attention from others. The caregiver may report that the child seeks attention by pulling on her father’s pant leg and lifting her arms to be picked up. This meets the pass criteria for the item, so you would circle CR, write down the example and give the child credit for passing. However, if the caregiver says that the child seeks attention by smiling when she sees them, the behavior as described, does not meet the pass criteria. You would still circle CR and write down the child’s behavior, but you ld not give the child credit for the item.

Administering Procedures Cont. Observation (O): Circle O if you observe the child exhibiting the target behavior in spontaneous interactions with you, the caregiver or anyone else in the room. Example: Uses at least five words. The child may not have labeled five toys or objects in response to the item stimulus. However, if the child names five different toys or objects during the session, you can circle O and give the child credit.

Methods of Assessment Cont. Elicitation (E): Circle E if you are able to elicit the target behavior from the child using the eliciting procedures described in the Administration Directions. * You can assess the child by using any two or all three of the described methods, in any combination. The child does not get additional credit if you circle more than one code for an item.

Pass Criteria “1” Circle the 1 if the child’s response meets the pass criterion for an item. “0” Circle the 0 if the child’s response does not meet the criterion for an item. * If a child self-corrects a response on any item, even if the self-correction occurs later in the test session, write SC next to item and record the child’s revised response. Rescore the item based on the self- correction.

Basal and Ceiling Basal Ceiling Child scores 1 on three consecutive items. __________________________________________ Ceiling Child scores 0 on six consecutive items.

Administering Practice Items: “Practice items are included for many items throughout the test and provide any additional support the child needs during each practice item, such as demonstrating or modeling the correct responses. After the child demonstrates that he or she is able to complete a task, resent the test stimuli.” Repeating Directions: It is acceptable to repeat a stimulus for the child once. Providing Additional Cues/Supports: If you plan to use normative data do not make any type of modification to the test procedures.

Administering Directions Refer to pages 25-99 in the PLS-5 Administering and Scoring Manual for detailed instructions on how to administer each test item. Watch Video footage of PLS-5 being administered.

Calculating Scores Step 1 Calculating Raw Scores: Record the number of the last item administered on the Record Form. Subtract the number of 0 scores from this item number.

Calculating Scores Step 2 Converting Raw Scores to Standard Scores: Use the tables in appendix A to convert raw scores obtained to (1) standard scores (2) percentile ranks (3) confidence intervals (the range of scores within which you would expect the child’s score to lie).

QUESTIONS ?