Using SALT Software

Overview

Language sample analysis has long been held as a valid indicator of expressive language performance in children. Several factors, however, have limited its general use including a lack of standardized procedures for eliciting language samples, validated measurement categories, normative data, and relevant interpretation strategies. Over the past several years, each of these issues has been addressed through research projects funded in public school settings in Wisconsin. Analyses of data obtained from these research projects on Wisconsin school children have lead to the development of standardized language sampling procedures, language sample norms and interpretation strategies which can be used in the evaluation process for determining the existence of a handicapping condition in expressive language. These data also have direct implications for determining special education program intervention strategies and in monitoring student progress. The language sample norms obtained from these research projects have been stored in the SALT Reference Databases which is included as part of the SALT Software.

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Learn about SALT Spanish and Bilingual Transcripts

Language Sample Analysis Using SALT

1. Collect a language sample

Although there are guidelines to follow when collecting a sample, there are no restrictions as to the sampling context, the number of speakers, or the length of the sample. There is extensive help built into the SALT Software, with suggestions for collecting language samples that are representative of the individual's language. Language samples are usually tape recorded or video taped.

2. Type the transcript into the computer

Type the transcript into the computer following the SALT transcript-entry conventions. You are given many options in entering transcript data. Although there are certain "musts", examples of some of the options that are available include the following:

  • marking bound morphemes and verb tenses
  • entering pauses
  • marking overlapping speech
  • adding your own comments or entering identification information
  • marking unintelligible, partly unintelligible, or incomplete utterances
  • marking omissions, false starts, repetitions, or reformulations
  • inserting timing markers

Sample SALT Transcript

There may also be some features of the language sample that you are interested in marking for which there is no convention. That is where SALT's coding option is used. A code, which consists of a set of characters enclosed within square brackets [like these], may be inserted almost anywhere within the transcript without affecting the analyses. For example, they may be attached to words to mark errors in pronunciation or use; or they may be inserted at the end of the utterance to mark type or appropriateness of response. The more information you put into your transcript, the more you will get out.

An editor is included as part of the SALT Software for typing in the transcript and checking it for transcript-entry errors. This editor was designed to make transcript entry as easy as possible. It contains built-in help screens with information on using the editor and entering transcripts following the SALT transcript-entry conventions. The editor identifies errors in transcript format and positions you at the point of each error in the transcript.

3. Analyze your language sample

The SALT Software contains an assortment of standard analyses. Some of the information from the analyses include:

  • types of utterances including distribution of imitations, responses to questions, incomplete, unintelligible, and nonverbal utterances
  • calculation of total number of words, type token ratio, mean length of utterance, and Brown's linguistic stage
  • number and length of pauses and rate of speaking
  • lists and frequencies of word roots, bound morphemes, and codes
  • distributions of utterances by length in terms of words and morphemes
  • distribution of speaker turns by length in terms of consecutive utterances
  • frequencies for sets of words, including question words, negatives, conjunctions, modal and semi-auxiliaries, pronouns, and any set of words you define
  • number and types of mazes (filled pauses, repetitions, revisions)

4. Compare your language sample to the SALT reference databases

Compare your transcript to a database of normative language measures. The individual may be matched on age, grade, gender, sampling context, and transcript length. Matched records are selected from the database and mean, range and standard deviation statistics are given from many of the analysis variables. There are several reference databases included with the SALT Software.

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