From the Research
The aspect of language not assessed with the TOLD-P:4 is pragmatics. The Test of Language Development Primary, Fourth Edition (TOLD-P:4) focuses on assessing syntax (sentence structure), semantics (word meaning and relationships), and morphology (word structures), but it does not evaluate pragmatic language skills. Pragmatics involves the social use of language, including conversational turn-taking, maintaining appropriate topics, understanding non-literal language, and adapting communication to different contexts and listeners. This is a significant limitation of the TOLD-P:4, as pragmatic language skills are essential for effective communication in social settings. As a school SLP, you would need to supplement this assessment with other measures specifically designed to evaluate pragmatic language abilities to ensure comprehensive language assessment of your students, as studies have shown that pragmatic skills are crucial for communication and are often impaired in individuals with language disorders 1, 2. Some studies have explored the relationship between pragmatic competence and linguistic and cognitive profiles in individuals with dyslexia, highlighting the importance of assessing pragmatic skills in language development 2. Additionally, research has demonstrated that early vocabulary skills are predictive of later language development, but not necessarily pragmatic skills, emphasizing the need for separate assessments of pragmatics 3. Therefore, it is essential to use a comprehensive approach to language assessment, including measures of pragmatics, to ensure that students receive accurate diagnoses and effective interventions.