Methodology for selecting words in a lexical assessment task for kindergarten to primary school children

Vocabulary comprehension and production constitute a fundamental aspect of proficient communication (Ebbels et al., 2022). Consequently, its assessment is an integral part of speech therapy evaluation in the context of developmental language disorder (DLD). Research indicates that children with DLD have difficulty learning, retaining and using vocabulary (McGregor et al., 2020), often presenting a comparatively reduced lexicon compared to their peers without DLD (Nash & Donaldson, 2005). Currently, there is no validated, computerized French-language tool with the same lexical items for naming and designation. However, the assessment of both receptive and productive aspects of lexical items is relevant to the specificity of the diagnosis (e.g., a lexical access difficulties versus a lack of vocabulary) (Bragard et al., 2010). Furthermore, the integration of digital technology allows for greater standardization of measurements, particularly in encoding response time (Ecalle et al., 2021).
This poster presents the specific methodology for developing a computerized lexical comprehension and production task for children from third kindergarten to fifth primary. First, the target items (which were the same in comprehension and production) were selected based on their age of acquisition, frequency, and imageability (according to the Lexique 3.83 database). Second, for the designation task, four distractors were selected for each target item, based on the same variables. Third, the level of relevance and evocation of the visual illustration of each target and control item were validated with 48 adults. Finally, the principle of anchor items was used to apply an item response model to the analysis of data to be collected from a sample of 300 children.