Understanding Communication Starts with the Right Assessment
When you have concerns about speech, language, communication, cognition, voice, fluency, literacy, or swallowing, it can be difficult to know exactly what kind of support is needed.
A comprehensive assessment with a registered Speech-Language Pathologist (SLP) helps answer those questions.
At S.L. Hunter SpeechWorks, our Speech-Language Pathologists provide individualized assessments for children, youth, adults, and seniors. An assessment helps us understand a person's strengths, identify areas of difficulty, and determine whether treatment or other supports may be helpful.
Assessment is not simply about identifying a particular areas of difficulty or obtaining a test score. Our goal is to understand how communication difficulties are affecting the person's everyday life — at home, at school, at work and in the community — and to develop practical recommendations based on their individual needs.
What Can a Speech-Language Assessment Look At?
Depending on the reason for referral, an assessment may examine one or several areas of communication.
Speech
Assessment may explore how clearly a person produces speech sounds and whether there are difficulties related to:
- articulation
- phonological development
- motor speech
- childhood apraxia of speech
- dysarthria
- overall speech intelligibility
Learn more about Speech Difficulties and Speech Therapy.
Language
Language assessment can help us understand how a person processes and uses language.
This may include:
- understanding spoken language
- following directions
- vocabulary
- sentence formulation
- grammar
- expressing ideas
- telling and understanding stories
- word finding
- higher-level language skills
Learn more about Language Difficulties and Language Therapy.
Social Communication
Some children and adults have difficulty knowing how to use communication effectively with other people, even when their vocabulary or sentence skills appear strong.
Assessment may explore:
- initiating and maintaining conversations
- back-and-forth interaction
- interpreting social information
- understanding non-literal language
- perspective taking
- adapting communication for different people and situations
Learn more about Social Difficulties and Social Skills Therapy.
Autism & Communication
An SLP assessment can explore an autistic person's individual communication profile, including spoken language, comprehension, social communication and other ways of communicating.
Our focus is on identifying communication strengths and needs and determining supports that can help the person communicate, participate and be understood.
Learn more about Autism Communication Therapy.
Stuttering and Fluency
Assessment can examine the nature and frequency of disruptions in speech fluency as well as the impact that stuttering may have on communication, confidence and participation.
Learn more about Stuttering and Stuttering Therapy.
Reading and Writing
Speech-Language Pathologists can also assess language-based skills that contribute to literacy.
Depending on the person's needs, assessment may explore:
- phonological awareness
- decoding
- reading comprehension
- written language
- spelling
- organizing and expressing ideas in writing
Learn more about Reading Difficulties and Writing Difficulties.
Cognitive-Communication
Changes in attention, memory, organization, problem solving, processing speed or executive functioning can significantly affect communication.
Cognitive-communication assessment may be appropriate following:
- concussion
- traumatic brain injury
- stroke
- neurological illness or disease
- other acquired brain injury
Assessment focuses not only on specific cognitive-communication skills but also on how those difficulties affect real-world activities such as conversations, school, employment and independent daily functioning.
Learn more about Brain Injury, Concussion and Cognitive-Communication Therapy.
Voice and Communication
Voice assessment may be appropriate when there are concerns about vocal quality, pitch, loudness, endurance or comfort when speaking.
S.L. Hunter SpeechWorks also provides specialized voice assessment services, including access to a fully equipped voice lab and videostroboscopy when appropriate.
Learn more about Voice Disorders and Voice Therapy.
Gender-affirming voice and communication assessment and training are also available.
Learn more about Gender-Affirming Voice and Communication Training.
Swallowing and Feeding
Speech-Language Pathologists assess swallowing and feeding difficulties across the lifespan.
Assessment may help determine whether there are concerns related to the safety or efficiency of eating and drinking and whether strategies, treatment, further medical investigation or an instrumental swallowing assessment may be appropriate.
Learn more about Swallowing and Feeding Disorders.
What Happens During an Assessment?
Every assessment is different because every client is different.
Depending on the person's age, concerns and goals, an assessment may include:
- discussion of developmental, medical, educational and communication history
- interview with the client, parent or caregiver
- review of previous assessments or other relevant reports
- observation of communication
- standardized assessment tools
- informal or functional assessment activities
- discussion of how communication is affecting everyday activities
- analysis and interpretation by the Speech-Language Pathologist
For children, assessment may involve play, conversation and age-appropriate activities in addition to formal testing.
For adults, assessment may incorporate activities that reflect the person's real-life communication demands at home, socially, academically or professionally.
We select assessment methods based on the individual rather than using the same assessment battery for everyone.
After the Assessment
Following the assessment, your Speech-Language Pathologist will discuss the findings with you and explain what they mean.
Recommendations may include:
- speech-language therapy
- strategies for home, school or work
- parent or caregiver education
- communication accommodations
- consultation with teachers, employers or other professionals
- referral to another healthcare professional or service
- additional or more specialized assessment
- monitoring without immediate treatment
When treatment is recommended, assessment findings are used to develop individualized goals.
You are not automatically committed to treatment with SpeechWorks simply because you have completed an assessment with us.
Assessment for Children and Adults
Communication needs can emerge at any stage of life.
Our Speech-Language Pathologists assess and support:
- Children — including preschool and school-aged communication, speech, language, literacy, fluency and social communication concerns.
- Youth — including communication demands related to school, friendships, independence and preparation for post-secondary education or employment.
- Adults — including developmental and acquired communication needs, professional communication, voice, fluency, neurological communication difficulties and cognitive-communication.
- Seniors — including communication and swallowing changes associated with stroke, brain injury and neurological or age-related conditions.
Farsi/Persian Speech-Language Services
Assessment through SpeechWorks. Treatment available in Farsi through Persian Speech Clinic.
S.L. Hunter SpeechWorks is pleased to partner with Persian Speech Clinic to improve access to speech-language services for Farsi/Persian-speaking families.
Through this partnership, comprehensive speech-language assessments are completed by a registered Speech-Language Pathologist with S.L. Hunter SpeechWorks.
When treatment is recommended and appropriate, treatment in Farsi is available through Persian Speech Clinic, with intervention provided within our collaborative service model.
This allows families to access the clinical expertise of a registered Speech-Language Pathologist for assessment and treatment planning while having the option of ongoing communication intervention delivered in Farsi.
Learn more about treatment in Farsi through Persian Speech Clinic.
Not Sure What Kind of Assessment You Need?
You don't need to determine that before contacting us.
Tell us what you are noticing and what you would like help with. Our team can help determine which type of speech-language assessment is most appropriate and connect you with an SLP whose experience matches your needs.
Request a Speech-Language Assessment