I repeated the Language Link screen with one of my pupils today. We’ve put intervention in place for this pupil and were hoping to see an improvement when comparing the first screen with the recent one, but they’ve achieved similar standard scores. Does the fact that the standard score hasn’t changed mean that they haven’t made progress?
Let’s start by thinking about what the Language Link screen is designed to do. We know that language difficulties are challenging to spot through observation alone, which can lead to pupils with language difficulties being missed or identified late. The goal of the Language Link screen is to help you to:
- Identify all pupils who have difficulty understanding language.
- Decide which pupils would benefit from having support to develop their language skills, either in the classroom or through small group interventions.
- Identify pupils who may need to be discussed with your local specialist services.
Your question suggests that you’re attempting to use the Language Link screen as a progress measure. It’s important to note that this tool is not designed to measure progress and using it as such can be misleading. The screen identifies the level of a pupil’s understanding of language in relation to their peers and highlights areas of need. This is why we recommend completing the screen only once a year, at the start of the academic year, to identify whether a pupil would benefit from language support and determine what form that support should take.
It’s also helpful to consider what standard scores represent. Standard scores compare a pupil’s performance to a wider population of their peers. Even if a pupil has made progress with their language skills, their standard score may remain unchanged if their progress is in line with that of their peers. This doesn’t mean the pupil hasn’t improved; it just means that their relative position compared to peers hasn’t shifted.
The aim of intervention should always be to improve a pupil’s overall language skills, not just to improve their score on a particular test. When it comes to measuring the impact of interventions, it’s vital to use tools that reflect progress in functional language skills, the outcomes of interventions, and the pupil’s ability to access learning in the classroom.
The progress measures available in the Infant and Junior Language Link packages include:
Teacher engagement ratings – You’ll find these in the ‘Progress Measures’ tab
Pupil and parent views – Available under the green ‘Pupils & Classes’ tab
Group intervention outcomes – You can record session outcomes in the ‘Intervention’ tab (Work with Groups)
Post-test scores from supplementary teaching – Outcomes can be recorded in the ‘Intervention’ tab (Supplementary Teaching)
In summary then, the Language Link screen is a great starting point for identifying pupils with language needs and identifying appropriate support. However, rescreening is not the best way to assess whether an intervention has made a meaningful impact. Instead, focus on pre- and post-intervention progress measures and real-world improvements in the pupil’s language skills. Look for changes in their classroom engagement, confidence in communication, and ability to participate in discussions and learning activities.