A language assessment for preschool Zulu speaking children

Abstract

Early ldentification of a language disorder in a child's life is essential to prevent serious and long-term effects. One of the most effective methods currently available to speech-language therapists for identification of language impairment is the use of standardised language tests. However, at present no standardised language test exists in Zulu, despite this being the dominant language of the majority of the South African population. Thus, the aims of this study were to develop, pilot test and standardise a linguistically and culturally appropriate receptive and expressive Zulu language assessment for preschool children. The research was divided into two phases, a pre-standardisation phase and a standardisation phase. Both phases of the research utilised two groups of subjects, respondents and research assistants. The respondents in the pre-standardisation phase comprised 255 children aged between two years and six months and five years and five months. Twelve research assistants administered, coded and analysed the data. All subjects were dominant Zulu language speakers and resident in Soweto. The Zulu expressive Receptive Language Assessment (ZERLA) WaS developed using Lahey's (1988) universal developmental model of language and studies of Zulu language acquistion (Suzanman, 1991). Zulu's characteristic linguistic components viz, noun classes, agreement and verb suffixes Were assessed according to Soweto Zulu, an urban based variety, Parent and teacher reports were devised and administered to obtain biographical and sociolinguistic information as well as data on language acquisition.