Language is an indispensable tool for general learning. Impairment in language negatively affects individuals’ academic, intellectual, and social development. Thus, early identification of language delay, which is a prerequisite of early intervention, is crucial to one’s overall development in the long term. In Hong Kong, the testing of language abilities in preschool children are conducted by professional speech-language pathologists through informal and/or formal assessments. In particular, the latter approach requires the administration of standardized tests that are validated in the local population. However, only a handful of language screening and assessment tools for Cantonese-speaking preschool children are currently available. Our project aims to produce a validated and standardized test battery for the testing of language abilities in preschool children in Hong Kong.

This proposal is built upon the success of two preceding works. From 2015 to 2018, our team took up the consultancy role to assist in the development and validation of a language test tool known as the Macau Cantonese Language Screening Scale for Preschool Children (MacCLASS-P) for use in Macau with the support of the Macau Foundation and the Macau Deaf Association. With the support of the Health and Medical Research Fund, our team started to develop a similar language screening and assessment tool, known as the Hong Kong Cantonese Language ASSessment for Preschool children (HKCLASS-P), for children aged 2;00 to 3;11 in Hong Kong. A total of 153 items have been constructed and their psychometric properties have been evaluated in 366 children in a field test. With the validated item pool developed in the previous projects, this project aims to produce the testing kits of HKCLASS-P, which serve the purpose of screening and assessment of language abilities in preschool children.

Language learning permeates all aspects of life as learning requires language. As indicated in the scientific literature, language competency is critical to academic, intellectual and social development. Thus, individuals with language delay are believed to be vulnerable to stagnant development in other areas. The proposed project provides a reliable tool for the early identification of language delay in Cantonese-speaking preschool children in Hong Kong. It is hoped that children with language delay and/or other communication needs can receive early intervention.

Speech-language pathologistsHealth professionals who are eligible to use the screening module of the test, e.g. psychologists

2021

Education, Speech therapy