Describing the spoken language skills of typically developing Afrikaans-speaking children using language sample analysis : a pilot study

Abstract

Language sample analysis is widely regarded as the gold standard of language assessment in multilingual contexts such as South Africa. However, the limited availability of developmental language data for Afrikaans and the uncertainty regarding the length of sample guidelines complicate its reliable use. The study aimed to provide guidelines on the length of sample necessary to yield a representative language sample and concurrently provide a preliminary description of the spoken language skills of Afrikaans-speaking children, using language sample analysis.

The study involved thirty typically developing Afrikaans-speaking children aged between 3;6 (years; months), and 9;6. A descriptive research design was used to transcribe and analyse one-hour interactions collected in natural environments of participants recruited using referral sampling. Video and audio recordings of the samples were transcribed using adapted SUGAR analysis procedures.

Results indicated that mean length of utterance in words, number of different words, and the total number of words stabilise at 30 minutes and no significant differences were found between 30 minutes and longer time segments. The morphosyntactic skill results compared well to existing guidelines. Lexical diversity results correlated with the findings of the lexical specificity and accuracy in the Prutting and Kirchner Pragmatic Protocol. The developmental trajectories for pragmatic and phonological development were consistent with existing guidelines.

The study concluded that 30-minute interactions provide a representative discourse sample for Afrikaans-speaking children who are between 3;6 and 9;6. It provides promising preliminary developmental data and clinical guidelines, confirming the potential of language sample analysis as a reliable component of language assessment in Afrikaans.