COMD 570 Introduction to Language Development Dr.

Barnes

Class Project

Collecting and Analyzing a Spontaneous Language Sample

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Find a child between the ages of one and three years.

2. Collect a spontaneous language sample, consisting of at least 50 scorable utterances.

3. Using the form provided, transcribe the language sample. (transcribe in English, NOT
phonetically). Make as many copies of this form as needed.

4. Count the number of morphemes used in each utterance and record this number on the
form.

5. Calculate your child’s mean length of utterance (MLU), using the rules and criteria described
on the attached page.

6. Determine where the child is, developmentally, according to Brown’s stages.

7. Conduct a pragmatic analysis of the language sample by determining what type of function
each utterance (i.e., communicative act) serves. For example:

Requesting Objects
Requesting Action
Requesting Assistance
Requesting Answers (information)
Answering
Labeling
Informing
Imitating (repeating)
Rejecting (protesting)
Interacting (calling, greeting, or signaling)

8. On the form entitled “Language Sample Project Cover Page”, summarize your child’s
repertoire of pragmatic functions.
COMD 570 INTRODUCTION TO LANGUAGE DEVELOPMENT Dr. Barnes

Name: Caroline Boykin

LANGUAGE SAMPLE PROJECT

COVER PAGE

Child’s Chronological Age: 3

Child’s MLU: 4.02

Child’s MLU Stage: Stage IV

Child’s repertoire of pragmatic functions:

Percent*
Pragmatic Function Occurrence

Informing 27/50= 54%

Answering 9/50= 18%

Labeling 4/50= 8%

Requesting information 4/50=8%

Requesting action 4/50=8%

Interacting 1/50= 2%

Requesting assistance 1/50= 2%

*If requests for objects occurred 10 times during the 50-item sample, then the percent
occurrence would be 20% (i.e., 10/50)
Utterance Number of
Child's Utterance Pragmatic Function
Number Morphemes

 1 Shaking and we looked out the window  Informing  9

 2  Go in front with the pilot  Informing  6
 3  Stingrays  Answering  2
 4  They jumped  Informing  3
 5  I pet them  Informing  3
 6  Can you help us find him?  Requesting assistance  6
 7  I fed her a carrot  Informing  5
 8  It is an airplane now  Informing  5
 9  Airplane robot  Labeling  2
 10  Cut wood  Informing  2
 11  What is it?  Requesting information  3
 12  It’s gone  Informing  3
 13  Wanna go down the slide?  Requesting action  5
 14  They might come to the pool  Informing  6
 15  My robot can come too  Informing  5
 16  Can you come to Nooks?  Requesting information  5
 17  You wanna go to Nooks?  Requesting action  5
 18  I can’t  Answering  3
 19  I can’t sing  Answering  4
 20  Let it go (his favorite song)  Answering  3
 21  No, it’s not hot enough  Answering  6
 22  We’re going to find brother  Informing  7
 23  It does transform  Informing  4
Utterance Number of
Child's Utterance Pragmatic Function
Number Morphemes

 24 I’m just a boy  Informing  5

 25  I’m not a princess  Answering  5
 26 Mommy is a princess  Informing  4
 27  You are  Answering  2
 28  Crew  Informing  1
 29  I got you  Informing  3
 30  Let’s go get that ambulance  Labeling  6
 31  See that moped  Labeling  3
 32  Give me my robot  Requesting action  4
 33  I will drill you (with the toy, he was feeling wild after a Starbucks cake pop)  Informing  4
 34  Pink cake pop  Informing  2
 35  It’s all gone  Answering  4
 36  What that?  Requesting information  2
 37  I like Starbucks  Informing  3
 38  Mom gave me candy  Informing  4
 39  Pool with the big slide  Labeling  5
 40  This summer we swim  Informing  4
 41  And go to the zoo  Informing  5
 42 Go with grandma  Informing  3
 43 Where they go?  Requesting information  3
 44  Home to find brother  Informing  4
 45  My big brother  Informing  3
 46   My sister here too  Informing  4
 47 She is my big sister Answering  5
 48 We have fun spring break  Informing  5
 49   Let’s go home!  Requesting action  4
 50   Yay home!  Interacting  2