ABLLS

ASSESSMENT OF BASIC
LANGUAGE AND LEARNING
SKILLS -R
 Learning Objectives
• The learners will be introduces to a thorough description of the
content within the Assessment of Basic Language and Learning Skills.-
Revised Protocol.
• The learner will become familiar with scoring the ABBLS-R.
 What is ABBLS?
• Developed and revised by Dr. James Partington in 1996.
• ABBLS r is an assessment, curriculum guide, and skill tracking system
for children specially with language delays. Containing a task analysis
of skills necessary for successfully communicate and learn for life
experiences.
• It is based of BF Skinner’s analysis of verbal behaviors and focuses on
function of language.
• It was designed to assess children with language delays and covers
several domains including social, play, academic, self-help and motor
skills.
 Description of the ABLLS-R
• The ABLLS-R assesses 25 Domains within 4 Areas:
• Language Skills – Cooperation and Reinforcer Effectiveness, Visual
Performance, Receptive Language, Vocal Imitation, Requests, Labelling,
Intraverbal, Spontaneous Language.
• Academic Skills – Play and Leisure, Social Interaction, Group
Instruction, Group Instruction, Classroom Routines, Generalized
Responding, Reading, Math, Writing, Spelling.
• Motor Skills – Imitation, Gross Motor, Fine Motor
• Self Help – Dressing, Eating, Grooming, Toileting.
 A criterion-reference assessment
• Measures how well a student performs against ab objective or
criterian rather than other student.
• Dr. Partington conducted research to quantify the nature of specific
skill acquisition by typically developing children across 25 domains.
• Data showed typically developing children acquire most of the basic
language and learning skills measured by the ABLLS-R, by the time they
are 3 to 4 years of age. • These data make it possible to use the
criterion-based measures of this tool to identify specific differences in
the acquisition of basic skills between children with ASD and typically
developing children at specific ages.
 For whom is this appropriate?
• Students with language delays that significantly impact their learning
• Young children • Students with moderate to severe learning
impairments • In general, for those with skills at the 7 year old
developmental level or lower
 Purpose
To identify those language and other critical skills that are in need of
intervention in order for a child to become more capable of learning
from his everyday environment.”
To provide a measure of other important skills such as academic, motor
skills and self-help skills.
 Rationale
• Skills acquisition for students with ASD is different than typical
students.
• Goals can be based on the student’s ability level
• Teaching a few critical skills can increase the student’s ability to
acquire new skills without specialized teaching conditions.
• Students learn how to learn!
 Advantages
• Emphasis on function over structure
• Motivation
• Variety of skills measured (language, academics, self-help, motor
skills)
• Measures generalization of skills
• Tracks skills over time – easily referenced
• Provides specific information for teaching objectives.
 Disadvantages
• Skills are not compared to the learner’s age group - age norms not
provided.
• Those administering the assessment should have a fundamental
understanding of verbal behaviour.