SALT Instructional Version $495 An Instructional Tool for Teaching About Language Sample Analysis Buy | Upgrade

Case Study Examples | Digital Equipment | Student CDs

Do you plan to use SALT as part of your classroom instruction? The Instructional Version, available to colleges and universities, is designed for meeting this type of use. With an Instructional License, the instructor may install the SALT software on any number of campus computers or networks and may use the software for classroom instruction and for clinical services associated with student training. The SALT Student CD, available for student purchase, contains an identical version of the software.

What is included?

• The SALT 2010 Instructional software with transcription editor, standard reports, and the reference databases for age-matched comparisons. All of the SALT reference databases are included - those included in both the English version and the Bilingual (Spanish/English) version.
• The printed SALT manual with case studies and step-by-step instructions for eliciting, transcribing, and analyzing language samples. The manual is also provided as a pdf file, accessible from within the software. The instructor may freely copy the manual as needed for instruction.

What are the steps?

1. Elicit a language sample

   Although there are guidelines to follow when collecting a sample, there are no restrictions as to the sampling context, the number of speakers, or the length of the sample. There is extensive help built into the SALT software, with suggestions for collecting language samples that are representative of the speaker's language and can be compared to age-matched peers selected from the SALT reference databases. Language samples are usually recorded, either audio only or audio/video. Consider going digital for better sound quality and more playback options.

2. Transcribe the language sample

   Type the transcript into the computer using some type of controlled playback system and following the SALT transcript-entry conventions. An easy-to-use editor is included as part of the SALT software for typing in the transcript and checking it for transcript-entry errors.

   You are given many options in entering transcript data. Although there are certain "musts", examples of some of the options that are available include: adding identification information and comments, marking bound morphemes, pauses, overlapping speech, unintelligible segments, omissions, mazes (filled pauses, repetitions, reformulations), elapsed time, and errors.

   Example SALT transcripts

3. Calculate standard measures

   Select from a variety of standard analyses. These analyses, when selected, are displayed on the screen and you have the option of printing them. You may also edit the analyses and cut or copy them into your reports. Some of the information from the standard analyses include:

   • Syntax - MLU in words and morphemes; Brown's linguistic stage and expected age range; and types of utterances including distribution of incomplete, unintelligible, and nonverbal utterances
   • Morphology - lists and frequencies of bound morphemes, including those omitted in obligatory context
   • Lexicon - lists and frequencies of words; total number of words; number of different words, type token ratio; and frequencies for particular sets of words, including question words, negatives, conjunctions, auxiliaries, and pronouns
   • Fluency and Rate - types of mazes (fillers, repetitions, reformulations); distribution of mazes by length of maze and by length of utterance; speaking rate in words per minute; and number and length of pauses within and between utterances
   • Discourse - analysis of speaker turns by length in terms of consecutive words and utterances; utterance categories including imitations, responses to questions, and spontaneous
   
   
4. Compare to age-matched peers

   Compare your transcript to a database of normative language measures. The individual may be matched on age, grade, gender, sampling context, and transcript length. Matched records are selected from the database and mean, range and standard deviation statistics are given for many of the analysis variables. The following reference databases are included with the software:

   • Conversation
   • Narrative SSS (Student Selects Story)
   • Narrative Story Retell
   • Expository
   • Gillam Narrative Tasks
   • Edmonton Narrative Norms Instrument
   • New Zealand databases
   • Bilingual Spanish/English Story Retell

   View case study examples of how SALT can be used for assessment.

Price: $495

How to Order | Buy Now | Upgrade Information | Upgrade Now

System Requirements:

SALT Demo

Try SALT 2010 before you buy.

SALT Brochure

Request or download our product brochure.

SALT Databases

Review the reference databases available with SALT.

Case Study Examples

See how SALT can be used for assessment.

Adobe Reader

Download Adobe Reader®, which is needed to view the case studies and other documents.