New Scales for the Assessment of Language Development in Young Children

Abstract

The Reynell Developmental Language Scales (R.D.L.S.) were developed in response to a clinical need at a center for handicapped children. They are designed for the separate assessment of different aspects of language development over the age range one to five years. The scales are based on the normal pattern of language development. They were developed with handicapped children and then standardized on a sample of 636 non-handicapped children in southeast England. Three scales are described; Verbal Comprehension A, which requires no speech; Verbal Comprehension B, which requires neither speech nor hand function; and Expressive Language, which includes separate sections on language structure, vocabulary, and content.