A language skills test that measures comprehension but doesn't require a child to produce words.

In administering the Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test, the examiner says a word, and the child is asked to point to the one of four pictures on a page that corresponds to the word spoken. The sequence of words progresses from easy to more complex, but the test is only continued to the limit of the child's ability. Performance is measured by comparison with that of other children in the same age group, and test results are expressed as a percentile ranking and an educational age equivalent. Because the Peabody picture test requires no verbal response, it can be administered to very young children, children for whom English is a second language, and to children with language disorders.

For Further Study

Books

Cohen, Libby G., and Loraine J. Spenciner. Assessment of Young Children. New York: Longman, 1994.

McCullough, Virginia. Testing and Your Child: What You Should Know About 150 of the Most Common Medical, Educational, and Psychological Tests. New York: Plume, 1992.

Wortham, Sue Clark. Tests and Measurement in Early Childhood Education. Columbus: Merrill Publishing Co., 1990.