BEST can be delivered to children with either monolingual or bilingual backgrounds. In order to decide the appropriate language for the delivery of BEST the SLT should complete a language case history and  discuss the recommended therapy input language with the child’s parent(s)/carer.

We have developed resources for three languages: Polish, Sylheti and Mirpuri. 

LIVELY Bilingual language exposure and development questionnaire/interview/case history

This Bilingual Language Exposure Questionnaire (pdf) was developed as part of the LIVELY bilingual study. It is an adapted version of an original created by Dr Carolyn Letts. 

The language exposure questionnaire is designed to be used as part of the initial assessment process. The questionnaire assists in differentiating children who present with Language Difficulties / Developmental Language Disorder (DLD), from those with slow/incomplete additional language learning.

Language Difficulties / Developmental Language Disorder (DLD) is characterised by difficulties acquiring both or all the languages the child is exposed to, despite sufficient opportunities to hear and use those languages.

In contrast, additional language learning difficulties are caused by lack of sufficient exposure to languages (typically the language of education such as English as an additional language or EAL).

The questionnaire is designed to capture concerns around home language and additional language development from parent(s)/carers and/or school staff. It details the languages the child speaks and is exposed to at home and in everyday situations. This ensures an accurate picture of the child’s language exposure, strengths and areas of needs.

There are other language exposure questionnaires available:

• BabyLab Language Exposure Questionnaire (LEQ): https://www.psy.plymouth.ac.uk/LEQ/ [psy.plymouth.ac.uk]
• LITMUS Parental Bilingual Questionnaire (PABIQ): https://www.bi-sli.org/pabiq [bi-sli.org] 
• See also: Pert, Sean (2023).  Working with children experiencing speech and language disorders in a bilingual context: a home language approach. First edition. London: Routledge  

To cite: Letts, C., Pert, S., Ashton, E., Jack, C., Stringer, H., McKean, C. (2024) LIVELY Bilingual language exposure and language development questionnaire/interview/case history. Building Early Sentences Therapy https://research.ncl.ac.uk/best/bilingual-best

For more information

Building Early Sentences in Your Language: a service evaluation study of the 'BEST' home language intervention (2012) by Mckean, Pert and Stow

RCSLT Poster from the same conference as the above information