SLP Practice Praxis (Form 3) Exam
As part of a routine preschool screening, an SLP tests a 4 year old whose speech is
characterized by sound omissions, hypernasality, nasal emission, and weak
consonants. Which of the following would be most appropriately evaluated initially?
A.Oral-motor behavior
B.Velopharyngeal function
C.Laryngeal function
D.Phonological awareness - Answer Option (B) is correct. The characteristics described
are consistent with a resonance disorder, hence velopharyngeal function would be
evaluated initially.
Which of the following is the minimal contrast approach most appropriately used to
treat?
A.Phonological disorders
B.Dysphagia
C.Dysarthria
D.Global aphasia - Answer Option (A) is correct. Minimal contrast approach was one of
the first approaches designed to adhere to phonological principles of intervention.
Alicia is a fourth-grade student with a language impairment that interferes with her
academic performance and social communication. On a standardized test of expressive
language ability, she received an overall score of 97.5, placing her in the 65th
percentile. Alicia's test result indicates that she
A.performed as well as or better than 65% of the individuals on whom the norms were
developed
B.responded correctly to 65% of the 150 items included in the expressive-language test
C.performed as well as or better than 65% of the other fourth graders who took the
same test
D.responded correctly to 97.5% of the test items, as did 65% of the other children taking
the test - Answer Option (A) is correct. Percentile rank is the percentage of the scores
within the norm range that are equal to or lower than the score gained by the student.
Which THREE of the following variables are considered risk factors for late language
emergence?
A.Male gender
B.Access to print material
C.Low socioeconomic status
D.Moderately low birth weight
E.Exposure to rich and varied vocabulary - Answer Options (A), (C), and (D) are correct.
Being of male gender is a risk factor cited by both ASHAA S H A and researchers for
,late-talking toddlers. Having a low SESS E S is considered a risk factor by ASHAA S H
A and researchers for late talking. Finally low birth weight is a risk factor as well.
During a trip to the grocery store, a three-year-old boy with delayed language points to
an apple on the floor and says to his mother, "Apple." The boy's mother says, "Yes,
that's a big, shiny apple."
Based on the mother's response, which of the following language stimulation techniques
is she using?
A.Imitation
B.Parallel talk
C.Think aloud
D.Expansion - Answer Option (D) is correct. Expansion is a method that entails
providing a subject a more complex speech model but does not directly stimulate
another response from the subject.
An SLP works with a 4-year-old patient diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder. The
patient is nonverbal, does not have a functional communication system, and does not
follow simple directions. Which of the following communicative target goals is most
appropriate for the SLP to prioritize for the patient?
A.Matching identical pictures in an array of pictures
B.Requesting wants in any modality
C.Labeling of common items verbally
D.Imitating a sequence of two actions - Answer Option (B) is correct. Requests (mands)
are very important for the early development of language and for day-to-day verbal
interactions with others. Requests (mands) are usually the first type of communication
acquired by an infant.
A 75-year-old patient with a history of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease underwent
a three-vessel coronary artery bypass graft surgery. The patient needed to be intubated
for three days following surgery. After extubation, the medical team requested a swallow
consultation to determine if it was safe for the patient to take oral medications and
initiate oral nutrition. Based on the patient's condition, which of the following
assessment procedures is most appropriate for an SLP to practice?
A.Administering a clinical bedside swallow evaluation and recommending an oral diet as
there were no clinical signs or symptoms of aspiration during the evaluation
B.Deferring the evaluation for 24 hours because the patient was just extubated to allow
a possible improvement in the patient's swallow function before evaluation
C.Completing a clinical bedside swallow evaluation to determine patient readiness for
an instrumental evaluation and then completing the instrumental evaluation if the patient
is ready
D.Determining any preexisting dysphagia with the patient and the patient's family; if
there is no history of dysphagia, recommending to advance the patient's diet - Answer
Option (C) is correct. Several studies using instrumental assessment have concluded
that some patients recover airway protection and swallow function within 24 hours of
extubation and others much later than 24 hours post-extubation following prolonged
,endotracheal intubation, suggesting that a 24-hour "deferral time" benchmark is not
particularly useful.
Which of the following procedures is most important for an SLP to consider when
assessing the social aspect of a school-age child's communication skills?
A. Collecting a language sample to assess narrative skills
B. Assessing expressive vocabulary used by the child on a picture vocabulary test
C.Observing the child interacting with peers in natural settings, such as during recess
D.Looking for a discrepancy between the child's IQI Q and communication skills to
determine eligibility - Answer Option (C) is correct. Informal observation of a student in a
natural setting is part of a comprehensive assessment. A determination of eligibility for
SLP services in a school must be made from more than one source and should include
authentic assessment in an informal setting.
A study is conducted to determine how well a dysphagia screening test predicts
aspiration that is later confirmed with a videofluoroscopic swallow study (VFSSV F S S).
The study results are presented in the table below.
(Top left) Failed Screen/Aspiration: 45
(Bottom left) Passed Screen/Aspiration: 5
(Top right) Failed Screen/No Asp: 20
(Bottom right) Passed Screen/No Asp: 30
Which THREE of the following statements about this dysphagia screening test are true?
A. The screening test's sensitivity is 90%
B. The screening test's sensitivity is 69%
C. The screening test's specificity is 90%
D. The screening test's specificity is 60%
E. The number of false negatives was 5
F. The number of false negatives was 20 - Answer Options (A), (D), and (E) are correct.
The screening test's sensitivity is the proportion of patients who aspirated and failed the
screen (top cell in the first column) to the total of all patients who aspirated on the VFSS
(total of the first column); therefore, 45/50 = 0.9045 divided by 50, equals 0.90. The
screening test's specificity is the proportion of patients who did not aspirate and passed
the screen (bottom cell in the second column) to the total of all patients who did not
aspirate on the VFSS (total of second column); therefore, 30/50 = 0.6030 divided by 50,
equals 0.60. False negatives are patients who passed the screen who actually aspirated
on the VFSS (bottom cell of first column).
A study is conducted to determine how well a dysphagia screening test predicts
aspiration that is later confirmed with a videofluoroscopic swallow study (VFSSV F S S).
The study results are presented in the table below.
(Top left) Failed Screen/Aspiration: 45
(Bottom left) Passed Screen/Aspiration: 5
(Top right) Failed Screen/No Asp: 20
, (Bottom right) Passed Screen/No Asp: 30
Which TWO of the following statements about the results of a screening test are
correct?
A. Sensitivity is the proportion of people who fail the screening test who are aspirators
B.Specificity is the proportion of people who pass the screening test who are aspirators
C.Sensitivity is the proportion of people who pass the screening test who are not
aspirators
D.Specificity is the proportion of people who pass the screening test who are not
aspirators - Answer Options (A) and (D) are correct. The screening test's sensitivity is
the proportion of patients who aspirated and failed the screen (top cell in the first
column) to the total of all patients who aspirated (total of the first column). The
screening test's specificity is the proportion of patients who did not aspirate and passed
the screen (bottom cell in the second column) to the total of all patients who did not
aspirate on the VFSS (total of second column).
During a speech-language evaluation at a preschool, a child has difficulty with receptive
language tasks and responds with only one-word utterances to expressive language
items. The child's eye contact is poor throughout the session. When observed with the
other children in class, the child does not engage with peers but prefers self-stimulating
behaviors such as flapping arms and throwing papers up in the air. According to the
child's teacher, these are typical behaviors for the child. Given the data obtained, which
of the following steps is most appropriate for the SLP to take next?
A.Engaging in an inter-professional practice (IPP) to determine the appropriate
diagnosis of ASDA S D
B.Conducting the full evaluation when the child is more cooperative so that accurate
recommendations can be made
C.Initiating expressive language therapy to focus on expanding conversational
utterances
D.Training the teacher to deliver language stimulation tasks because the child does not
respond well to the SLP - Answer Option (A) is correct. Although it is in the SLP's scope
of practice to diagnose ASD, it is stated that best practice suggests a team approach
when making this determination.
Christel and Sharon are 14-month-old fraternal twins. Christel has more intelligible
words than her sister, although she talks far less frequently. Sharon speaks almost
exclusively in running jargon that nobody understands. Their parents are worried about
Sharon's development because her language skills appear to be behind those of her
sister. Which of the following is an SLP's best response to the parents' concern?
A.At Sharon's age, jargon is normal and may even continue for another three to four
months.
B.Christel's language development is more abnormal because she should be beyond
single words.
C.Both girls were exposed to the same language environments, so the relative lack of
intelligible words indicates a language delay.
As part of a routine preschool screening, an SLP tests a 4 year old whose speech is
characterized by sound omissions, hypernasality, nasal emission, and weak
consonants. Which of the following would be most appropriately evaluated initially?
A.Oral-motor behavior
B.Velopharyngeal function
C.Laryngeal function
D.Phonological awareness - Answer Option (B) is correct. The characteristics described
are consistent with a resonance disorder, hence velopharyngeal function would be
evaluated initially.
Which of the following is the minimal contrast approach most appropriately used to
treat?
A.Phonological disorders
B.Dysphagia
C.Dysarthria
D.Global aphasia - Answer Option (A) is correct. Minimal contrast approach was one of
the first approaches designed to adhere to phonological principles of intervention.
Alicia is a fourth-grade student with a language impairment that interferes with her
academic performance and social communication. On a standardized test of expressive
language ability, she received an overall score of 97.5, placing her in the 65th
percentile. Alicia's test result indicates that she
A.performed as well as or better than 65% of the individuals on whom the norms were
developed
B.responded correctly to 65% of the 150 items included in the expressive-language test
C.performed as well as or better than 65% of the other fourth graders who took the
same test
D.responded correctly to 97.5% of the test items, as did 65% of the other children taking
the test - Answer Option (A) is correct. Percentile rank is the percentage of the scores
within the norm range that are equal to or lower than the score gained by the student.
Which THREE of the following variables are considered risk factors for late language
emergence?
A.Male gender
B.Access to print material
C.Low socioeconomic status
D.Moderately low birth weight
E.Exposure to rich and varied vocabulary - Answer Options (A), (C), and (D) are correct.
Being of male gender is a risk factor cited by both ASHAA S H A and researchers for
,late-talking toddlers. Having a low SESS E S is considered a risk factor by ASHAA S H
A and researchers for late talking. Finally low birth weight is a risk factor as well.
During a trip to the grocery store, a three-year-old boy with delayed language points to
an apple on the floor and says to his mother, "Apple." The boy's mother says, "Yes,
that's a big, shiny apple."
Based on the mother's response, which of the following language stimulation techniques
is she using?
A.Imitation
B.Parallel talk
C.Think aloud
D.Expansion - Answer Option (D) is correct. Expansion is a method that entails
providing a subject a more complex speech model but does not directly stimulate
another response from the subject.
An SLP works with a 4-year-old patient diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder. The
patient is nonverbal, does not have a functional communication system, and does not
follow simple directions. Which of the following communicative target goals is most
appropriate for the SLP to prioritize for the patient?
A.Matching identical pictures in an array of pictures
B.Requesting wants in any modality
C.Labeling of common items verbally
D.Imitating a sequence of two actions - Answer Option (B) is correct. Requests (mands)
are very important for the early development of language and for day-to-day verbal
interactions with others. Requests (mands) are usually the first type of communication
acquired by an infant.
A 75-year-old patient with a history of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease underwent
a three-vessel coronary artery bypass graft surgery. The patient needed to be intubated
for three days following surgery. After extubation, the medical team requested a swallow
consultation to determine if it was safe for the patient to take oral medications and
initiate oral nutrition. Based on the patient's condition, which of the following
assessment procedures is most appropriate for an SLP to practice?
A.Administering a clinical bedside swallow evaluation and recommending an oral diet as
there were no clinical signs or symptoms of aspiration during the evaluation
B.Deferring the evaluation for 24 hours because the patient was just extubated to allow
a possible improvement in the patient's swallow function before evaluation
C.Completing a clinical bedside swallow evaluation to determine patient readiness for
an instrumental evaluation and then completing the instrumental evaluation if the patient
is ready
D.Determining any preexisting dysphagia with the patient and the patient's family; if
there is no history of dysphagia, recommending to advance the patient's diet - Answer
Option (C) is correct. Several studies using instrumental assessment have concluded
that some patients recover airway protection and swallow function within 24 hours of
extubation and others much later than 24 hours post-extubation following prolonged
,endotracheal intubation, suggesting that a 24-hour "deferral time" benchmark is not
particularly useful.
Which of the following procedures is most important for an SLP to consider when
assessing the social aspect of a school-age child's communication skills?
A. Collecting a language sample to assess narrative skills
B. Assessing expressive vocabulary used by the child on a picture vocabulary test
C.Observing the child interacting with peers in natural settings, such as during recess
D.Looking for a discrepancy between the child's IQI Q and communication skills to
determine eligibility - Answer Option (C) is correct. Informal observation of a student in a
natural setting is part of a comprehensive assessment. A determination of eligibility for
SLP services in a school must be made from more than one source and should include
authentic assessment in an informal setting.
A study is conducted to determine how well a dysphagia screening test predicts
aspiration that is later confirmed with a videofluoroscopic swallow study (VFSSV F S S).
The study results are presented in the table below.
(Top left) Failed Screen/Aspiration: 45
(Bottom left) Passed Screen/Aspiration: 5
(Top right) Failed Screen/No Asp: 20
(Bottom right) Passed Screen/No Asp: 30
Which THREE of the following statements about this dysphagia screening test are true?
A. The screening test's sensitivity is 90%
B. The screening test's sensitivity is 69%
C. The screening test's specificity is 90%
D. The screening test's specificity is 60%
E. The number of false negatives was 5
F. The number of false negatives was 20 - Answer Options (A), (D), and (E) are correct.
The screening test's sensitivity is the proportion of patients who aspirated and failed the
screen (top cell in the first column) to the total of all patients who aspirated on the VFSS
(total of the first column); therefore, 45/50 = 0.9045 divided by 50, equals 0.90. The
screening test's specificity is the proportion of patients who did not aspirate and passed
the screen (bottom cell in the second column) to the total of all patients who did not
aspirate on the VFSS (total of second column); therefore, 30/50 = 0.6030 divided by 50,
equals 0.60. False negatives are patients who passed the screen who actually aspirated
on the VFSS (bottom cell of first column).
A study is conducted to determine how well a dysphagia screening test predicts
aspiration that is later confirmed with a videofluoroscopic swallow study (VFSSV F S S).
The study results are presented in the table below.
(Top left) Failed Screen/Aspiration: 45
(Bottom left) Passed Screen/Aspiration: 5
(Top right) Failed Screen/No Asp: 20
, (Bottom right) Passed Screen/No Asp: 30
Which TWO of the following statements about the results of a screening test are
correct?
A. Sensitivity is the proportion of people who fail the screening test who are aspirators
B.Specificity is the proportion of people who pass the screening test who are aspirators
C.Sensitivity is the proportion of people who pass the screening test who are not
aspirators
D.Specificity is the proportion of people who pass the screening test who are not
aspirators - Answer Options (A) and (D) are correct. The screening test's sensitivity is
the proportion of patients who aspirated and failed the screen (top cell in the first
column) to the total of all patients who aspirated (total of the first column). The
screening test's specificity is the proportion of patients who did not aspirate and passed
the screen (bottom cell in the second column) to the total of all patients who did not
aspirate on the VFSS (total of second column).
During a speech-language evaluation at a preschool, a child has difficulty with receptive
language tasks and responds with only one-word utterances to expressive language
items. The child's eye contact is poor throughout the session. When observed with the
other children in class, the child does not engage with peers but prefers self-stimulating
behaviors such as flapping arms and throwing papers up in the air. According to the
child's teacher, these are typical behaviors for the child. Given the data obtained, which
of the following steps is most appropriate for the SLP to take next?
A.Engaging in an inter-professional practice (IPP) to determine the appropriate
diagnosis of ASDA S D
B.Conducting the full evaluation when the child is more cooperative so that accurate
recommendations can be made
C.Initiating expressive language therapy to focus on expanding conversational
utterances
D.Training the teacher to deliver language stimulation tasks because the child does not
respond well to the SLP - Answer Option (A) is correct. Although it is in the SLP's scope
of practice to diagnose ASD, it is stated that best practice suggests a team approach
when making this determination.
Christel and Sharon are 14-month-old fraternal twins. Christel has more intelligible
words than her sister, although she talks far less frequently. Sharon speaks almost
exclusively in running jargon that nobody understands. Their parents are worried about
Sharon's development because her language skills appear to be behind those of her
sister. Which of the following is an SLP's best response to the parents' concern?
A.At Sharon's age, jargon is normal and may even continue for another three to four
months.
B.Christel's language development is more abnormal because she should be beyond
single words.
C.Both girls were exposed to the same language environments, so the relative lack of
intelligible words indicates a language delay.
