Test of Early Communication and Emerging Language (TECEL)

Mary Blake Huer, Lynda Miller

Age Range: 2 weeks to 24 months
Administration Time: 15 to 45 minutes
Administration Type: Individual Observation & Parent/Caregiver Interview
Qualification Level B

Description
The TECEL assesses the earliest communication behaviours and emerging language abilities of infants and toddlers up to 24 months of age. It is a revision and standardization of the Non-speech Test, a well-regarded assessment used with both typically developing young children and with older individuals with moderate-to-severe language delays. The TECEL is:
• Well-constructed
• Reliable
• Practical
• Research-based
• Theoretically sound

Features and Benefits
• Includes both receptive and expressive colour coded items for easy diagnostic analysis of results
• Flexible administration options include Interview, Observation, and/or a combination of both
• Recognizes the continuum from pre-linguistic communication behaviours to symbolic forms in emerging language
• Can be administered to verbal and nonverbal respondents and is suitable for assessing individuals who communicate by means other than speech
• Test materials and interview questions are designed to be cross-cultural
• The Informal Assessment and Intervention Plan guides clinicians in analyzing performance on the test, developing recommendations, and generating an Intervention Plan
• Assesses and charts communication and language strengths and weaknesses
• Assists with development of intervention plans
• Helps make estimates about future language developments
• Serves as a research tool for investigating early communication and emerging language