Background: Speech and language disorders can significantly affect children’s academic and social lives during their early years in school. Early detection and intervention are important to mitigate the impact of speech and language disorders. Appropriate assessment tools are required to accurately assess the speech and language skills of multilingual children. Speech-language pathologists (SLPs) in Ghana lack culturally appropriate assessment tools to accurately identify speech and language disorders in children.

Aims: This study aimed to develop a culturally appropriate assessment tool to identify speech and language disorders in Ghanaian English-speaking children.

Method: This study employed an exploratory mixed-method design to develop the tool in three phases: (1) Developing a speech and language assessment tool; (2) Piloting the tool; (3) Collecting data from 100 children to standardise the tool.

Results: The first Ghanaian English speech and language assessment tool for children between ages 5 and 10 was developed based on qualitative and quantitative data. Subtests, scoring, administration and test stimuli will be shared during this presentation.

Conclusions: This presentation provides a framework for developing culturally appropriate speech and language assessment tools for multilingual children. It also provides SLPs, children and their families with a culturally appropriate tool to identify speech and language disorders in Ghana.

Implications for children and families: Culturally and linguistically appropriate assessment tools will enable you to receive an accurate assessment of your speech and language abilities so that help can be provided for your communication if needed.

Implications for practitioners: : You can use this tool as a model for the development of culturally-responsive speech and language assessment tools in languages and contexts that do not currently have tools available. You can also learn about the best methods to accurately assess multilingual children’s communication development.

Key words: children’s voices, professionals’ voices, communication, health, qualitative methods, quantitative methods, assessment

This presentation relates to the following United Nations Sustainable Development Goals:

• SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being
• SDG 4: Quality Education
• SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities