Oral and Written Language Scales (OWLS)
[CM 0230]

Oral and Written Language Scales (OWLS) offers a comprehensive sampling of language tasks over a wide age range. The OWLS has 3 scales: Written Expression, Oral Expression, and Listening Comprehension. All were normed on a nationally representative sample of more than 1,700 individuals, and all can be independently administered.

The Written Expression Scale's wide age range (5 to 21 years) offers a broad-based record of growth, from primary and middle grades through high school and college. Administered to individuals or groups, this scale measures the use of conventions (handwriting, spelling, punctuation), the use of syntactical forms (modifiers, phrases, sentence structures), and the ability to communicate meaningfully (relevance, cohesiveness, organization). The examiner presents oral, written, and pictorial prompts, and examinees write their responses in a booklet. Administration time is quick- 15 to 25 minutes. The manual includes detailed guidelines for scoring, with extensive examples.

The Listening Comprehension Scale measures receptive language in 3- to -21 -year-olds. Individually administered, it requires no reading on the examinee's part. The examiner reads a stimulus word printed on one side of the convenient easel, and the examinee responds by indicating one of four pictures on the other side. Correct responses are printed on the examiner's side of the easel and on the record form, permitting on-the-spot scoring. Administration time is just 5 to 15 minutes.

The Oral Expression Scale assesses expressive language in 3- to 21-year-olds. This scale requires the examinee to answer questions, complete sentences, or generate sentences in response to oral or verbal stimuli. Common responses, both correct and incorrect, are included on the record form. It takes 10 to 25 minutes to administer the scale. The OWLS provides both age-based and grade-based standard scores, grade and test-age equivalents, percentile ranks, normal curve equivalents, and stanines. Age-based norms can be used in LD assessments to meet the requirements of P.L. 94-142. All three scales offer high reliabilities and evidence of validity.

COMPLETE OWLS KIT INCLUDES: Written Expression Scale Manual, 25 Written Expression Response Booklets, 25 Written Expression Record Forms, 1 Written Expression Administration Card, Listening Comprehension and Oral Expression Manual, Listening Comprehension Easel, Oral Expression Easel, 25 Listening Comprehension/Oral Expression Record Forms, all in a sturdy storage box (1995).