An automatic screening test for preschool children: theory and data collection

In this paper the first version of a recording and evaluation system for an ongoing research project is presented: an automatic school enrollment screening test for children in preschool age. The screening test focuses on different aspects of the development of children's speech and language and has a duration of about 15 minutes. It is based on parts of already standardized tests. For a first version these tests are digitized, and adapted to an existing computer system for speech assessment so that recordings can be performed in local preschools. The recordings take place while a speech therapist is assisting the child. The described version focuses on the data collection and an subjective speech and language assessment of the attendant speech therapist. Children, that are awaiting school enrollment in fall, have been selected for this project. It is planed to collect a total amount of more than 500 children within the next 2 years. It is planed to record the children continuously over a period of 3--4 years at an interval of 12 months in order to measure their development automatically.