‘I don’t come out with big words like other people’: Interviewing adolescents as part of communication profiling

Assessing adolescent language skills poses significant challenges due to the subtle nature of language proficiency at this age, along with the high linguistic demands both academically and socially. As with young children, the current range of language assessments designed specifically for adolescents mostly includes standardized tests. This article explores how interviews can contribute to the assessment of adolescents’ language and communication skills. Two case studies of adolescents with previously undetected language difficulties are presented. The case studies show how the adolescents were able to reflect upon their language skills in an interview situation. Case studies also compare adolescents’ comments with the outcomes of standardized assessments. The interview allowed consideration of adolescent’s perceptions of strengths and difficulties, and identified possible barriers for these adolescents to both language intervention and education. Relationships between assessment and interview data are discussed and implications for assessment procedures are highlighted.