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$49.00 USD

97% rating - reviews

0.25  ASHA CEUs

Diagnostic Assessment Of Semantic And Phonological Based Word-Finding Difficulties #e143


Presenter: Diane German, PhD

Learn formal and informal procedures for the assessment of semantic and phonological based word finding error patterns.


"This course will help me tremendously! I see several students with WF issues and feel now that I can better understand what's happening. I liked the clear presentation with repetition of information."

– R.K., prior course participant

Read more comments about this course!

Differential diagnosis of Word Finding (WF) is necessary to plan strategic and meaningful WF intervention. It is not enough to just indicate that a learner has Word Finding difficulties. SLPs need to answer the diagnostic question, "What is the nature of the learner's WF challenge?" To address this diagnostic question, this online course informs the SLP of the following components needed to carry out a differential diagnosis of a learner's WF skills:

  • Characteristics of 3 semantic and phonological based WF error patterns, in single word and discourse naming contexts.
  • Theoretical underpinnings of each of these 3 WF error patterns.
  • A standardized test (TWF-3), that differentiates:
    • Comprehension difficulties from semantic based WF difficulties.
    • Articulation difficulties from phonological based WF difficulties.
    • Semantic based and phonological based WF difficulties.
  • Informal procedures for the assessment of semantic and phonological based WF error patterns.

This course is offered for 0.2 ASHA CEUs – 2.5 Contact Hours.

Course Overview & Run Time

Course Overview – Run Time: 2:47:51

This online course is divided into 4 parts and will present formal and informal procedures for the diagnostic assessment of semantic and phonological based Word Finding (WF) error patterns.

  • Part 1: Characteristics of 3 Semantic And Phonological Based WF Error Patterns.
  • Part 2: Lexical Model Representing the Theoretical Underpinnings and Research Base of the 3 WF Error Patterns.
  • Part 3: The New Test of Word Finding (TWF-3).
  • Part 4: Informal Procedures for the Assessment of Semantic and Phonological Based Word Finding Error Patterns.
"I have a student that I worked with last year that I began to realize had WFD. I wish that I had taken this course sooner so that I could have understood better how to help him. After watching this course, I have a very clear idea on the metalinguistic underpinnings of word-finding difficulties, as well as a systematic way of identifying which type of errors my students are presenting with."

– E.B., prior course participant

Read more comments about this course!

Content Disclosures

The author of this course is also author of assessment and treatment resources that are mentioned as part of this course. The author will benefit financially from the sale of these products. Presenter financial and non-financial disclosures may be found in the Presenter & Disclosures area. All material in this course is protected by copyright and may not be reproduced in any form without the expressed, written permission of Diane G. German, Ph.D.

Course Format

Video PowerPoint presentation with author narration & downloadable handout. Stop and re-start the course at any point. Learners retain access to course content after completion for ongoing reference and review.

Reviews

Comments From Prior Course Participants

"I liked the self pace format of the course and the topic on differential diagnosis." E.P. (Sep. 2024)

"Discussing differential diagnosis was helpful. I enjoyed learning about the different types of word-finding disorders." R.S. (Jul. 2024)

"I found the 3 semantic and form based error pattern descriptions most beneficial.  I liked that I could do the course as slowly as I needed." M.M. (Apr. 2024)

"The error patterns and flow chart were beneficial. I liked the feature to start and stop the course and there was a lot of information." C.T. (Apr. 2024)

"Slip of the tongue, the tip of the tongue, a twist of the tongue. Always love videos. I liked the ease of access and ability to listen at increased speed." A.F. (Dec. 2023)

"Discussing the different types of word-finding difficulties was beneficial. I did not realize that a phonological substitution could be a word-finding issue. I liked the illustrations, and flow charts clarified concepts well." S.K. (Dec. 2023)

"I was not aware of the three error types. This course will help me with differential diagnosis." J.B. (Oct. 2023)

"I liked the model and differential diagnosis. Also that the test allows for an informal assessment." H.B. (Jun. 2023)

"I have a student with identified word-finding difficulties, and having more background knowledge helps me understand better what errors he is making and how to help him." J.G. (May 2023)

"I learned information I can use immediately to provide a more accurate assessment of word-finding difficulties. Differentiation of the different error patterns was beneficial." M.J. (May 2023)

"Differential diagnosis of Semantic versus Form Word Finding. I liked the real-life examples and videos." C.B. (Mar. 2023)

"This course was very informative. I will use the 3 different types of errors." T.N. (Mar. 2023)

"I appreciated the review of the theoretical framework for the Test of Word Finding-3. The pacing of this course was perfect!" M.B. (Mar. 2023)

"The 3 types of word-finding patterns associated and providing phonemic cues to students were beneficial. I liked the video clips of the children and examples of each error pattern type." C.S. (Mar. 2023)

"Relevant info to my needs. Learning differential diagnosis of type of word-finding error was beneficial." J.I. (Mar. 2023)

"All of this information was new to me. Liked that I could pause and take the course at my own speed." K.B. (Feb. 2023)

"Learning differential diagnosis and underpinnings. I liked the examples and videos." J.M. (Dec. 2022)

"The entire presentation was beneficial - many of my students appear to experience WF difficulties and now I can differentiate whether they do and what type they struggle with." N.A. (Nov. 2022)

"The flow and format of this course was good." S.D. (Aug. 2022)

"Course was in depth and clarified misconceptions I had." S.F. (Jul. 2022)

"I would recommend this course." C.W. (Jun. 2022)

"It was great information and clearly explained. I liked the discussion of the error types." S.M. (Feb. 2022)

"I appreciated differentiating the 3 types of WF errors as well as its organization and how course went systematically through the information." D.U. (Jan. 2022)

Course Objectives

At course conclusion, participants will be able to:
  1. List characteristics of 3 semantic and form based WF error patterns observed in single word and discourse contexts.
  2. Describe the theoretical underpinnings and the research base of our 3 WF error patterns.
  3. Describe the new Test of Word Finding - 3rd Edition (TWF-3).
  4. Describe formal and informal procedures for the assessment of semantic and form based Word Finding error patterns.

Presenter & Disclosures

Diane J. German, PhD

Diane J. German, PhD, is a professor at National-Louis University where she holds the Endowed Chair in Special Education created to support her work in word finding. She is an internationally acclaimed author and researcher having published the standard in assessment instruments in word finding. Further, she has published articles, presented technical papers, and taught numerous seminars in the US, Canada, Europe, and Asia.

Speaker Disclosures:

Financial — Diane German is a presenter of online CE courses sponsored by Northern Speech Services; receives royalties.

Financial — Diane German is the author of tests, texts, and other materials that are related to and mentioned during this online course; she benefits financially from the sale of these products.

Nonfinancial — Diane German has no relevant nonfinancial relationships to disclose.

Intended Audience / Accreditation

Intended Audience/Accreditation
asha ce approved provider

This program is offered for 0.25 ASHA CEUs (Intermediate Level; Professional Area).

Intended Audience

  • Speech-Language Pathologists

ASHA CEUs: NSS online courses are registered with ASHA and are offered for ASHA CEUs. The number of ASHA CEUs is noted above. Note that 0.1 ASHA CEU = 1 contact hour = equals 1 CEE.

ASHA CE Registry: During the enrollment process, if you select to receive ASHA credit for this course and if you provide your ASHA number, NSS will automatically submit your CEU information to the ASHA CE Registry after successful course completion (80% on post test). This submission happens once per month, during the first week of the month. For example, if you complete your course on November 7th, NSS will submit all November online course CEUs to ASHA during the first week of December. When ASHA inputs the information into their database, they will mark the course as completed on the last day of the month in which it was completed, so November 30th using this example. The certificate of completion available for you to print immediately, however, will reflect the actual completion date, November 7th in this example. Due to ASHA processing procedures please allow 2-3 weeks, from the submission date, for the course to appear on your ASHA transcript.

ASHA CEUs: Attendees must meet at least one of the following conditions in order to be eligible to earn ASHA CEUs:

  • Current ASHA Member.
  • ASHA Certificate of Clinical Competence (CCC) Holder.
  • Licensed by a state or provincial regulatory agency to practice speech-language pathology (SLP) or audiology.
  • Credentialed by a state regulatory agency to practice SLP or audiology.
  • Credentialed by a national regulatory agency to practice SLP or audiology.
  • Engaged in a Clinical Fellowship under the supervision of an individual with their ASHA CCC.
  • Currently enrolled in a master's or doctoral program in SLP or audiology.

If an attendee is not an ASHA member or CCC holder but meets any of the above criteria, they may inform the ASHA CE Registry of their eligibility by visiting this site.

Licensing Boards: Most state licensing boards DO accept CEUs earned online (usually classified as home-study credits). Some state boards do, however, place a limit to the number of credits that can be earned via home study/online courses. For the most current information, we suggest that you contact your licensing board or agency to verify acceptance policies and/or any credit limits related to home-study courses prior to registering for this course.

Additional accrediting agencies by which Northern Speech is an approved CE provider:

  • California: NSS is approved as a provider of continuing education by the California Speech-Language Pathology & Audiology Board. Provider #PDP4. Online CEU limits may apply; please contact SLPAHADB for current online CEU acceptance policies.
  • Iowa: NSS is approved as a provider of continuing education by the Iowa Board of Speech Pathology and Audiology Examiners. Provider #169.
  • Kansas: NSS is approved as a provider of continuing education by the Kansas Department of Health and Environment. Provider #LTS-S0005.
  • Florida: NSS is approved as a provider of continuing education by the Florida Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology Board. Provider #SPA-026.
  • New Jersey: NSS is approved as a provider of continuing education by the New Jersey Department of Education. Provider #1654.

Frequently Asked Questions

Online Course FAQ — Click Here

Customer Support: Please phone 888.337.3866 or email info@northernspeech.com.

Course Completion Timeframe:

You have unlimited time to complete our online courses. You may log off and log on as often as you’d like to in order to complete all sections of a course.

However, completion dates are based on Eastern Standard Time. Therefore, if you need your CEUs by a certain date, be sure to complete the course test before 11:59pm EST on that date. For example, if you need CEUs before January 1st, you will need to complete the course test before 11:59pm EST on December 31st.

Content Access:

Access to course materials and content does not expire, even after completing the post test. You may continue to review course material by logging into your NSS account, clicking the My Online Courses tab, and then viewing your desired course.

Certificate of Completion:

On successful completion of the post test (80%), a certificate will be immediately available for download and/or printing. This certificate will include your name, date of completion (based on Eastern Time Zone, USA/Canada), and number of contact hours (CEUs / CEEs). Please note that CEUs are awarded on the date of successful test completion, not the date of course enrollment. Please ensure that you successfully complete the post test prior to any licensure renewal dates.

ASHA CE Registry Submission:

During the enrollment process, if you select to receive ASHA credit for this course and if you provide your ASHA number, NSS will automatically submit your CEU information to the ASHA CE Registry after successful course completion (80% on post test). This submission happens once per month, during the first week of the month. For example, if you complete your course on November 7th, NSS will submit all November online course CEUs to ASHA during the first week of December. When ASHA inputs the information into their database, they will mark the course as completed on the last day of the month in which it was completed, so November 30th using this example. The certificate of completion available for you to print immediately, however, will reflect the actual completion date, November 7th in this example. Due to ASHA processing procedures please allow 2-3 weeks, from the submission date, for the course to appear on your ASHA transcript.

Purchase Orders:

Purchase orders are currently not accepted for online orders, if you wish to submit a purchase order please do so at info@northernspeech.com or fax to 888-696-9655.

What is an Online Course?

Our Online Courses consist of video, audio, and/or text content and are offered for ASHA CEUs. Unlike a webinar, which requires participants to be logged on and at a computer at specific times, our Online Courses are available to you at any time, from any device, via your NorthernSpeech.com online account. You may work at your own pace and start and stop your course as you wish. Your course will conclude with a short post test. On successful completion of the post test (>80%), a printable certificate of completion is presented to you.

Receiving CEUs:

Northern Speech is an ASHA CE Provider and our online courses are registered with ASHA and offered for ASHA CEUs. Please note that successful completion of the online post test is required prior to the awarding of CEUs. Please contact your state licensing board for acceptance policies related to CEUs earned online. Please note that courses offered for university students are not applicable for CEUs.

Registering for an online course:

You may browse all online courses by clicking the Continuing Education tab above, then Online Courses. Once you find a course, click Enroll Now, and you will be asked to either log into your existing Northern Speech account or create a new online account. Once you’ve entered your account information and provided your credit card payment, your course will be immediately available to you.

Accessing your purchased course or returning to a purchased course:

You will be able to access your online course by logging into your Northern Speech account and then clicking the My Online Courses tab on your profile screen. Click the course you would like to start or to resume. From there, proceed through the course sections until you are ready to complete the post test. You do not have to complete your course all at once. You may log on and off as you wish.

Testing requirements:

Each online course concludes with a post test consisting of multiple choice or true & false questions. Scores of 80% or greater are required for successful course completion and awarding of CEUs. You may revisit course materials and retest as needed to achieve a passing score.

Number of CEUs offered:

We offer courses from 1 to 21 contact hours. Each course will note the number of CEUs offered. Please note that 0.1 CEU = 1 contact hour = 1 CEE.

State licensing boards and online CEUs:

NSS is an ASHA CE Provider and most state licensing boards DO accept ASHA CEUs earned online (usually classified as home-study credits). Some boards do, however, place a limit to the number of CEUs that can be earned via home study/online courses. For the most current information, we suggest that you contact your licensing board or agency to verify acceptance policies and/or any CEU limits related to home-study courses prior to enrolling in an online course.

Course formats:

Our course formats include: text, audio, video, and PowerPoint with author narration. Each course will note the format on the course description page. Most courses include closed captioning.

Course handouts:

Most of our online courses provide a link to download the accompanying handout as a PDF file. 

Group discounts:

Groups of 3 or more are eligible for a 20% discount on each registration on most of our online courses. To receive this discount, registrations need to be processed together via the "Group Rates" tab on the Online Course of your choice.

Computer requirements:

For our online courses to function best, we recommend that you update your computer to include the newest version of your Internet browser (Safari, Chrome, Firefox, Edge, Internet Explorer, etc.) and newest version of your computer's operating system. Also a high-speed Internet connection is recommended (cable or DSL). Speakers or headphones will be required for many of our courses as many contain audio components.

Course Cancellation Policy:

A purchased online course can be exchanged, refunded, or transferred to another individual if contact is made with NSS (via phone or email) within 30 days of purchase and the course materials have not been viewed or downloaded. 

Special Needs:

Please click here for any special needs requests, and we will do our best to accommodate them. 

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