The Cottage Acquisition Scales for Listening, Language & Speech (CASLLS) is a developmental tool used by speech therapists to assess and track the progress of children with hearing deficits. It is particularly useful for children with cochlear implants or hearing aids and follows a developmental sequence similar to that of typically developing children.
Understanding the CASLLS
CASLLS is structured into five levels:
- Pre-verbal – Early listening behaviors and prelinguistic communication.
- Presyllabic – Babbling and early sound play.
- Single Word – First words and vocabulary expansion.
- Combinations – Two-word combinations and simple sentences.
- Complex Language – Advanced sentence structure and conversational skills.
This scale helps therapists determine where a child is in their listening, language, and speech development and plan interventions accordingly.
How to Use CASLLS with Kids with Hearing Deficits
1. Assessment & Baseline Development
- Begin by identifying the child’s current level using CASLLS checklists.
- Observe spontaneous speech, listening behaviors, and responses to sound cues.
- Use parent/caregiver input to supplement data on language use in natural environments.
2. Goal Setting
- Set individualized goals based on the child's current abilities.
- Example: If a child is at the single-word level, goals may include expanding vocabulary and introducing two-word combinations (e.g., “more cookie”).
3. Listening and Language Activities
- Pre-verbal stage: Encourage awareness of environmental sounds and vocal play through games like “What Do You Hear?” using auditory discrimination tasks.
- Single-word stage: Use visual and tactile cues to reinforce word meanings (e.g., pairing the word “ball” with the actual object).
- Combination stage: Model and expand language using simple carrier phrases (“Want ball?” → “Do you want the ball?”).
- Complex language stage: Focus on conversational turn-taking, storytelling, and answering wh-questions.
4. Integration with Auditory-Verbal Therapy (AVT)
- CASLLS aligns well with AVT principles, emphasizing listening-first strategies.
- Example: Instead of showing a child an object, say, “Find the apple” and encourage them to locate it by listening.
5. Progress Monitoring & Parent Coaching
- Regularly track the child’s progress along the CASLLS scale.
- Train parents to use targeted strategies at home, such as auditory sandwiching (saying a word, showing the object, then saying the word again).
Example Therapy Activities Using CASLLS
Activity: Sound Identification Game (Pre-verbal - Single Word Level)
- Objective: Improve sound awareness and early vocabulary.
- How to Play: Play recorded animal or environmental sounds and ask the child to point to or name the sound source.
Activity: Expanding Sentences with Visual Supports (Combination Level)
- Objective: Move from single words to two-word combinations.
- How to Play: Use picture cards with common objects (e.g., “dog”) and prompt the child to expand, “Big dog” or “Dog runs”.
Activity: Auditory Storytelling (Complex Language Level)
- Objective: Develop listening comprehension and expressive language.
- How to Play: Read a short story and ask inferential questions like “What do you think will happen next?”
Free & Paid Resources for CASLLS
Sunshine Cottage School for Deaf Children – Offers CASLLS materials and training.
https://www.sunshinecottage.orgAG Bell Association for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing – Provides resources for auditory-verbal therapy.
https://www.agbell.orgListening and Spoken Language Knowledge Center – Offers speech therapy tools for children with hearing loss.
https://www.hearingfirst.orgAdvanced Bionics Listening Room – Free listening and language activities for children with cochlear implants.
https://thelisteningroom.comBoom Learning & Teachers Pay Teachers (TPT) – Download CASLLS-based speech therapy resources.
https://www.boomlearning.com
https://www.teacherspayteachers.com
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