The necessity for assessment and management of speech, language and communication needs to take account of cultural and multilingual diversity

This paper argues for the need for a culturally responsive approach to the identification, assessment and intervention processes for multilingual children with speech, language and communication impairment. It highlights the potential for misdiagnosis and identifies the specific difficulties which may be evident and thus, potential indicators of language impairment as opposed to language difference. The paper critiques the standardised tests which are often used by therapists in the formal diagnosis process and argues that dynamic assessment offers the best potential for an accurate diagnosis.