Children’s Rating of Speech Sounds (CROSS)

CROSS is a phonology assessment, which scores and rates children's speech in single words and sentences. It’s designed for both hearing and deaf children, by the use of separate scoring systems. Scores for deaf children are based on ‘Length of Consistent Aiding’ rather than a child’s chronological age.

CROSS allows the measuring of outcomes and monitoring of the effectiveness of intervention.

Scores and severity ratings link directly to levels of intervention to assist and justify planning and therapy provision.

The test includes 55 pictures in laminated book form. It includes a photocopiable phonological processes checklist, phoneme inventory and analysis chart, vowels checklist, and a sentence level section.

Age range

Child needs at least emerging speech.

Who can use it?

Speech and language therapists and Teachers of the Deaf.

Pros

• Practical, quick and easy to carry out (10–15 minutes).
• Good for joint working between speech and language therapist and Teacher of the Deaf.
• Flexible as can use one or all of the assessment forms depending on the complexity of the child.
• Small, A5 spiral-bound book can be easily carried by peripatetic staff.
• Assessment sheets are freely downloadable from STASS website.

Cons

• Some of the pictures are old fashioned
• Not standardised.

Is there a cost?

Yes.

Where can I access it?

You can access the assessment on the Stass Publications website.