Triveni Goswami Vernal
(Registered Special Educator A64010)

The Assessment of Basic Language and Learning Skills – Revised (ABLLS-R®; Partington, 2006) is an “assessment tool, curriculum guide and skills-tracking system used to help guide the instruction of language and critical learner skills for children with autism or other developmental disabilities” (Accessed from the website https://partingtonbehavioranalysts.com/products/ablls-r-the-assessment-of-basic-language-and-learning-skills-revised).  Developed by Dr. James W. Partington, the ABLLS-R® “provides a comprehensive review of 544 skills from 25 skill areas including language, social interaction, self-help, academic and motor skills that most typically developing children acquire prior to entering kindergarten. The task items within each skill area are arranged from simpler to more complex tasks” (Ibid).

There are 4 main domains in the ABLLS-R, that include several sub-skill sets:

1.BASIC LEARNER SKILLS ASSESSMENT

A. Cooperation & Reinforcer Effectiveness

B: Visual Performance: Visual Perception skills are often the foundation for visual discrimination, reading and writing. This is assessed through puzzles, sorting, matching, block design, Sorting by Function, Feature, Class, Pattern matching, Mazes etc.

C: Receptive Language: Responding to one’s name; Ability to follow instructions; Select by function, feature, class etc. 

D: Imitation: Motor imitation using objects, gross motor and fine motor etc.

E: Vocal Imitation: Imitates sounds on request, consonants, blends, spontaneous sounds etc.

F: Requests (mands): Requests in all forms

G: Labeling (tacts): Common objects, common people, body parts, pictures of clothing, labels on functions, feature, class etc.

H: Intraverbals : Fill in words in songs/rhymes, Sign words, Being able to respond to ‘wh’ questions etc

I: Spontaneous Vocalizations
J: Syntax & Grammar
K: Play & Leisure
L: Social Interaction
M: Group Instruction
N: Classroom Routines
P: Generalized Responding

2.ACADEMIC SKILLS ASSESSMENT

Q: Reading: Receptive letters, Labels letters, Receptive sounds of letters, Match words with pictures, Match words with words etc.

R:  Math: Rote counting with prompts, Rote counting, Count objects with prompts, Count objects, Names numbers in sequence, Names numbers, Pre-numeracy concepts etc.

S: Writing: Mark on Paper, Colour between lines, Trace lines and shapes, Copy straight lines, Copy curved lines, Copy letters, Print letters, Print numbers, Match etc.

T: Spelling

3.SELF-HELP SKILLS

U: Dressing
V: Eating
W: Grooming
X: Toileting

4. MOTOR SKILLS ASSESSMENT

Y: Gross Motor Skills
Z: Fine Motor skills.

The ABLLS-R® can be administered by a professional, educator or even a parent, provided they have undergone training in the administration and scoring of the assessment. It can prove to be a useful instrument to understand the areas in which the individual lags, the specific inputs required to improve the skill sets and create an IEP for the individual.

RESOURCES:
http://verbalbehavior.pbworks.com/w/page/8131409/Notes%20about%20the%20ABLLS%20and%20ABLLS%20R
https://special-learning.com/overview-of-ablls-r/
https://www.fullspedahead.com/2-assessments-in-special-education/
https://kapextmediassl-a.akamaihd.net/artsSCi/PS563/2204A/ABLLS-R_Protocol_2018.pdf


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Author Dr.Triveni Goswami Vernal

Dr.Triveni Goswami Vernal is a Registered Special Educator (CRR: A64010), a Psychologist and an Expressive Arts Therapy Practitioner in training (UNESCO-CID). She is an Avaz Certified Educator and Certified in Dyslexia Teacher Training. She is also an art educator for children with additional needs.

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“Colours of Life”
Kabir Vernal
Acrylic on Watercolour Paper