Ages: 4-6 through 12-11
Testing Time: 20 to 30 minutes
Administration: Individual

The TWF-3 is a norm-referenced, single-word expressive language test to assess word-finding ability. It can be used to identify students having problems, plan word-finding intervention, and measure word-finding ability in research studies.

This new edition has new Noun and Verb target words,
and the lexical processing model underlying TWF-3 has been
updated to reflect current thinking regarding word retrieval. The Comprehension Check serves as a built-in assessment
of the student’s word knowledge.

Features of the TWF-3

• All new normative data were collected in 2009-2012
• New noun and verb target words have been added
• Studies showing the absence of racial and gender bias are reported
• Information pertaining to the TWF-3’s diagnostic accuracy ( sensitivity, specificity, and ROC/AUC) is provided
• The lexical processing model underlying TWF-3 has been updated to reflect current thinking regarding word retrieval
• The Comprehension Check functions as a built-in assessment of examinees’ word knowledge
• Students with diagnosed word finding difficulties were included in the norming sample
• Three age- and grade-appropriate forms are included: the Preprimary form for preschool and kindergarten students; the Primary form for students in Grades 1 and 2; and the Intermediate form for students in Grades 3 through 6.
• The standardized assessment and informal analyses are integral features of comprehensive word finding assessments

The Standardized Assessment

The standardized assessment has four naming sections, the results of which are combined to form the overall Word Finding Index:

• Picture Naming: Nouns—assesses efficiency in naming compound and 1 to 4 syllable target words
• Sentence Completion Naming—assesses efficiency in naming words to complete sentences read aloud by the examiner
• Picture Naming: Verbs—assesses efficiency in naming present and past-tense regular and irregular verbs
• Picture Naming: Categories—assesses efficiency in naming objects and the categories to which they belong

The standardized assessment has ample evidence of reliability and validity:

• The average internal consistency (content sampling) reliability coefficients for all forms exceed .85.
• The average test-retest (time sampling) coefficients for the Word Finding Index exceed .80.
• Correlations of the Word Finding Index with those of other well-known expressive language tests are large or very large in magnitude.
• Diagnostic accuracy studies indicate that the TWF-3 is able to accurately identify students with word finding difficulties (i.e., sensitivity = .86, specificity = .78, ROC/AUC = .88, cut score = 90).
• Considerable other validity evidence is provided in the manual.

The Informal Assessment

Five informal analyses are also provided. Three of these analyses (the Phonemic Cueing Procedure, the Imitation Procedure, and the Substitution Analysis) examine types of word finding errors students make. The remaining informal analyses (the Delayed Response Procedure and the Secondary Characteristics Tally) contribute to interpreting the Word Finding Index.

The TWF-3 includes three age- and grade-appropriate forms:
    • Preprimary—Preschool and Kindergarten
    • Primary—Grades 1 and 2
    • Intermediate—Grades 3 through 6

The TWF-3 has four naming sections, which are combined to form the overall Word Finding Index:
• Picture Naming (Nouns)— compound, and 1-4 syllable target words
• Sentence Completion Naming—words to complete sentences read aloud by examiner
• Picture Naming (Verbs)— present- and past-tense regular and irregular verbs
• Picture Naming (Categories)—objects and categories to which they belong

Five informal analyses are also provided. Three (Phonemic Cueing Procedure, Imitation Procedure and Substitution Analysis) examine types of word-finding errors. The remaining informal analyses (Delayed-Response Procedure and Secondary Characteristics Tally) contribute to the Word-Finding Index.

The TWF-3 Kit includes the Word-Finding Assessment Picture Book; Comprehension-Check Picture Book; 10 each of the
Preprimary, Primary and Intermediate Examiner Record Booklets, and a Manual, in a storage box.