New Editions Launched for Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test, Expressive Vocabulary Test.

BLOOMINGTON, Minn. -- Improved Art and Items in Color, Updated Standardization, New Progress Monitoring Tool, Designed For General and Special Education, Reading First

The Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test (PPVT), the most widely used norm-referenced test of receptive vocabulary, and the Expressive Vocabulary Test (EVT), the expressive counterpart often used in conjunction with the PPVT test, are launching new editions with updated standardization, improved graphics and a new progress monitoring tool. The PPVT test, offered in the fourth edition, and the EVT test, in its second edition, will be available in November.

The PPVT test is the leading measure of receptive vocabulary for standard English. The EVT test is an individually administered, norm-referenced test of expressive vocabulary and word retrieval.

Both tests offer larger illustrations in full color - the PPVT-4 test includes color for the first time - with more contemporary and realistic art. Thorough bias reviews and statistical analyses were conducted as part of the test development process. Both tests carefully balance representation of gender and ethnicity in the illustrations. The two instruments can meet the varied vocabulary and reading assessment needs of general and special education professionals for screening, vocabulary and language assessment, progress monitoring and other Reading First requirements and new Response to Intervention (RtI) initiatives.

The PPVT-4 and the EVT-2 tests were normed on the same sample of over 3,500 individuals, matching the current U.S. population along parameters of gender, race/ethnicity, geographic region, socioeconomic status and clinical diagnosis or special-education placement. The co-norming of the two tests allows direct comparison of the two tests' scales. Standardization for both tests occurred in fall 2005 and spring 2006 to obtain fall and spring grade-based norms, in addition to age-based norms. A new score is included in both tests, the Growth Scale Value (GSV), provides easier interpretation of growth over time for individual students as well as for classrooms and other groups.

The tests can be given to individuals aged two years six months through adults 90 years and older. Each test can be completed in 10-15 minutes. Flexible administration, scoring and reporting options have made the PPVT and EVT tests a powerful system for comparing receptive and expressive vocabulary.

The PPVT test has been a reliable and popular assessment for nearly 50 years. This is the first edition to be co-authored by Douglas M. Dunn, Ph.D., son of the original authors, the late Lloyd M. Dunn, Ph.D., and Leota M. Dunn. Dr. Lloyd Dunn first developed the PPVT test in 1959 when he was a member of the faculty of Peabody College in Nashville, Tenn. The third edition was published in 1997.

The EVT test, authored by Kathleen T. Williams, Ph.D., was first published in 1997. Her professional background includes speech-language pathology, classroom teaching, and school psychology, which she brings to the EVT test development process. Dr. Williams is currently vice president for the Office of Academic Initiatives and Test Development at the College Board.

"The fourth edition of the PPVT test continues the standard of providing outstanding vocabulary assessment that its users have come to expect," said Carol Watson, executive vice president and publisher, Pearson Assessments. "It remains, quick, easy and reliable, with a test administration time of only 10 to 15 minutes and flexible delivery options. The EVT-2 test emphasizes speaking vocabulary and the test's use of labeling and synonym items together allows the professional to capture uniquely higher level vocabulary and what words the individual actually uses in spoken communication."

The PPVT-4 test also has more stimulus words included (now 228 per form), with better representation of word types across all levels of difficulty, and modernized core vocabulary. It continues to be offered in a four-pictures-per-page, easel format.

A significant enhancement to the EVT-2 test is a second, parallel form which strengthens its use as a progress monitoring tool and a companion to PPVT-4 test. The second edition of EVT test has 190 words per form and a mixture of labeling and synonym items at each level. It also continues in its current picture format of a single, detailed, full-color illustration for each item.

Both tests match the needs of Reading First reporting for vocabulary and respond with aggregation/disaggregation reporting options, the GSV, and evidence-based interventions.

For more information on the PPVT-4 and the EVT-2 tests, please visit the Pearson Assessments website at www.pearsonassessments.com or call [phone].

Note to Editors:

A pre-publication pricing offer for the PPVT-4 test is $170.00 per kit (Form A or Form B) or $380.00 for the combined kit (PPVT-4 Form A and Form B) through November 30, 2006, which reflects a 20% discount. The EVT-2 test pre-publication offer is also $170.00 per kit (Form A or Form B) or $380.00 for the combined kit (EVT-2 Form A and Form B) through November 30, 2006, also reflecting a 20% discount.

About Pearson Assessments

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