Bilingual Input-Output Surveys (BIOS)

Book excerpt: Sold in a package of 20, these BIOS forms are part of the Bilingual English-Spanish Assessment (BESA), a language assessment for use with children ages 4 through 6 years who have varying degrees of bilingualism. Completed by the examiner as a parent and teacher survey, the BIOS helps uncover when and in what context each of the child's two languages were used on a year-to-year basis. There are two parts: BIOS-Home. In this 10- to 15-minute survey, parents are asked to report on the language exposure history of the child and what language the child hears and uses during a typical weekend day on an hour-by-hour basis. BIOS-School. In this 5- to 10-minute survey, teachers are asked to report on what language the child hears and uses during a typical school day on an hour-by-hour basis. The BIOS provides clinicians with valuable information about relative use and exposure to each language. It should be used prior to BESA assessment to help determine whether to test children in Spanish, English, or both. ABOUT BESA A valid and reliable assessment that specifically responds to the needs of young Spanish-English bilingual children, BESA was developed to: identify phonological and/or language impairment in bilingual children and English language learners using a standardized protocol differentiate between a delay in English language acquisition and a true language disorder document children's speech and language strengths and needs monitor children's progress in both languages and use the information to make decisions about intervention Through a combination of subtests for students and surveys for teachers and parents, BESA reveals the big picture of a young bilingual child's language development. Learn more about BESA here.