Normed for ages 2:6 to 8:11 (Usual age range is 2:6 to 5:11; Extended Age range is 6:0 to 7:11, and the Out of level age range is 8:0 to 8:11).

This subtest assesses the spoken vocabulary of young children. It measures expressive language ability; ability to match; general language development; and word retrieval from long-term memory. The items require the child to recall words from long-term memory rather than recognize or understand the meaning of words.

The subtest consists of two objects (a piece of paper and a box) and a booklet of colored pictures of objects which the child is shown one at a time and asked to name.

There are 24 items on this subtest. Children aged 2:6 to 4:5 start with item 1, while all others start at item 8. All items are scored as 1 or 0.

The Naming Vocabulary subtest is considered a fair measure of g across all ages (overall r = .69). This subtest contributes moderately to the Verbal factor (loading = .71). Specificity is ample for all age groups.

Naming Vocabulary is considered to possess Low overall reliability (r = .78), with reliability coefficients ranging from .64 to .84 across all of the nine age groups. It correlates best with Early Number Concepts (r =.51) and least with Recall of Objects (r = .16). It has a medium correlation with the GCA (r = .71).

Gf-Gc classification

In the Broad stratum definition of abilities, Naming Vocabulary is considered to be a logical measure of Crystallized intelligence (Gc). In the Narrow stratum of abilities, it is considered to be a probable measure of both Language Development (LD) and Lexical Knowledge (VL) (McGrew & Flanagan, 1998, p. 102).

The Naming Vocabulary subtest is described on pages 81 to 85 in the DAS Administration and Scoring Manual and discussed on page 47 in the DAS Introductory and Technical Handbook.

The protocol provides the correct, 1-point answers for each item. Examiners should note that there are also "other acceptable responses" listed on pages 83-85 in the Manual. Some confusion may be present on page 82 of the Manual. In describing the scoring of this subtest, it is noted that "Score 1 point for a correct response, 0 points for an incorrect response." The Manual then provides three examples of what are considered incorrect responses (descriptions of the function of the item, material or parts of the item, and an overly general name for the item). Although each of these is considered an incorrect response, the Manual also notes that in each of these cases, the examiner should query the child. It is only if the child, after querying, does not elaborate or change the response that the score of 0 is given. This questioning procedure is more extensive than that on most individual intelligence tests, except the SB: FE.

If the child has difficulty with the Naming Vocabulary subtest, the examiner should follow up with both a more extensive picture-naming test, such as the Expressive Vocabulary Test (EVT; Williams, 1997) and a receptive vocabulary test, such as the Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test, 3^rd ed. (PPVT-III; Dunn & Dunn, 1997).