# Development of a Speech Intelligibility Test for Children in Swiss German Dialects

## TL;DR

This paper introduces a new speech intelligibility test for young children in Swiss German dialects, designed to assess hearing in non-standard German speakers.

## Contribution

A novel speech intelligibility test for children in Swiss German dialects, including non-adaptive and adaptive procedures.

## Key findings

- A set of 60 monosyllabic words and 40 trochees was recorded in four Swiss German dialects and standard German.
- Drawings were created to illustrate test words and were found suitable for children aged four or older.
- Non-adaptive and adaptive test procedures were developed to measure speech reception thresholds in quiet and noisy environments.

## Abstract

Objective: This paper describes the development of a speech intelligibility test in Swiss German dialects, designed for children aged four to nine who are not yet familiar with standard German. Method: Suitable monosyllabic words and trochees in different Swiss German dialects were compiled, illustrated, and evaluated. Picture-pointing test procedures appropriate for children were developed. The selected test words and the pictures representing them were evaluated in a preliminary trial with forty-six normal-hearing children between two and nine years of age. Results: A set of 60 monosyllabic words and 40 trochees was recorded in four different Swiss German dialects as well as in standard German, resulting in a total of 500 recordings. Drawings were created to illustrate each word and found to be appropriate for children aged four years old or older. A non-adaptive and an adaptive test procedure using a weighted up–down method to measure speech reception thresholds in quiet and in noise were developed. Conclusions: A novel test to determine speech intelligibility in children in four different Swiss dialects was developed and evaluated in a pilot study. A validation study with more participants was designed to evaluate the test material and procedures.