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Development of a Speech Intelligibility Test for Children in Swiss German Dialects
Christoph Schmid1,2, Stefanie Blatter3, Eberhard Seifert1
1Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Bern University Hospital, Inselspital, 3010 Bern, Switzerland.
Audiology Research
|February 20, 2026
Summary
A new speech intelligibility test was developed for young children speaking Swiss German dialects. This test helps assess hearing ability in children unfamiliar with standard German.
Area of Science:
- Audiology
- Linguistics
- Developmental Psychology
Background:
- Standardized speech intelligibility tests are crucial for assessing hearing in children.
- Existing tests may not adequately cover diverse linguistic backgrounds, such as Swiss German dialects.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop and evaluate a speech intelligibility test for children aged 4-9 years speaking Swiss German dialects.
- To provide a tool for assessing hearing in children with limited exposure to standard German.
Main Methods:
- Compilation and illustration of monosyllabic words and trochees in four Swiss German dialects.
- Development of child-friendly picture-pointing test procedures.
- Preliminary trial with 46 normal-hearing children (ages 2-9).
Main Results:
- A set of 60 monosyllabic words and 40 trochees recorded in four Swiss German dialects and standard German (500 recordings total).
- Child-appropriate illustrations created for each word.
- Development of non-adaptive and adaptive test procedures for measuring speech reception thresholds in quiet and noise.
Conclusions:
- A novel speech intelligibility test for children in four Swiss dialects has been developed and piloted.
- Further validation with a larger participant group is planned to refine the test material and procedures.
