Bachelor's Thesis

Assessment of a Person’s Language Skills

Final Thesis 3.43 MB

Author of thesis: Filip Štrba

Acad. year: 2025/2026

Supervisor: prof. Aamir Saeed Malik, Ph.D.

Reviewer: Ing. Tomáš Szabó

Abstract:

The aim of this thesis was to create an application that is a set of gamified tests. The
games were aimed to test the language domain of the DSM-5 model and its subdomains.
From its early conception this thesis was created with the support of psychologists and
special educators from the Centrum for counselling and prevention in Prievidza (CPaP).
The implemented tests were based on the battery of tests used on daily basis in the field.
For the grammar and syntax subdomain was picked speaking to dictation test and two
variants of a fill in the blank test. One variant of the fill in the blank test was a multiple
choice variant. The other variant was an open ended fill in the blank where any text
could’ve been entered as an answer. The later variant test also the fluency subdomain. For
the object naming subdomain a test where the participant names objects on the screen was
selected. This test together with the open ended fill in the blank tests examine the word
finding subdomain. Receptive language subdomain is tested with a series of picture based
tasks where the participant assembles correct formations based on an instruction prompt.
The tests were implemented in React Native and Expo with a server based on the Node.js
platform. A pilot testing was performed at CPaP Prievidza. The tests were adjusted based
on the received feedback. Professionals at CPaP seem hopeful and see a future in test
digitalization.

Keywords:

Language, Digital games, Language tests, Language domain of DSM-5

Date of defence

15.06.2026

Result of the defence

Defended (thesis was successfully defended)

znamkaBznamka

Grading

B

Process of defence

Student nejprve prezentoval výsledky, kterých dosáhl v rámci své práce. Komise se poté seznámila s hodnocením vedoucího a posudkem oponenta práce. Student následně odpověděl na otázky oponenta a na další otázky přítomných. Komise se na základě posudku oponenta, hodnocení vedoucího, přednesené prezentace a odpovědí studenta na položené otázky rozhodla práci hodnotit stupněm B.

Topics for thesis defence

  1. What was the consensus among the consulted domain experts regarding the application?
  2. Are the application's scoring metrics suitable for medical professionals, or are there better alternatives for evaluation?
  3. How did the test results affect the final version of the application?
  4. What is the main technical contribution of your work?

Language of thesis

English

Faculty

Department

Study programme

Information Technology (BIT)

Composition of Committee

doc. RNDr. Milan Češka, Ph.D. (předseda)
doc. Ing. Jan Kořenek, Ph.D. (místopředseda)
Ing. Zdeněk Materna, Ph.D. (člen)
Ing. Miloš Musil, Ph.D. (člen)
Ing. Martin Hrubý, Ph.D. (člen)

Supervisor’s report
prof. Aamir Saeed Malik, Ph.D.

The student has successfully completed the development of digital assessment of human language skills and met all the objectives specified in the project description. The method not only assesses the cognitive skill with its sub-domains but it also provides a user interface for visualization through database integration at the backend on the cloud. In addition, the student closely collaborated with the psychologists and teachers involved in the assessment of language skills in the schools and also successfully collected the data from a school.

Evaluation criteria Verbal classification
Informace k zadání

The thesis was related to development of digital assessment method for human language skills which is one of the six cognitive skills defined in DSM-V by American Psychiatric Association (APA). The assessment is done for various sub-domains of the language skills, namely, object naming, word finding, fluency, grammar and syntax, and receptive language. The work was challenging because it not only involved the development skills but also required understanding of cognitive skills from the perspective of human psychology. The student developed games to assess the various sub-domains of the main language skill and the resulting outputs are satisfactory and all the requirements of the thesis were met.

Práce s literaturou

The student reviewed many existing methods as well as the literature to understand the various sub-domains of the language skills, namely, object naming, word finding, fluency, grammar and syntax, and receptive language. Chapter 2 reviews the six cognitive skills in section 2.1, and provides details of the human language skills with its sub-domains in section 2.2. Section 2.3 discusses the existing methods to measure each one of them and provides the summary of the various batteries for the assessment of language skills. In addition, it also covers the existing games and apps. The chapter is concluded with a section providing details of the gaps and the corresponding way forward.

Aktivita během řešení, konzultace, komunikace

The student had a very positive attitude and started working on the topic in the winter semester of 2025. I had weekly meetings with the student and he regularly came for the meetings. He was very active, focused on his project, worked diligently and with dedication. He came well prepared for the meetings.

Aktivita při dokončování

The work was challenging because the development included backend database development on the cloud, frontend user interface development, and the visualization of the results. The student worked hard to complete all the development in time and he was able to submit the thesis before the deadline. He regularly consulted me before the submission of the thesis.

Publikační činnost, ocenění

The student developed a number of games with database on the cloud serving as the backend of the game, with a frontend user app, and with detailed visualization section. The work can be published in a conference.

Points proposed by supervisor: 95

Grade proposed by supervisor: A

Reviewer’s report
Ing. Tomáš Szabó

From a technical standpoint, the work is executed exceptionally well. Beyond the standard requirements, the author consulted with domain experts, iterated the development process, and enhanced the module through multiple rounds of user testing. The module was demonstrated and is fully functional.


However, the report suffers from formal issues, including a lack of figure references, tense inconsistencies, and textual errors. Still, the author met all requirements and exceeded them by testing the application with professionals. Considering the overall effort and results, I am awarding this work an A.

Evaluation criteria Verbal classification Points
Náročnost zadání

Evaluation level: průměrně obtížné zadání

The thesis encompasses a multidisciplinary range of topics—medicine, neuroscience, IT, and UX—that require thorough comprehension and integration. The objective was not necessarily to invent a novel concept, but rather to apply established techniques to quantify cognitive speech functions through a gamified approach. Within the thesis, the author successfully acquainted themselves with the anatomy of the brain and the mechanics of language processing. To measure these speech functions, the author designed and implemented a database-backed module for an already existing application. The tests consist of 5 tests which all consider different aspect of speech.

Prezentační úroveň technické zprávy

The author uses a standard academic structure with logically progressing subsections. The research justifies test selection, guided by expert consultation and coverage of a range of speech functions. Implementation details explain the technologies used, the testing section presents the experiments clearly, and Conclusion summarises the work while outlining future aims.

However, the text suffers from the repetition of previously stated facts, which diminishes its engagement. The introductory paragraphs for chapters and sections are overly brief. The report would benefit from a sufficient number of figures illustrating the individual tasks, which would have significantly facilitated a better understanding of their mechanics.

85
Formální úprava technické zprávy

While the text is written in standard English, the use of informal contractions (e.g., "it's" instead of "it is"), misspelling (”Centrum” instead of “Centre”) and various typographical errors detract from the academic tone. It suffers from incorrect indentation. Additionally, the author frequently fails to reference figures and the majority of tables within the text. Extended abstract is missing.

87
Realizační výstup

The delivered software solution is well-structured, featuring a distinct frontend and backend architecture. The author provides a detailed description of this structure in the thesis and employs modern practices. Network communication and unexpected errors are appropriately handled. The utilized libraries are correctly cited.

Moreover, the intuitiveness and simplicity of the solution were validated through public user testing, which led to concrete improvements in the user experience. The implementation of the Tasks game, in particular, is highly commendable.

96
Využitelnost výsledků

The thesis successfully transitions existing physical tests into a digital environment compatible with both mobile devices and desktop web browsers. These tests cover a spectrum of speech-related skills. The application can serve as a long-term trend indicator for individual speech traits or act as a supplementary tool for professional diagnostics. A major contribution of this work is the adaptation of tests, which the author conceptualised elegantly and engagingly, making them suitable for potential clinical use if the idea is expanded. 

Rozsah splnění požadavků zadání

Evaluation level: zadání splněno a práce obsahuje podstatná rozšíření

The author successfully fulfilled the assignment requirements. Initially, an in-depth study was conducted to acquire knowledge regarding human cognitive functions related to speech, the associated tests, and their potential for gamification. The author detailed various testing methods, along with their respective limitations. Subsequently, a custom responsive module was designed and implemented to measure these functions in the existing application. The user experiments were conducted to evaluate the application's quality, and questionnaire data were gathered from the participants for future analysis and iterative improvements.

Above the fulfilled assignments, the module was iteratively discussed with the professionals in the field at the Centre for Counselling and Prevention in Prievidza.

Rozsah technické zprávy

Evaluation level: je v obvyklém rozmezí

The extent of the thesis meets the standard requirements.

Práce s literaturou

The author utilized relevant sources to understand the domain, effectively complementing them with their own implementation. The total count of references is relatively low. Adopted figures are appropriately cited, and the bibliography is formatted correctly.

90
Topics for thesis defence:
  1. What was the consensus among the consulted domain experts regarding the application?
  2. Are the application's scoring metrics suitable for medical professionals, or are there better alternatives for evaluation?
  3. How did the test results affect the final version of the application?
Points proposed by reviewer: 90

Grade proposed by reviewer: A

Responsibility: Mgr. et Mgr. Hana Odstrčilová