First of all, I am so sorry for your disappointing experience with the evaluator. It is very aggravating to get a diagnosis from someone who can't answer what would seem to be very simple questions that you'd think an "expert" could answer. It is not a good feeling to seemingly know more than them when you are still looking for anwers.
My DS5.5 has very high receptive language skills, but has expressive language disorder (non-spectrum). The best advice I can give is to make sure that the speech therapist can think outside the box in motivating your child and making his learning fun. Ours started having my DS earn short, one minute breaks with something of his choice in her room with which to play. Also make sure that the SLP is also a CAPD expert. They use a lot of the same tools and have a better understanding than a regular SLP with no specialties. ELD needs therapy and the sooner the better. Early intervention is key to success, more importantly the child's confidence.
How old is your DS? I have a few posts on here about ELD. Search expressive language delay or just some of my posts (please ignore the neurotic ones;). The deal is that ELD kids don't have the files in their heads from which to pull their thoughts to voice - other kids do. The SLP will start by helping kids split words into categories in their heads (animals, kitchen utensils, community people,...); and as the words and language progress they will move onto helping them with proper grammar, functional language like holding conversations, being able to ask questions (with the correct word order),... Grammar is a big thing. Having my DS at home has really helped because I have him correct his language. I am always positive with him though. We have a handle on things now and DS is progressing wonderfully. His being able to read has helped a lot, although he is very visual spatial (having over 1500 sight words, and has just in the past several months felt more comfortable with phonetics). It is really helpful being able to see/feel/say words to make connections. When I read to him, I always point at the words I read. When he reads, I make him repeat the word that he doesn't know 3xs in a row; and he has it (strange, but it works). Homeschooling cut down on my stress a lot; although I fought it avidly. It is difficult having an advanced-academically child who cannot express his thoughts. It was very frustrating for him - not being able to express what he'd prefer to do, and that he was bored; and he was very misunderstood by his preschool treachers. And he is not one to go sit and read in a corner. PM me if you'd like. Hope that some of this helps. There is not a lot out there about just ELD without ReceptiveLD thrown in.
Peace to you!
