All assessments should be given one-on-one.
What it measures
- Phoneme matching is the ability to identify words that begin with the same sound.
- Phoneme isolation is the ability to isolate a single sound from within a word.
- Phoneme blending is the ability to blend individual sounds into a word.
- Phoneme segmentation is the ability to break a word into individual sounds.
- Phoneme manipulation is the ability to modify, change, or move the individual sounds in a word.
When should it be assessed?
Phonemic awareness assessments should be done three times during the kindergarten and first grade years to help guide instruction.
Examples of assessment questions
* Remember, when a letter appears between slash marks, you should say the letter sound, and not the letter name.
Phoneme matching
- Which words sound alike? man, sat, sip (Correct response: sat, sip)
Phoneme isolation – Initial (first) sound:
- What’s the first sound in “sat?” (Correct response: /s/)
Phoneme isolation – Final (last) sound:
- What’s the last sound in “sat?” (Correct response: /t/)
Phoneme isolation – Medial (middle) sound:
- What’s the middle sound in “sat?” (Correct response: /a/)
Phoneme blending:
- What word do these sounds make? /h/ – /o/ – /t/ (Correct response: hot)
Phoneme segmentation:
- What sounds do you hear in “hot?” (Correct response: /h/ – /o/ – /t/)
Phoneme manipulation – Initial (first) sound:
- Say “mat” without the /m/ sound. (Correct response: at)
Phoneme manipulation – Final (last) sound:
- Say “mat” without the /t/ sound. (Correct response: ma)
Phoneme manipulation – Substitution:
- Say “pig.” (Correct response: pig)
- Now change the /p/ in “pig” to /f/. (Correct response: fig)
Age or grade typically mastered
- Phoneme matching: The middle of kindergarten
- Phoneme isolation – Initial (first) sound: The middle of kindergarten
- Phoneme isolation – Final (last) sound: Late kindergarten or early first grade
- Phoneme isolation – Medial (middle) sound: Late kindergarten or early first grade
- Phoneme blending: Late kindergarten or early first grade
- Phoneme segmentation: First grade
- Phoneme manipulation – Initial (first) sound: First grade
- Phoneme manipulation – Final (last) sound: First grade
- Phoneme manipulation – Substitution: Middle to end of first grade or early second grade
Reprints
You are welcome to print copies or republish materials for non-commercial use as long as credit is given to Reading Rockets and the author(s). For commercial use, please contact [email protected].