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9/1/2020 9:56:49 PM
Quick Phonics Assessment
Note for parent:
If you haven't read the post: Teaching Reading the Right Way, please go there first.
Look at the key at the bottom of this assessment before you test your child so you know what you're looking for. The student should either breeze through these quickly and correctly OR pause and sound them out correctly. If the student can't get nearly every word correct in a section, start on the Explode the Code book that goes with that section.
Most kids who have already been to school, know the consonant sounds well. (Consonants are all of the letters other than a, e, i, o, u and sometimes y. ) If your child is learning from scratch or doesn’t know D says “duh” or V says “vuh,” for instance, start him on Explode the Code Books A, B, and C that come before Book 1.
Instructions for parent:
Point to each word and wait for the student to pronounce it, then move on to the next word. Do not try to coach your child during this assessment. Let him/her answer, then point to the next word. You can use this online or copy onto a Word.doc and print it out. (Answer key is below the assessment.)
Read aloud to child:
“Most of the words below are
not real words, but I want you to pretend they are and pronounce them like you
would if you saw them while you were reading.”
Group I:
flab fleb flib flob flub
glab gleb glib glob glub
clab cleb clib clob club
dram drem drim drob drub
snamp snemp snimp snomp snump
balp belp bilp bolp bulp
bate bete bite bote bute
jate jete jite jote jute
vate vete vite vote vute
Group 3b:
peat poat pait peet
deat doat dait deet
leat loat lait leet
veat voat vait veet
Parent key:
An older child who has a solid
foundation in phonics will breeze through nearly all of these correctly, despite the
fact that most are not real words. A younger child who has learned phonics may need to stop and sound them out more slowly, but, if he pronounce nearly all of them correctly, he knows phonics. If a child misses 3 in a section, I'd start with the appropriate book for that section (see below) to make sure the information is solidly planted in her brain.
*Helpful hint: If you were
not taught to read phonetically or if English is not your first language, you
can go to merriam-webster.com, type in the words below (for example, type in “cat,”)
and click on the speaker symbol to hear the pronunciation. **And please teach
your kids to use online Dictionaries and Thesauruses so they are empowered to
make themselves smarter whenever they want to. Apps are also available for your phone.
Group 1 contains only short vowel sounds. When your child
pronounces these, each word in column 1 should rhyme, each word in column 2
should rhyme, etc.
Below are the real rhyming
words to compare with in each column.
cat bet bit cot cut
If your child is pronouncing some
vowels short and some long (or any other way), he hasn’t learned phonics, probably
because he wasn’t taught phonics at all or, at least, not in the best way. Start
on Explode the Code, Book 1.
Group 2 contains consonant combinations. Make sure the child is pronouncing both consonants together in each word, like “flab,” for instance, not “fab,” or “lab.”
The vowels should all have the short vowel sound like the words in Group 1 above.
If your child is not
pronouncing the consonant combinations correctly but is still pronouncing the
vowels right, then start
with Explode the Code Book 2.
Group 3a contains long vowel “words” that are made long by the silent E at the end.
date mete site dote lute
If he pronounces the vowels
short or some short and some long, start on Explode the Code, Book 3.
Group 3b contains long vowel “words” that are made long by
having a silent second letter. Here are the real words that your child’s answers
should rhyme with:
beat boat wait feet
If she pronounces the vowels
short or some short and some long, start on Explode the Code, Book 3.
If your child breezes through
all the groups of words on the assessment, start him on Explode the Code,
Book 4. It gets into two syllable words in a way that breaks them down and
makes them easier to figure out. Also, much of the content in Books 4-8 may not
be taught specifically, even if your child’s school is teaching some phonics.
Note: If you are teaching a younger child, he or she may not be ready for the last few books yet.
Another Note: Learning phonics doesn’t need to be
a painful process. These books are super user friendly. With my daughter, I kept
them in the car where she had nothing to do. She would happily pick them up and
start working as I drove from one place to another. With the kids I tutored, I
kept it light. Getting something wrong was no big deal. Getting things right
was awesome. Try putting a snack in front of a restless or tired child to see
if you can get more work time out of him. (My daughter and stepson both appreciated
it when they were doing homework and a plate of sliced apples appeared in front
of them.)
Feel free to post questions in comments or email me at NinaCordoba@NinaCordoba.com.
Other education blog posts published or currently in the works as of 9/2/2020:
-READ THIS FIRST: Educating Your Child at Home
-READ THIS SECOND: Getting the Most from Your Child
-Reading: Teaching Reading the Right Way
-Reading: Quick Phonics Assessment (This post)
-Where Can I Find Learning Materials for my Preschool or Elementary School Student?
-Creating Real-life "Opportunity Learning" Moments
-Preparing Your Infant and Toddler for Success
Copyright 2020 Nina Cordoba