Whilst I was undertaking some voluntary work at St Therese in year Prep at the beginning of this year (2014) I was

fortunate enough to perform some formal testing on the students. This artefact is my recording of a students' Sutherland Phonological Awareness Test (SPAT). It is a comprehensive standardised test that provides an overview of the phonological awareness skills required for early literacy development. When used in full it tests the students sound identication, blending, segmenting, manipulation, nonword reading, and spelling. This particular adaptation of the test involves letter identication; syllable counting, rhyme detection, rhyme production, blending, and alphabet recital; and records oral language and listening skills. Used at the beginning of the year (as this one was), this form of assessment can be used to help teachers gain an understanding of the students current understandings, inform lesson plans and provide future learning.

The Letter Identication Score Sheet allows teachers to assess students current phonological awareness - the letter names, sounds and any words they know. This tests students ability to identify the letters of the alphabet in a number of different written forms. The alphabet sheet I used is attached below.

Syllable Counting With this activity the teacher reads the word and the student taps on the drums (pictures attached below) the amount of syllables per word. If they calculate correctly they score 1 point, incorrectly or unknown results in a score of 0.

Rhyme Detection The teacher reads the three words and the student identies the rhyming words.

Rhyme Production The teacher reads the rst two words and the student says a rhyming word - this can also be a made up word, as long as it rhymes.

Blending With this activity the teacher reads the words slowing, assessing whether the student can blend the sounds together and identify the word.

In this section, the teacher reads out the text and the student repeats what they have heard. You start the Prep students at level 2 Part 1, and depending on their achievement move them up to Level 2 or down to Level 1.

This is the alphabet chart used on page 1 - Letter Identication Score Sheet. The teacher reveals a row of letters at a time while the student reads out the letter name and/or sound and/or a word beginning with that letter.

Drums for syllable counting

Pictures for rhyme detection