Phonics

Definitions

Phonics: the relationship between sounds and their spellings; the phoneme-
grapheme (sound-letter) relationship

Phonemes: the sounds that occurs in a language

Graphemes: the written symbol for phonemes or sounds, can be compose of

one or more letters

Graphophonic (phonic) analysis: using the phonic elements in a word to

determine its pronunciation and meaning

Word attack: methods used by a reader to analyze words; these skills include
phonics, structural analysis, onset and rime, and use of sight words.

Rimes: the vowel at the beginning of a syllable

Onset: the consonant or consonants that come just before the vowel
 Phonics Assessments

• Woodcock-Johnson III Tests of Achievement: Test 13 (Word Attack),

Test 20 (Spelling of Sounds)

• Wechsler Individual Achievement Test-II: Pseudoword Decoding

• El Paso Phonics Survey (we received a copy of this in class)

• The Name Test

• Elementary School-Advanced Phonics Goals and Assessments: This is a

goal-based assessment. Goals 1 and 2, as well as the pre and post-tests, are
included, the others can be found at:
www.usu.edu/teachall/text/reading/phonics/103description.pdf
www.usu.edu/teachall/text/reading/phonics/103testkey.pdf
www.usu.edu/teachall/text/reading/phonics/103pretest.pdf
www.usu.edu/teachall/text/reading/phonics/103posttest.pdf
www.usu.edu/teachall/text/reading/phonics/104description.pdf
www.usu.edu/teachall/text/reading/phonics/104testkey.pdf
www.usu.edu/teachall/text/reading/phonics/104pretest.pdf
www.usu.edu/teachall/text/reading/phonics/104posttest.pdf

• The Starpoint Phonics Assessment

• The Reutzel/Cooter Word Attack Survey

• Pseudowords Assessments: Grades 1-8

• Running Records
 The Name Test

Constructing the Name Test

1. Type or print the 25 names on a piece of paper or posterboard. Make sure that the
print size is appropriate for the age or grade level of the child being tested.
2. If you think it would be helpful, type of print each of the names on index cards so
that they can be read individually.
3. Prepare a scoring sheet. Type the list of names in a column and, following each
name, draw a blank line on which you can record a child’s responses.

Administering the Name Test

1. Administer the Name Test on an individual basis.
2. Explain to the child that he or she is to pretend to be a teacher who must read a
list of the names of the children in the class. Have the child read the names as if
he or she were taking attendance.
3. Have the child read the entire list. Tell the child that you will not be able to help
him or her with difficult names, but to make a guess at each name if possible
4. Place a check on the answer sheet for each name the child reads correctly. Write
the phonetic spellings for each name that is not pronounced correctly.

Scoring and Evaluating the Name Test

1. Count a name as correct if all of the syllables are pronounced correctly regardless
of where the child placed the accent. As an example, the name Westmoreland is
correct whether it is pronounce 'West more land; or West 'more land; or West
more land'.
2. For words in which the vowel pronunciation depends on which syllable the
consonant is placed with, count them correct for either pronunciation. For
example, Ho/mer or Hom/er is counted as correct.
3. Count the number of names read correctly, and analyze those mispronounced,
looking for patterns indicative of decoding strengths and weaknesses.

The Name Test

Jay Conway Chester Wright Grace Brewster

Tim Cornell Ginger Yale Ned Westmoreland
Chuck Hoke Patrick Tweed Ron Smitherman
Yolanda Clark Stanley Shaw Troy Whitlock
Kimberly Blake Wendy Swain Vance Middleton
Roberta Slade Glen Spencer Zane Anderson
Homer Preston Fred Sherwood Bernard Pendergraph
Gus Quincy Flo Thornton
Cindy Sampson Dee Skidmore
Elementary School – Advanced Phonics
Goal 1: The student is able to identify the pronunciation of words
in which the blends chr, sch, squ, and/or the silent consonant
structures ft, stle, sl, tch, dge, and gh occur.

Objectives
1.01 The student is able to identify, by sight and sound,
words beginning with chr, sch, and squ.

1.02 The student is able to identify by sight and sound words

in which t is silent in a ft combination (soften), stle
combination (castle), and s is silent in a sl structure
(island), and t is silent in a tch combination (watch).

1.03 The student is able to identify by sight and sound words

in which d is silent before ge (edge) and in which h is
silent after g (ghost).
 Elementary School – Advanced Phonics Goal 1

Diagnostic Assessment Key

Pre-Test Post-Test
Question # Obj. Item Answer Obj. Item Answer
1 1.01 1 C 1.03 1 B
2 1.01 2 D 1.03 2 A
3 1.01 3 A 1.03 3 C
4 1.02 4 D 1.02 4 A
5 1.02 5 D 1.02 5 D
6 1.02 6 A 1.02 6 D
7 1.03 7 C 1.01 7 A
8 1.03 8 A 1.01 8 D
9 1.03 9 B 1.01 9 C
Elementary School: Advanced Phonics - Goal 1
Pre-Test
DIRECTIONS: Read each example. Choose the correct answer.

1. The consonant blend in Christmas is. . 7. The silent letter in bridge is. . .
. A. g.
A. ch. B. r.
B. stm. C. d.
C. chr. D. b.
D. st.
8. The silent letter in ghost is. . .
2. The consonant blend in school is. . . A. h.
A. sc. B. g.
B. ch. C. t.
C. str. D. o.
D. sch.
9. The silent letter in fudge is. . .
3. The consonant blend in squat is. . . A. f.
A. squ. B. d.
B. sq. C. u.
C. qu. D. g.
D. uat.

4. The silent letter in whistle is. . .

A. s.
B. i.
C. w.
D. t.

5. The silent letter in island is. . .

A. n.
B. i.
C. d.
D. s.

6. The silent letter in listen is. . .

A. t.
B. e.
C. s.
D. n.
Elementary School: Advanced Phonics - Goal 1
Post-Test
DIRECTIONS: Read each example. Choose the correct answer.

1. The silent letter in fudge is. . . 8. The consonant blend in school is. . .
A. f. A. sc.
B. d. B. ch.
C. u. C. str.
D. g. D. sch.

2. The silent letter in ghost is. . . 9. The consonant blend in Christmas

A. h. is. . .
B. g. A. ch.
C. t. B. stm.
D. o. C. chr.
D. st.
3. The silent letter in bridge is. . .
A. g.
B. r.
C. d.
D. b.

4. The silent letter in listen is. . .

A. t.
B. e.
C. s.
D. n.

5. The silent letter in island is. . .

A. n.
B. i.
C. d.
D. s.

6. The silent letter in whistle is. . .

A. s.
B. i.
C. w.
D. t.

7. The consonant blend in squat is. . .

A. squ.
B. sq.
C. qu.
D. uat.
Elementary School – Advanced Phonics
Goal 2: The student is able to identify the pronunciation of words
in which the vowel diphthongs au, aw, ou, ow, oi, oy, eu, ue,
eau, and ew occur.

Objectives
2.01 The student is able to identify by sight and sound the
words in which the vowel diphthongs au and aw occur.

2.02 The student is able to identify by sight and sound the

words in which the vowel diphthongs ou and ow occur.

2.03 The student is able to identify by sight and sound the

words in which the vowel diphthongs oi and oy occur.

2.04 The student is able to identify by sight and sound the

words in which the vowel diphthongs ue, eu, eau, or ew occur.
 Elementary School – Advanced Phonics Goal 2

Diagnostic Assessment Key

Pre-Test Post-Test
# Objective Item Answer Objective Item Answer
1 2.01 1 A 2.04 1 A
2 2.02 2 A 2.03 2 D
3 2.03 3 B 2.02 3 B
4 2.04 4 D 2.01 4 B
5 2.01 5 C 2.04 5 B
6 2.02 6 D 2.03 6 A
7 2.03 7 A 2.02 7 D
8 2.04 8 B 2.01 8 C
9 2.01 9 B 2.04 9 D
10 2.02 10 B 2.03 10 B
11 2.03 11 D 2.02 11 A
12 2.04 12 A 2.01 12 A
Elementary School: Advanced Phonics - Goal 2
Pre-Test
DIRECTIONS: Read each example. Choose the correct answer.

1. Which word has the same vowel 7. Which word has the same vowel
sound as hawk? sound as Troy?
A. sauce A. coin
B. sure B. move
C. happy C. dance
D. bat D. done

2. Which word has the same vowel 8. Which word has the same vowel
sound as how? sound as blue?
A. house A. made
B. pool B. chew
C. best C. frog
D. snow D. rock

3. Which word has the same vowel 9. Which word has the same vowel
sound as boil? sound as saw?
A. care A. stir
B. toy B. taught
C. look C. club
D. fun D. grow

4. Which word has the same vowel 10. Which word has the same vowel
sound as crew? sound as clown?
A. sing A. line
B. ball B. mouse
C. flag C. clap
D. true D. end

5. Which word has the same vowel 11. Which word has the same vowel
sound as cause? sound as noise?
A. roll A. pick
B. now B. soon
C. straw C. new
D. bone D. boy

6. Which word has the same vowel 12. Which word has the same vowel
sound as pound? sound as clue?
A. street A. stew
B. boy B. stop
C. word C. clean
D. brown D. hut
Elementary School: Advanced Phonics - Goal 2
Post-Test
DIRECTIONS: Read each example. Choose the correct answer.

1. Which word has the same vowel 7. Which word has the same vowel
sound as clue? sound as pound?
A. stew A. street
B. stop B. boy
C. clean C. word
D. hut D. brown

2. Which word has the same vowel 8. Which word has the same vowel
sound as noise? sound as cause?
A. pick A. roll
B. soon B. now
C. new C. straw
D. boy D. bone

3. Which word has the same vowel 9. Which word has the same vowel
sound as clown? sound as crew?
A. line A. sing
B. mouse B. ball
C. clap C. flag
D. end D. true

4. Which word has the same vowel 10. Which word has the same vowel
sound as saw? sound as boil?
A. stir A. care
B. taught B. toy
C. club C. look
D. grow D. fun

5. Which word has the same vowel 11. Which word has the same vowel
sound as blue? sound as how?
A. made A. house
B. chew B. pool
C. frog C. best
D. rock D. snow

6. Which word has the same vowel 12. Which word has the same vowel
sound as Troy? sound as hawk?
A. coin A. sauce
B. move B. sure
C. dance C. happy
D. done D. bat
 The Starpoint Phonics Assessment (SPA)

Materials
Reproduce the twenty rows of nonsense words on flashcards or index cards, with all Row
1 words on one card, all Row 2 words on the next card etc. You will also need a copy of
the SPA analysis grid for each student to be assessed. A tape recorder should be used to
record the assessment.

Procedure
Assess each student individually. Using a cassette record may facilitate the process.
Beginning with the first flashcard, say to the student, “Please read the words on each card
as I hold them up. The words are all nonsense words. That means that they are not real
words. Just pronounce them the way you think they would sound. For instance, the first
word is runk. Go ahead and try to say the other words as I hold them up.”

Using the SPA analysis grid form, indicate whether the child said the word
correctly. Incorrect pronunciations should be written phonetically. Using the taped
session, review the miscues and indicate the phonics skill that is lacking. There should
be at least one box marked for each miscue. If none of the categories fit, make a notation
in the examiner’s notes section of the skill you believe the student may need to learn
(e.g., cvc rule, hard g sound etc.). Finally, tall the number of miscues in each column. If
a child has two or more miscues in a category, explicit instruction of this skill may be
required.

Williams, S.G., Cooter, K.S., & Cooter, R.B. (2003). The Starpoint phonics quick test.
Unpublished manuscript.
 SPA Nonsense Words

1. runk mip bor

2. pight caw jor
3. wunk lemmock zatting
4. nash soug zad
5. battump dapping yod
6. mur hote seg
7. lattum yinter poat
8. telbin vike leat
9. dar mur foat
10. pice gar whesp
11. dop femmit yadder
12. gapple sheal telbis
13. lome ridnip hade
14. tade chogging vappel
15. minzif kosh waig
16. tain demsug nater
17. festrip bowunk thiping
18. wapir polide wabor
19. polide siler jiper
20. atur nipping quen
 SPA Analysis Grid Form

Initial Rimes Syllabi- Affixes R-

Sound cation Contr.

1. runk mip bor

2. pight caw jor

3. wunk lemmock zatting

4. nash soug zad

5. battump dapping yod

6. mur hote seg

7. lattum yinter poat

8. telbin vike leat

9. dar mur foat

10. pice gar whesp

11. dop femmit yadder

12. gapple sheal telbis

13. lome ridnip hade

14. tade chogging vappel

15. minzif kosh waig

16. tain demsug nater

17. festrip bowunk thiping

18. wapir polide wabor

19. polide siler jiper

20. atur nipping quen

 The Reutzel/Cooter Word Attack Survey

Materials
You will need to reproduce cards with the following word groups on each:

1. tat nan rin mup 8. cose cimmy cyler gare gob

2. det sim loj cal pif 9. gime genry chur thim
3. fek geem hoad kait 10. shar whilly thar nally ipple
4. weam jape zote gipe tope 11. attawap urrit phur phattle
5. bo ka fi tu 12. phenoblab lappo pabute larpin
6. sar wir der nur ahurla witnit
7. mup cremon laken cale

You will also need copies of the R/C Word Attack Survey.

Procedure
Individually assess each child. Tell the child they are going to be reading some make-
believe words and may sound funny but he/she should pronounce the word they way it
should sound. As the child works his/her way through they words, note any
mispronunciations on the Word Attack Survey form. Determine areas of phonic
knowledge the student may be having difficulty with based on repeated miscues. It is
recommended that instructional decisions be based on a pattern of errors repeated over
time. Thus, you will need to hear the child read more than once before deciding which
areas should be addressed in the curriculum.

Reutzel, D.R. & Cooter, R.B. (2003). Strategies for reading assessment and instruction.
Columbus, Ohio: Merrill Prent ice Hall.
Reutzel/Cooter Word Attack Survey Form

Student name:
Date:

Part 1: Vowel Generalizations

A. CVC/Beginning Consonant Sounds

1. tat ______________ 6. sim ______________

2. nan ______________ 7. loj ______________
3. rin ______________ 8. cal ______________
4. mup ______________ 9. pif ______________
5. det ______________ 10. fek ______________

B. Vowel Digraphs C. VCE Pattern

11. geem ______________ 15. jape ______________

12. hoad ______________ 16. zote ______________
13. kait ______________ 17. gipe ______________
14. weam ______________ 18. tope ______________

D. CV Pattern E. R-Controlled Vowels

19. bo ______________ 23. sar ______________

20. ka ______________ 24. wir ______________
21. fi ______________ 25. der ______________
22. tu ______________ 26. nur ______________

F. Schwa sound

27. ahurla ______________

28. thup ______________
29. cremon _____________
30. laken ______________
R/C Word Attack Survey continued

Part 2: Consona nt Generalizations

G. Hard and Soft C H. Hard and Soft G

31. cale ______________ 35. gare ______________

32. cose ______________ 36. gob ______________
33. cimmy _____________ 37. gime ______________
34. cyler ______________ 38. genry ______________

I. Consonant Digraphs J. Double Consonants

39. chur ______________ 44. nally ______________

40. thim ______________ 45. ipple ______________
41. shar _______________ 46. attawap ____________
42. whilly _____________ 47. urrit ______________
43. thar _______________

K. Ph (F sound)

48. phur ______________

49. phattle ______________
50. phenoblab ______________

L. Single consonants **see section A

M. Syllabication Rules (besides 51-54, there are many other syllabication examples
throughout the WAS)

51. lappo ______________

52. pabute _____________
53. larpin ______________
54. witnit ______________

Comments:
Pseudo-words Assessments (Grades 1-8)

Materials
The assessment copy for each grade level is included. Each word needs to be printed on
a separate sheet of paper (as a list) or on index cards (individually) so that the student will
be able to read them.

Procedure
Assess the students individually. Tell the student that he/she is going to be reading
nonsense words, but he/she should pronounce them how it would sound if it was a real
word. On the assessment copy, note the phonetic spelling of any mispronounced word.

Office of Literacy Plus. Informal Classroom Diagnostic Assessments 2001-2002

Pseudowords: One Syllable (Teacher Copy) Grades 1-2

med meep
kot dut
swip pog
dree nack
bick shu
shub fet
doy han
cho stip
flate kip
lin det
sime bote
nug juck
skib bry

Students name:

Date:

Comments:
Pseudowords: Multisyllabic (Teacher Copy) Grades 2-4

granbit
kiblate
chotsimly
perdeetish
straypole
sheefoaming
umchaw
moyjecklot
imbretnig
norlean
medgran
trunshad
thiderfet
dimpsod
lopetjat

Student’s Name:

Date:

Comments:
Pseudowords: Multisyllabic (Teacher Copy) Grades 4-8

wratbeling
dawsnite
pramminciling
whetsplitter
gincule
cringale
slatrungle
trayfrall
spreansplit
goanbate
streegran
glammertickly
grantellean
aipcid

Student’s Name:

Date:

Comments:
Assessing Phonics via Running Records

Procedure
Listening to a student read aloud is one of the ways to monitor the reading process. It is
an imperfect assessment strategy, however, because oral reading ability differs somewhat
from silent reading. Nevertheless, oral reading is suggestive of skills the student may be
using. The goal in this instance is to use running records as a mean for identifying
phonics-related miscue patterns.

Materials
Make a copy of the passage the student will be reading. Use a miscue grid/running record
system. Make copies of the Phonic Analysis Form for Oral Reading Miscues to help
determine the phonics needs for each student.

Procedure
Listen to the student read passage(s) you have prepared that are at his instructional reading level
(about 95-97% word call accuracy). Record any miscues using the grid system to begin to look for
patterns of recurring phonics problems. Pay careful attention to word call errors, attempted decoding
and self-corrections. To identify recurring patterns of phonics miscues, use the Phonic Analysis Form.

Reutzel, D.R., & Cooter, R.B. (2000). Balanced reading strategies and practices: Assessing and assisting
readers with special needs. Columbus, Ohio: Merrill Prentice Hall.
Phonic Analysis Form

Phonics Generalization Oral Reading Miscue Data from Other Sources

Examples
Vowel Rules
CVC rule (sat, ran)
Digraphs (ee, ea, oa)
VCE (cape, rope)
CV (go, so)
R-controlled (person, her)
Schwa sound (America)
Dipthongs (oi, oy)
Y Rules
Consonant Rules
C rule (hard, soft)
G rule (hard, soft)
single consonant sounds
Digraphs (this, she)
Ph (F sound)
Double consonants (apple)
Syllabication Rules
Two identical consonants
(ap/ple)
vowel sounds in a word
(ca/boose, slave)
unlike consonants (car/pet)
compound word (without)
Structural Analysis
Root words
Affixes
 Teaching Strategies for Phonics

• Seven Phonics Generalizations: Teachers explicitly teach these phonics

generalizations through mini-lessons. After the students are taught a
generalization, an activity should focus on identifying examples of the
generalization. For example, students could cut out words or pictures from
magazines and newspapers that show the CVC generalization (the word run
from a headline, or a picture of a cat) and make a collage for the
generalization.

• Letter-Sound Cards

• Phonics Generalizations Songs and Chants

• Use children’s nursery rhymes to explore initial consonants and blends.

Try this website for an excellent example:
http://teacher.scholastic.com/lessonrepro/reproducibles/profbooks/hickorydickory.pdf

• Have children sort small objects into a correct box according to the initial
consonant sounds. For younger children, use just two different consonant
sounds. For example, you could include these items: bear, bat, bubbles, cat,
car, clock. The children would sort them into a box labeled “B” and a box
labeled “C.”

• Use words and names that are part of students’ visual environment to
reinforce letter-sound associations.

• Make a chart with columns for each phonic sound that has been reviewed
and have the students identify words within their reading literature or
classroom texts that contain specific sound patterns. Once students
recognize a word containing the selected sound pattern, he or she may write
the word under the appropriate column. (This can be done as guided learning
on the board with the whole class, or it can be done independently to assess
individual progress.)
• Have children recite or create their own tongue twisters using words that
begin with the same sound. For example, Peter Piper picked a peck of
pickled peppers. This tongue twister reinforces the /p/ phoneme.

• Phonics Shared Reading—have students raise their hands during a second

reading of a story when they hear a word that contains a certain sound

•Teaching Phonics With Wiley Blevins

http://teacher.scholastic.com/reading/bestpractices/phonics/teach.htm\
This is a great website which contains a phonics skill chart, examples of the skill and
links to activities (some require Adobe Acrobat Reader) for teaching the skill in the
classroom! Also from Wiley Blevins—an article on explicit systematic phonics:
http://teacher.scholastic.com/reading/bestpractices/phonics/explicit_systematic.pdf
 Seven Phonics Generalizations

1) The C Rule: The letter c is an irregular consonant letter that has no phoneme of its
own. Therefore, it assumes two other phonemes found in different words: /k/ and /s/.
In general, when the letter c is followed by a, o, or u, it will assume the /k/ sound.

2) The G Rule: G is irregular and has a soft g and hard g sound. When g is followed by
the letters e, i, or y, it assumes a soft g or /j/ sound. If g is followed by the letters a, o,
or u, then it represents the hard sound.

3) The CVC Generalization: When a vowel comes between two consonants, it usually
has a short vowel sound. Examples include: sat, ran, let, and pen.

4) Vowel Digraphs: When two vowels come together in a word, usually the first vowel
is long and the second is silent. This frequently occurs with the oa, ee, and ay letter
combinations.

5) The VCE (Final E) Generalization: When two vowels appear in a word separated by a
consonant and the final one is an e at the end of the word, the first vowel is generally
long and the final e is silent. Examples include: cape, rope, and kite.

6) The CV Generalization: When a consonant is followed by a vowel, the vowel usually

produces a long sound. This is particularly easy to see in two- letter words such as be,
go, and so.

7) The R-Controlled Vowels: Vowels that appear before the letter r are usually neither
long nor short, but tend to be overpowered or “swallowed up” by the /r/ sound.
Examples include person, player, neighborhood, and herself.

Reutzel, D.R., & Cooter, R.B. (2003). Strategies for reading assessment and instruction:
Helping every child succeed. Columbus, Ohio: Merrill Prentice Hall.
Letter Sound Cards

Purpose
Letter sound cards are intended as prompts to help students remember individual and
combination (i.e., digraphs and blends) letter sounds tha t have been introduced during
mini- lessons or other teachable moments.

Materials
You will need to have a word bank for each child (a shoe box, index card holder, recipe
box), alphabetic divider cards to separate words, index cards, and colored markers.

Procedure
Provide students with their own word cards on which you or they have written a key
letter sound or sounds on one side and a word that uses that sound on the other.
Whenever possible, it is best to use nouns or other words that can be depicted with a
picture, so that, for emergent readers, a drawing can be added to the side having the word.

Reutzel, D.R., & Cooter, R.B. (2003). Strategies for reading assessment and instruction:
Helping every child succeed. Columbus, Ohio: Merrill Prentice Hall.
Phonics Generalizations Songs or Chants

The Vowel Song Silent e

The vowels we know When you have an e

And you will see, At the end of a word,
That we can say each perfectly, The e is silent so it’s never heard.
A as in apple
A as in ate The first vowel almost always
And don’t you think that we are great! Says its name,
E as in egg Follow this rule below
E as in eat You’ll find it’s the same…
And don’t you think that we are neat!
I as in it c-a-m-e is came
I as in ice P-e-t-e is Pete
And don’t you think that we are nice! l- i-k-e is like
O as in pot h-o-m-e is home
O as in no c-u-t-e is cute
And don’t you think it’s time to go!
U as in cut Remember this and be sure to use
U as in cute The first vowel’s name
In this reading game
Now it’s time to light the fuse!
BOOM!

Vowel Pairs

When you have two vowels

You have a pair.
The first vowel’s name
Is the one they share.
When you see two vowels
Side by side,
The second vowel’s name
Will usually hide.
e-e says e as in meet
e-a says e as in read
a-y says a as in day
o-a says o as in boat
a-i says a as in paid
If by choice you find
That this won’t do
Then try the second vowel’s name
This might work, too!
Filename: reading_phonics
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Last Saved On: 3/22/2003 4:10 PM
Last Saved By: Public Computing
Total Editing Time: 6 Minutes
Last Printed On: 4/6/2003 9:57 AM
As of Last Complete Printing
Number of Pages: 30
Number of Words: 3,953 (approx.)
Number of Characters: 22,537 (approx.)