Yopp-Singer Test of Phonemic Segmentation

Watch the Video Version

Directions for Administering:

1. Have one test sheet for each child in the class.
2. Assess children individually in a quiet place.
3. Keep the assessment playful and game-like.
4. Explain the game to the child exactly as the directions specify.
5. Model for the child what he or she needs to do with each of the practice words. Have them break apart each word with you.

Today we're going to play a word game. I'm going to say a word and I want you to break the word apart. You are going to say the word slowly, and then tell me each sound in the word in order. For example, if I say "old," you should say "oooo-llll-d" (The teacher says the sound, not the letters.) Let's try a few words together.

If the child breaks a word apart incorrectly, the teacher gives the correct answer:

The child's score is the number of items correctly segmented into all constituent phonemes. No partial credit is given. For instance, if a child says "/c/-/at/" instead of "/c/-/a/-/t/," the response may be noted on the blank line following the items but is considered incorrect for purposes of scoring. Correct responses are only those that involve articulation of each phoneme in the target word.

A blend contains two or three phonemes in each of these and each should be articulated separately. Hence, item 7 on the test, grew, has three phonemes /g/-/r/-/ew/. Digraphs such as /sh/ in item 5, she, and the /th/ in item 15, three, are single phonemes. Item 5, therefore has two phonemes and item 15 has three phonemes. If a child responds with letter names instead of sounds, the response is coded as incorrect, and the type of error is noted on the test.

Students who obtain high scores (segmenting all or nearly all of the items correctly) may be considered phonemically aware. Students who correctly segment some items are displaying emerging phonemic awareness. Students who are able to segment only a few items or none at all lack appropriate levels of phonemic awareness. Without intervention, those students scoring very low on the test are likely to experience difficulty with reading and spelling.

Student's name _________________________________   Date _____________

Score (number correct) _______________

Directions: Today we're going to play a word game. I'm going to say a word and I want you to break the word apart. You are going to tell me each sound in the word in order. For example, if I say "old," you should say /o/-/l/-/d/." (Administrator: Be sure to say the sounds, not the letters, in the word.) Let's try a few together.

Practice items:(Assist the child in segmenting these items as necessary.)
ride	go	man

Test items:(Circle those items that the student correctly segments; incorrect responses may be recorded on the blank line following the item.)

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