What assessments are commonly used to measure phonemic awareness?

Phonemic awareness assessments are specifically designed to evaluate an individual's ability to recognize and manipulate the sounds in spoken words. The Dynamic Indicators of Basic Early Literacy Skills (DIBELS) are frequently used to assess early literacy skills, including phonemic awareness. This assessment includes tasks that ask students to identify and manipulate sounds in words, making it an effective tool for gauging phonemic awareness.

Similarly, the Phonological Awareness Literacy Screening (PALS) focuses on evaluating various aspects of phonological awareness, including phonemic awareness. This assessment includes activities that require students to recognize sounds, blending them, and segmenting words, which are critical skills for reading development.

Both DIBELS and PALS are rooted in research and are widely endorsed by educators for their effectiveness in identifying students who may need additional support in developing foundational reading skills related to phonemic awareness. In contrast, the other options involve assessments that do not directly measure phonemic awareness or focus on different literacy skills altogether.