educational assessments

LITERACY
Gaelic Phonological Screening Test
Fiona Lyon
Phonological Assessment Battery
Norah Frederickson, Uta Frith and Rea Reason
quick guide
Age Range:
5–8 years
Suitable for:
Teachers
Administration:
Individual
Suitable for use in
implementing the
Curriculum for
Excellence
primary
only
The Gaelic Phonological
Screening Test is designed by
teachers to assess the
phonological skills of young
Gaelic speakers and learners.
Since the Gaelic Language Act (Scotland) 2005, awareness of the
importance of Gaelic has increased dramatically throughout the whole of
Scotland. In education, this has been supported by the Curriculum for
Excellence which provides “a context within which Gaelic can flourish and
be used as a tool to promote excellence in education within the Gaelic
speaking areas and beyond” (Group Report, Curriculum for Excellence
Gaelic Excellence Group, February 2011).
However, the same report also states that the provision of resources has
“always been a challenge in GME” and that, when it comes to additional
support needs such as dyslexia, the lack of advice can be “worrying for
many teachers”. Indeed, as far as screening for difficulties with literacy and
phonological awareness is concerned, GME teachers have traditionally
had to resort to using an English screening tool, translating an English test
into Gaelic or devising their own assessment.
As a result GL Assessment has published the Gaelic Phonological
Screening Test, authored by Dr Fiona Lyon, a well-respected dyslexia
specialist and GME teacher and head of additional support needs at Our
Lady of the Missions Primary in East Renfrewshire. The test is easy to use
and interpret and may be administered by class teachers to Gaelicmedium
pupils, both learners and native speakers, in Primary 2 and 3.
Providing normative data (expressed as quartiles), this unique assessment
contains eight sub-tests: Rhyme recognition; Rhyme production; Blending
phonemes; Blending syllables; Phoneme deletion (initial phoneme);
Phoneme deletion (final phoneme); Polysyllabic repetition; Letter or sound
recognition.
Why use the Gaelic Phonological Screening Test?
• To assess young children's Gaelic phonics skills with a dedicated test
with normative data (expressed as quartiles)
• To provide schools with a test in Gaelic for use in English-medium
schools where similar GL Assessment products are part of the
assessment regime
• Because it has been developed by a very experienced practitioner and
dyslexia specialist
quick guide
Age Range:
6–14 years
Suitable for:
SENCOs, Specialist
Literacy Teachers and
Educational
Psychologists
Administration:
Individual
Timed:
30–40 minutes
The Phonological Assessment Battery (PhAB) is designed to assess
phonological processing in individual children. It identifies children with
significant phonological difficulties who need special help with
processing sounds in spoken language.
PhAB comprises six tests of phonological processing:
– The Alliteration Test – The Naming Speed Test
– The Rhyme Test – The Spoonerisms Test
– The Fluency Test – The Non-Word Reading Test
a complete approach
PhAB in our portfolio
PhAB is an ideal follow-on assessment for some children tested
with the Diagnostic Test for Word Reading Processes
(page 35). The test is designed to benchmark children’s skills
and track their progress as part of a school’s assessment
regime. If persistent problems are detected with a child’s
phonological decoding, then the specialist teacher/SENCO
could administer PhAB.
Why use PhAB?
• PhAB is a diagnostic assessment that can be used to establish a
pupil’s all-round metalinguistic ability
• It provides evidence and support for those pupils requiring extra time
allowance in exams
• The assessment is suitable for use with pupils who have English as an
Additional Language (EAL)
• Informs programme and intervention planning to help with a child’s
specific phonological difficulties
Contents: Gaelic and English Teachers Manual which includes photocopiable
Record Form and Gaelic Test Book
Prices
*+VAT
Gaelic Phonological Screening Test 978 07087 20790/GLA500 £100.00*
Contents: Complete Set Contains: Manual and 10 Records Forms
Prices
*+VAT
Complete Set 978 07087 07081/GLA500 £130.00*
Record Forms (Pack of 10) 978 07087 07098/GLA500 £19.00*
Find your Area Consultant on pages 4– Tel: 084 602 1937 www.gl-assessment.co.uk 37