DIAGNOSTIC TEST OF WORD READING PROCESSES

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Diagnostic Test of Word Reading Processes • learning to recognise graphemes in written words • learning to blend phonemes into whole-word pronunciations. Importantly, the sequence of operations in phonological processing is from letter sequences to grapheme-phoneme translation and phoneme blending, to word pronunciation and thence to word meaning. Figure 1.3: Sequence of operations in phonological processing Written word Identify graphemes SHAMPOO sh-a-m-p-oo Translate graphemes to phonemes sh ➔ /ʃ/ a ➔ /a/ m ➔ /m/ p ➔ /p/ oo ➔ /u/ /ʃ-a-m-p-u/ /ʃampu/ Blend phonemes Access stored word pronunciation /ʃampu/ Access stored word meaning ‘soap to wash the hair’ Developing and learning the necessary components for phonological processes to operate fluently can be a difficult task for some pupils. But phonological processes offer rich rewards for the reader. Learning a relatively small 5 set of GPC rules allows the pupil to work out pronunciations for the increasing numbers of unfamiliar written words they encounter. The meanings of many of these words may already be stored in the pupil’s oral vocabulary. Thus, working out the pronunciation allows the pupil to access the meaning of the word. As with lexical-semantic processes, something of the word’s meaning can be inferred from the context in which it is encountered, and stored for future use. In skilled readers, phonological processes operate automatically and fluently, without the conscious awareness of the reader. 10 5 See, for example, Vousden et al., 2010.
Evaluation Pack How does the test assess lexical-semantic processes? The test contains sets of matched regular words and exception words. Pupils whose reading relies on the use of lexical-semantic processes will read regular and exception words to a broadly equivalent level, because both can be accurately pronounced by lexical-semantic processing. Pupils who also have well-developed phonological processes will tend to show an advantage for regular over exception words. This is because regular words can be pronounced accurately by both sets of processes, and so do not need to be already known and stored by the reader. As explained above, Exception Word Reading is the purest measure of lexical-semantic processes. Therefore, in the Diagnostic Test of Word Reading Processes, stanine scores 6 for Exception Word Reading are used as the measure of lexical-semantic processes. How does the test assess phonological processes? The test also contains a set of non-words: letter sequences that could be words in the language, but that do not link to any meaning. The non-words in this test have been made by recombining letter sequences from the words in the regular word set: thus, all their component letter sequences are as familiar or unfamiliar to the pupil as the letter sequences in the regular words. Pupils whose reading relies predominantly on the use of phonological processes will read regular words and non-words to a broadly equivalent level, because both can be pronounced accurately by phonological processing. Their reading of exception words, which can only be pronounced accurately by lexical-semantic processes, will be relatively poorer. As explained above, Non-word Reading is the purest measure of phonological processes. Therefore, in the Diagnostic Test of Word Reading Processes, stanine scores for Non-word Reading are used as the measure of phonological processes. Why should I use the test? The Diagnostic Test of Word Reading Processes is the only standardised test with British English norms currently available that allows you to uncover the nature of the difficulties an individual pupil is experiencing in developing fluent automatic word reading processes. The pupil profile provided by administering this test can usefully inform your ability to provide teaching that is appropriate to the needs of the individual pupil, and that will help the pupil to overcome his or her difficulties. 6 See page 22 of the Teacher’s Guide for a definition of stanine scores. 11
Page 1 and 2: DIAGNOSTIC TEST OF WORD READING PRO
Page 3 and 4: Evaluation Pack Introduction to the
Page 5 and 6: Evaluation Pack NW2 Sample non-word
Page 7 and 8: Evaluation Pack What does the Diagn
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Page 13 and 14: Evaluation Pack Examples using word
Page 15 and 16: Evaluation Pack Example 3 Exception

DIAGNOSTIC TEST OF WORD READING PROCESSES

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