Sutherland Phonological Awareness Test - School Entry ©
(SPAT-SE)
Roslyn Neilson
Language, Speech and Literacy Services
Pre-publication Draft – December 2009
Note: This publication is a report on work that is still in progress.
The final version of the SPAT-SE may differ from the material presented here.
Contact details:
Dr Roslyn Neilson
PO Box 72
Jamberoo NSW 2533
Email: rneilson@ozemail.com.au
Phone: (02) 4236 0402
SPAT-School Entry
Copyright Dr. Roslyn Neilson (2009)
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Sutherland Phonological Awareness Test - School Entry (SPAT-SE): Overview
The Sutherland Phonological Awareness Test - School Entry (SPAT-SE) is designed to sample
skills that are relevant at the point at which children are first exposed to formal literacy
instruction. Two aspects of young children’s emerging literacy skills are assessed:
 Phonological awareness, or the ability to attend to, identify, and manipulate sounds
within the speech stream. This is assessed at the level of syllable awareness, rhyme
detection, and identification of consonant sounds at the beginning of words.
 Early knowledge of alphabet letters. This is assessed using a letter identification task,
and by observing children as they write their first names.
The SPAT-SE may be used in the following ways:
 As a screening test, to facilitate early identification of children with weaknesses in
early pre-literacy skills.
 As a benchmarking tool, to document skill levels of children at the point of entry into
formal schooling.
 As a diagnostic test, to assess individual children’s strengths and weaknesses and to
provide targets for intervention.
The SPAT-SE may be administered by teachers, speech-language pathologists, psychologists
and special educators. The test is administered individually, and takes up to 15 minutes to
complete. The test is suitable for administration to children of approximately 4 ½ years to 6
years.
SPAT-SE Administration: General Instructions
The SPAT-SE should be administered in a quiet room. The following materials are needed for
administering the test:
 Scoresheet for recording answers.
 Stimulus Pictures – PowerPoint presentation OR Picture Booklet
 Instructions for each subtest.
 Pencil without an eraser.
The examiner must become familiar with the administration procedure and instructions
before using the test formally.
Note that the SPAT-SE involves feedback during testing; the child’s response for each item in
the test must be followed by feedback from the examiner. If the child’s response is correct, it
should be reinforced by the examiner. If the child’s response is incorrect, the correct
response must be provided. Feedback procedures must be followed consistently.
Children should never be allowed to feel they are failing during the test administration, and
testing must end on a positive note. Children should always be praised for their efforts.
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1. Syllable Isolation
The Syllable Isolation subtest assesses the child’s ability to reflect on and manipulate the
syllable structure of words. Stimulus items are familiar two, three, and four-syllable words.
Each item is represented by a picture, accompanied by visual cues – images of hands
clapping – that represent the number of syllables in the word.
The child is first required to segment the word into syllables by means of clapping and saying
each syllable aloud. The examiner provides support to ensure that the child is able to do this
adequately. This clapping response for each item is not scored.
The examiner then indicates one of the hand-clapping images on the page, and instructs the
child to say only that one syllable aloud. If the PowerPoint presentation is used, an arrow
appears beneath the required hand-clap image when the mouse is clicked. If the Stimulus
Picture Booklet is used, the examiner must point to the arrow that indicates the required
hand-clap image.
The child’s first response to the syllable isolation task is scored 1 or 0.
All items are administered. It can be useful to note on the scoresheet the kinds of errors
children make, for later diagnostic analysis.
Feedback
Feedback is provided after each item. For example, for kangaROO:
If the response was correct, say, “Good! This one (point to the hand-clap image) is ROO.
If the response was incorrect, say, “Good try, but this one (point to the hand-clap image) is
ROO.” Repeat all the syllables, pointing to each hand-clap image, and say the required
syllable in isolation again.
Demonstration Items
Careful teaching must be provided on the three demonstration items if the child has
difficulty with either the clapping or the isolation task. It is important to give the child the
best possible chance of understanding the task.
The simple clapping task should be modelled as frequently as necessary for demonstration
purposes (and also during test administration). Note that some children may try to segment
parts of the word into phonemes instead of syllables – e.g. ‘b/ut/ter/fl/y’. If this occurs,
encourage the child to listen to the ‘beats’ in the word.
The isolation task can be modelled in a range of ways for the demonstration items,
depending on the kind of error that the child is making.
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The child may say any or all of the other syllables in the word aloud as well as the
specified one. When this occurs, the examiner should provide scaffolding that shows
the child how to inhibit saying the non-target syllables aloud. The isolation process
can be modelled in two stages, showing progressively more ‘inhibition’ each time.
On the first demonstration, the non-target syllable should be whispered softly as the
relevant syllables are clapped, with only the target syllable said aloud. The second
time the non-target syllables should be mouthed silently.
The child may isolate and identify one syllable, but it happens to be the incorrect
one. If this occurs, point to the corresponding hand-clap image and say ‘That’s the
clap for (x). What’s this one?’
The child may break up the syllable itself, saying only one phoneme within the
syllable - e.g. /t/ instead of ‘tooth’. If this occurs, repeat the tapping process,
emphasising the whole syllable as you tap on the corresponding hand-clap image.
You can say: ‘Remember, it’s the big beats or claps in the word, not the separate
sounds.’
Notes on Vocabulary and Pronunciation
If the child does not recognise the picture, cannot think of the word, or gives an alternate
name, the examiner should provide the intended word before administering the item.
Children may have difficulty pronouncing the words (e.g. helicockter/helicopter;
callepillar/catepillar). These errors are not to be penalised.
It is very important for the examiner to pronounce all the words naturally, using neutral
vowels in unstressed syllables as one does in normal speech (e.g. oc/tuh/pus for ‘octopus).
There is no penalty for discrepancies regarding the placement of consonants on the
boundaries of syllables (e.g.’ el/e/phant’ and’ e/le/phant’ are both acceptable).
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2. Rhyme Detection
The Rhyme Detection task assesses the child’s ability to select, from a choice of two
alternatives, one word that rhymes with a stimulus word. Pictures are provided in order to
reduce the memory load of the task, with the picture for the stimulus word on top and
pictures for the two alternatives below. The examiner names the pictures for the child.
Name the pictures slowly and clearly, in the following order: top, then bottom left, then
bottom right. Repetitions of the words are permitted.
If the PowerPoint presentation is used, the three pictures appear on successive clicks of the
mouse; the examiner should name each picture as it appears.
The following script is used for each item (example: cat, duck, hat):
‘Cat ... (pause)... duck, hat. Which rhymes with cat, duck or hat? Cat ... ?’
Score 1 or 0. Responses are scored correct if the child says the two rhyming words aloud,
says the one word in the bottom row that rhymes with the top word, or points to the correct
word in the bottom row. All items are administered.
Feedback
If the child’s response is right, say ‘Good – cat, hat.’
If the child’s response is incorrect, say ‘I think cat – hat rhyme better ... cat, hat.’
If the child seems to be guessing and shows a strong pattern of preference for one side of
the page or the other, or insists on alternating sides, remind the child to listen carefully to
how the words sound, and say ‘It could be on this side or it could be on that side.’
Demonstration items
If the child does not seem to understand what ‘rhyming’ means on the demonstration items,
emphasise the rhyming quality by saying the pair of rhyming words in fairly quick, rhythmic
succession a couple of times.
The examiner may choose to provide an explanation of the term ‘rhyme’, such as ‘They
sound the same at the end.’ It is important, however, to remember that this explanation is
unlikely to be clear to children who cannot already rhyme, and can actually add to the
confusion.
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3. First Sound Identification
The First Sound Identification task assesses the child’s ability to segment and say aloud
single consonant sounds at the beginning of spoken words. Stimulus items are pictures of
objects beginning with a range of consonant sounds, including continuants, plosives and
affricates. The child is simply asked to identify the picture and to provide the sound at the
beginning of the word.
If the child does not identify the picture, the examiner provides the word. The word must be
pronounced naturally, with no highlighting of the first sound.
All items are administered. Score 1 or 0 for each item.
To be scored correct, the first phoneme should be clearly segmented from the subsequent
vowel. For example, the child should say ‘buh’, not ‘bir’ for ‘bird’, and /ff/ or ‘fuh’, not ‘fi’ for
‘fish’. The /w/ sound may be released (‘wuh’) or unreleased (pronounced something like an
‘oo’ sound).
Feedback (e.g. ‘bird’)
If the response is correct, say, ‘Good, that’s /b/ for bird.’
If the response is incorrect, say ‘Bird starts with a /b/ sound; /b/ ... bird.’
If the child responds with a letter name instead of a sound (e.g. BEE rather than /b/), the
response is scored correct, but the examiner should say ‘Yes, that’s the letter we use to
write it. The sound when we say the word is /b/.’ On the test sheet, note in the column
headed S/L if letter names have been provided as well as (or instead of) letter sounds.
Demonstration Items
If the child makes errors on the demonstration items, the examiner should point to his or
her own lips in order to highlight what the mouth does at the beginning of the word. The /s/
in ‘sun’ may be prolonged, and the /b/ in ‘bird’ may be repeated a few times.
Notes on Articulation Errors
For children with speech difficulties that prevent them from pronouncing the relevant
phonemes correctly, this subtest of the SPAT-SE is problematic. These children should be
given credit for all the phonemes they do pronounce correctly, and discretion should be
used about giving them credit for providing their own consistent substitutions instead of the
target sound. Alternatively, the task may be altered to allow these children with articulation
difficulties to think of another word that begins with the same sound. Note, however, that
this is a much more difficult task than simple sound identification.
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4. Letter Identification
This task assesses the child’s recognition of 10 consonant letters.
Correct responses involve either naming the letter or providing its associated sound, since
children will have been exposed to a variety of teaching practices regarding naming letters of
providing their sounds.
The alphabet letters are presented in lower case. Test users are encouraged to re-print the
stimulus pages in the local school’s accepted font if it is substantially different from the font
used in the stimulus booklet.
Administer all items in this subtest, unless the child is showing stress at not being able to
recognise the letters. Score 1 or 0 for each item.
Feedback
If the response is correct, say, ‘Good, that’s a (x).’ Provide the letter name, not its sound.
If the child does not know the answer, or gives an incorrect letter name, say ‘That’s a (x).’
Demonstration Items
Simply name the letters for the child if necessary.
Notes on Articulation errors
For children with articulation errors that prevent them from pronouncing the letter name or
letter sound correctly, this subtest of the SPAT-SE is problematic. Discretion may be used to
give children credit for using their own consistent substitutions as they try to name the
letters that they cannot pronounce. Alternatively, the task may be altered to allow these
children with articulation difficulties to think of a word that begins with the relevant letter.
Note that this is a much more difficult task than simply identifying the letter.
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5. Name Writing
This subtest provides an opportunity for the examiner to observe the child writing his or her
first name. Many children will find this a positive note on which to end the test.
As well as yielding a quantitative score, this task is also useful for allowing the examiner to
make qualitative observations about the child’s fine motor skills and pencil grip.
The child is handed a pencil with no eraser, and the scoresheet is turned over so that the
child can write his or her name in the box provided. Clarify that only the first name is
needed. After the child has finished writing, the examiner should say, ‘Good! Can you tell me
what the letters are?’
The child’s ability to name the letters should be scored on the front of the scoresheet
immediately after the task has been completed.
If the child is unable to make an attempt, the examiner should write the child’s name in the
box, and allow the child to copy or trace the letters. A score of zero is recorded.
There are three dimensions on which skill is evaluated in the name writing task, yielding a
Total Score with a maximum of 6 points. Scoring is based on:
1. Letter knowledge
a. Two points: All letters present, and in the right sequence.
b. One point: Most of the letters present.
c. Zero: Few attempts, or no attempts, at producing letters.
2. Letter formation
a. Two points: All letters basically legible and clear.
b. One point: Letters mostly poorly formed, including reversals and marked
size difficulties.
c. Zero: Letters virtually illegible.
3. Ability to name the letters
a. All letters names or sounded correctly.
b. Most of the letters identified correctly.
c. Few or none of the letters identified.
Some scoring discretion can be used for children with very long names; the requirement that
all letters in the name be named and produced may be relaxed slightly.
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