27. A special education teacher instructs a kindergarten student to say the word “wait,” then to say the word “wait” again without the /w/. Which of the following assessments is being used by the teacher to determine the student's knowledge of initial sound deletion?
Answer: A
The assessment being used is a phonological awareness screening test (PAST).
The teacher is utilizing a phonological awareness screening test (PAST) to evaluate the student's ability to delete the initial sound in the word "wait." This type of assessment specifically targets phonological awareness skills, particularly sound manipulation.
A) A phonological awareness screening test (PAST)
This option is correct as it directly relates to the activity of sound deletion. The teacher's instruction for the student to say “wait” and then say it again without the /w/ sound exemplifies a phonological awareness task, which is a core component of the PAST.
B) A primary spelling inventory (PSI)
The primary spelling inventory (PSI) is not applicable here as it focuses on assessing spelling knowledge and skills rather than phonological awareness. It does not involve sound manipulation tasks, which are essential for determining a student's understanding of phonological concepts.
C) An oral reading fluency assessment (ORF)
An oral reading fluency assessment (ORF) measures a student's ability to read text accurately and quickly. This type of assessment does not involve phonological awareness tasks, such as sound deletion, making it irrelevant to the activity described by the teacher.
D) A test of orthographic competence (TOC)
A test of orthographic competence (TOC) assesses a student's understanding of spelling patterns and rules. While it evaluates literacy skills, it does not focus on phonological awareness or the ability to manipulate sounds in words, which is the main purpose of the teacher's assessment.
Conclusion
The correct answer is definitively A, as the task of sound deletion exemplifies a key aspect of phonological awareness that the PAST is designed to assess. All other options focus on different areas of literacy that do not evaluate a student's ability to manipulate sounds, thereby making them incorrect in this context.