Superintendent's Memo No. 76 provides information regarding the Phonological Awareness Literacy Screening instrument (Pre-K PALS) including sample tasks and additional websites for resources for pre-kindergarten children. This memo can be accessed on the Virginia Department of Education’s website at:

/administrators/superintendents_memos/2001/inf076.html.

Early diagnostic assessments can be a useful tool to ensure immediate intervention for children identified as being at-risk of failure in reading. With support from the Virginia Preschool Initiative for at-risk four-year-olds, the University of Virginia has developed the Pre-K PALS instrument for pre-kindergarten students, and has established a website for pre-kindergarten teachers that links the results of the assessment with suggested ideas for classroom activities and instruction.

The instrument assesses rhyme awareness, upper- and lower-case alphabet knowledge, verbal memory, print knowledge, concepts of words, and name writing. The assessment is not a paper-and-pencil test and is appropriate for the developmental level of preschool children.
 
 
 
 
 
 

Further information may be obtained from Kathleen M. Smith (mailto:ksmith@mail.vak12ed.edu), specialist for early childhood education, at (804) 786-5189.
 
 

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