TO: | Principals |
FROM: | Patricia I.
Wright
Assistant Superintendent for Instruction |
SUBJECT: | Pre-K Phonological Awareness Literacy Screening and Website Activities |
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.
PIW/pl