Grade 1: Decoding, High Frequency Words, and Spelling

Unless otherwise noted, assessments are appropriate for all students at this grade level. 

Skip to:  Decoding | High Frequency Words | Spelling Inventory

Letter Names and Sounds

This assessment can be used diagnostically to evaluate students at this grade level at the beginning of the year (BOY), at the middle of the year (MOY) and at the end of the year (EOY).

• If you plan to conduct this assessment in person, download and print the Letter Knowledge Survey.
  • Directions for administering and scoring the letter sounds portion of the assessment is located on pgs 4-5.
  • Directions for administering and scoring the letter name portion of the assessment is located on pgs 6-7.
  • The letter sounds student page for From A is located on pg. 8.
  • The lowercase letter name student page for From A is located on pg. 9.
  • The uppercase letter name student page for From A is located on pg. 10.
  • Form B materials are located on pgs. 12-14.
  • A table to support interpretation of the data teachers collect is located at the top of page 15.
• Access the virtual Form A letter sounds student page here.
• Access the virtual Form A lowercase letter name student page here.
• Access the virtual Form A uppercase letter name student page here.
• Access the virtual Form B letter sounds student page here.
• Access the virtual Form B lowercase letter name student page here.
• Access the virtual Form B uppercase letter name student page here.
• Teachers may print and use the directions, forms, and tables referenced above for both the in person and virtual assessments.

Decoding

This assessment is appropriate for all students at this grade level at the beginning of the year (BOY), at the middle of the year (MOY) and at the end of the year (EOY).

• Determine which assessment(s) you plan to administer based on the time of year (i.e., beginning, middle, or end) and student need.
• If you plan to conduct the assessment(s) in person, print student copies and present them one at a time.
• If you plan to conduct the assessment(s) virtually see the links below to access virtual student copies of the assessment.
  • Consonant Vowel Consonant virtual student copy
  • Consonant Blends virtual student copy
  • Consonant Digraphs virtual student copy
  • R-Controlled Vowels virtual student copy
  • Vowel Consonant e virtual student copy
  • Vowel Teams virtual student copy
• Tell the student, “I’m going to show you some words. Some of the words are real words and some of the words are not real. Read each word. If you come to a word that you do not know, you may skip it and go on to the next word.”
• As students read each word, mark the cell to the right of the word with a check or note indicating the student’s response.
• Use each section of the assessment you administer to make decisions about the instructional needs of your students.

High Frequency Words

This assessment can be used diagnostically to evaluate students as needed at the beginning of the year (BOY), middle of the year (MOY) and at the end of the year (EOY).

• If you plan to conduct this assessment in person, download and print the Site Word Fluency Survey.
  • Directions for administering and scoring the assessment are located on pgs 4-6.
  • A table to support interpretation of the data teachers collect is located at the top of page 7.
  • The pre-primer assessment is on pg. 8 and the corresponding recording sheet is located on pg. 9.
  • The primer assessment  is on pg. 10 and the corresponding recording sheet is located on pg. 11.
  • The first grade assessment  is on pg. 12 and the corresponding recording sheet is located on pg. 13.
• Access the virtual pre-primer assessment here.
• Access the virtual primer assessment here.
• Access the virtual first grade assessment here.
• Teachers may print and use the directions, forms, and tables referenced above for both the in person and virtual assessments.

Spelling Inventory

This assessment is appropriate for all students at this grade level at the beginning of the year (BOY), at the middle of the year (MOY) and at the end of the year (EOY).

• If you plan to conduct this assessment in person or virtually, download and print the Primary Spelling Inventory.
• Directions for administering and scoring the assessment are located on the first page.
• If administering in person, provide the student with a blank sheet of paper and a pencil.
• If administering virtually, you and your students will need a virtual classroom organization platform (e.g., seesaw) with touch screen technology.