To administer Phoneme Segmentation (PS):
Note: This is a 60-second timed test.
Read the directions to the student exactly as written in the Assessor Copy.
Start the stopwatch when the student says the first phoneme.
Administer all items on the page. If the student has a score of zero after the first five rows (for example, the student simply repeats the word after it is provided), stop the test and give the student a score of zero.
Place a bracket after the last phoneme read before the time expired.
To score Phoneme Segmentation (PS):
Use the guidelines below to score PS.
| If the student... | Mark phoneme... | Score... |
| Says a phoneme correctly | Underline the phoneme (1) | Record the maximum number of correct segments |
| Says a phoneme incorrectly | Put a slash through the phoneme (2) | Record the number of correct segments
The student is not penalized for adding extra phonemes if they are separated from the other sounds in the word (3) If the extra phoneme is added to an existing one, the segment is marked incorrect (4) |
| Repeats the entire word | Circle the word (5) | Give no credit |
| Adds a schwa sound (/u/) to consonants | Do not count as an error | Record the number of correct segments Note: Some phonemes cannot be pronounced correctly in isolation without a vowel, and some early learning of sounds includes the schwa. For example, if the word is “trick” and the student says “tu...ru...i...ku,” the student would receive 4 of 4 points. (See examples below.)  |
Scoring sample:
Count and record the number correct in the allotted 60 seconds.
Enter the student’s score in easyCBM. See Entering Fluency-Based Responses.