1. Administration and Scoring of Phoneme Segmentation Fluency (PSF)
DIBELS
The School District of Philadelphia
Office of Assessment
Office of Curriculum, Instruction and Teacher Development
Office of Early Childhood
Literacy Assessment Tools – Grades K -1
Dynamic Indicators of Basic Literacy Skills
DIBELS
Administration and Scoring of Phoneme Segmentation Fluency (PSF)
Welcome to the Video Training on the Administration and Scoring of Phoneme Segmentation Fluency
This is one of a series of 6 power point presentations that will guide you through each component of the DIBELS measures.

2. Phoneme Segmentation Fluency (PSF)
Big Idea:
Benchmark Goal:
Assessment Times:
- Phonemic Awareness
- 35 end of K
18 at middle of K
- Kindergarten:
Winter, spring
- First Grade:
Fall, winter, spring
Each measure identifies a Big Idea in Reading, which is the focus skill, the benchmark goal and assessment times per grade
Note: PSF may also be used with older students who may not have the skill.

3. Phoneme Segmentation Fluency
What Big Idea?
Phonemic Awareness
The focus skill for Phoneme Segmentation Fluency is Phonemic Awareness
CLICK

4. Materials Palm Pilot Pencil-Paper Scoring booklet Clipboard Palm Pilot
Materials needed for Non Reading First Schools include a scoring booklet (1 for each student), clipboard, stopwatch, and pen or pencil.
Materials for Reading First Schools include a Palm Pilot (1 for each teacher)
Palm Pilot
Pencil-Paper
Scoring booklet
Clipboard
Stopwatch
Pen or pencil
Palm Pilot

5. What is Phonemic Awareness?
The awareness and understanding of the sound structure of our language
Understanding that spoken words are made up of sequences of individual speech sounds:
“cat” is composed of the sounds /k/ /a/ /t/
Phonemic Awareness is the awareness and understanding the sound structure of our language

6. Phonemic Awareness What is a phoneme?
Smallest unit of speech that makes a difference to the meaning of a word
How many phonemes are in the word…
A phoneme is the smallest unit of speech that makes a difference to the meaning of a word
CLICK for each word
bat?
boat?
both?
cloth?
clothes?
3 /b/ /a/ /t/
3 /b/ /oa/ /t/
3 /b/ /oa/ /th/
4 /k/ /l/ /o/ /th/
5 /k/ /l/ /oa/ /TH/ /z/

7. Phonemic Awareness Tasks
Phoneme isolation: Tell me the first sound in boy. (/b/)
Phoneme identity: Tell me the sound that is the same in bike, boy, and bell. (/b/)
Phoneme categorization: Which word does not belong? Bus, bun, rug (rug)
Phoneme blending: What word is /t/ /ea/ /ch/? (teach)
Phoneme segmentation: What are the sounds in ship? (/sh/ /i/ /p/)
Phoneme deletion: What is smile without the s? (mile)
Read this slide to become familiar with some of the Phonemic Awareness Tasks to help students master this skill

8. Is Phonemic Awareness the same as Phonological Awareness?
Phonological awareness is the “umbrella” and phonemic awareness is one of the spokes of that umbrella
CLICK
words
onset-rime
syllables
phonemes
rhymes
Phonological awareness is the “umbrella.”

9. Is Phonemic Awareness the Same as Phonics?v m
If you can do it with your eyes closed, it is phonemic awareness
CLICK 3X
If you can do it with your eyes closed, it is phonemic awareness!

10. Why Phonemic Awareness?
Phonemic Awareness is essential to learning to read in an alphabetic writing system.
Letters represent sounds/phonemes
Phonemic awareness is fundamental to mapping speech sounds to print.
Without phonemic awareness, phonics makes little sense.
Phonemic Awareness is a strong predictor of children’s reading acquisition and achievement.
Phonemic Awareness can be taught; reading outcomes are improved when children are taught phonemic awareness.
Read this slide to help you understand the importance of Phonemic Awareness
Phonemic Awareness can be taught and reading outcomes are improved when children are taught this skill.

11. When Should Phonemic Awareness be Taught?
Preschool -- Listening to sounds, alliteration, rhyming.
Kindergarten-- Isolating first sound in 1-syllable words; Blending 3-4 phonemes into one word; Segmenting individual sounds in words.
First Grade -- Segmenting and manipulating individual sounds in words.
The teaching of Phonemic Awareness should be scaffolded

12. Phoneme Segmentation Fluency (PSF)
Examiner says a word. Student says the sounds in the word.
Score: Number of correct sound segments student says in 1 minute.
This is a sample of the examiner scoring sheet
To administer the Phoneme Segmentation Fluency component the examiner…read slide

13. Directions for Administration
Place the scoring booklet on the clipboard and position it so that the student cannot see what you record.
Say these specific directions to the student:
Non Reading First Schools, please follow these step by step directions to administer Phoneme Segmentation Fluency.
Read bullet 1
Look at the sample of specific directions you would say to your student
I am going to say a word. After I say it, you tell me all the sounds in the word. So, if I say, “Sam,” you would say /s/ /a/ /m/. Let’s try one. (one second pause) Tell me the sounds in “mop.”

14. Directions Say the first word and start your stopwatch.
As the student says the sounds, mark the student response in the scoring column.
Underline each different, correct part of the word that the student says.
Put a slash ( / ) through incorrect sounds.
Leave omitted sounds blank.
Circle repeated words.
Read slide

15. Directions
As soon as the student is finished saying the sounds, present the next word promptly and clearly.
At the end of 1 minute, place a bracket (]) after the last sound segment, stop presenting words and scoring further responses.
Add the number of correct sound segments. Record the total number of correct sound segments on the bottom of the scoring page.
Read slide

16. Timing Rule for PSF: Continuous for 1 Minute
Start the stopwatch after you say the first word.
At the end of 1 minute place a bracket (]) after the last sound segment, say “Stop” and stop your stopwatch. Do not present more words. Do not score further responses.
There are some general rules to follow when scoring
There is a timing rule

17. Wait Rule for PSF: 3 Seconds
Maximum time for each sound segment is 3 seconds.
If the student does not say the next sound segment within 3 seconds, say the next word.
Let’s take a look at the wait rule

18. Discontinue Rule: First 5 Words
If a student has not said any sound segments correctly in the first 5 words, discontinue the task and record a score of zero (0).
Let’s take a look at the discontinue rule

19. Prompting Rule
If a student has done the examples correctly and does not respond correctly to the words, say, “Remember to tell me the sounds in the word.”
This prompt may be given once.
This is the prompting rule. A prompt may be given once

20. Directions for Scoring
Underline the correct sound segments the student says.
Students receive 1 point for each different, correct, part of the word.
Put a slash ( / ) through segments pronounced incorrectly.
Leave segments that are omitted blank.
Circle entire words.
Let’s look at the directions for scoring
Read slide

21. Scoring Examples: Underline Correct Sound Segments
Correct Phoneme Segmentation
Examiner says “trick,” student says “/t/ /r/ /i/ /k/”.
Examiner says “cat,” student says “/k/ /a/ /t/”.
If the students says the correct sound segment, underline the correct sound.
Look at the sample
STUDENT SCORING CORRECT
WORD: SAYS: PROCEDURE: SEGMENTS:
trick /t/…/r/…/i/…/k/ /t/ /r/ /i/ /k/ /4
cat /k/…/a/…/t/ /k/ /a/ /t/ /3
Note: Sounds pronounced with a schwa (/u/) are judged to be correct (e.g., tu…ru…i…ku; ku…a…tu).

22. Scoring Examples: Underline Correct Sound Segments
Incomplete Segmentation
Examiner says “trick,” student says “/tr/ /ik/”. Examiner says “cat,” student says “/k/ /at/”.
If a student says an incomplete segment, underline what he/she has said.
Look at the sample
STUDENT SCORING CORRECT
WORD: SAYS: PROCEDURE: SEGMENTS:
trick /tr/ /ik/ /t/ /r/ /i/ /k/ /4
cat /k/ /at/ /k/ /a/ /t/ /3

23. Scoring Examples: Underline Correct Sound Segments
Overlapping Segmentation
Examiner says “trick,” student says “/tri/ /ik/.” Examiner says “cat,” student says “/ka/ /a/ /at/.”
If the student says an overlapping segment, underline what the student says.
Look at the sample
STUDENT SCORING CORRECT
WORD: SAYS: PROCEDURE: SEGMENTS:
trick “/tri/ /ik/” /t/ /r/ /i/ /k/ /4
cat “/ka/ /a/ /t/” /k/ /a/ /t/ /3

24. Scoring Examples:Underline Correct Sound Segments
Sound Elongation (Continuous blending)
Examiner says “rest,” student says “rrrrreeeesssttt.”
Underline correct sound segments.
Look at the sample
STUDENT SCORING CORRECT
WORD: SAYS: PROCEDURE: SEGMENTS:
rest “rrrreeeessssttt” /r/ /e/ /s/ /t/ /4

25. Scoring Examples: Slash (/) Incorrect Sound Segments
Examiner says “trick,” student says “t...r...i...p.” Examiner says “cat,” student says “b...a...t.”
Now let’s look at samples for incorrect scoring.
If the students says an incorrect segment, draw a slash through that segment
Look at the sample
STUDENT SCORING CORRECT
WORD: SAYS: PROCEDURE: SEGMENTS:
trick “t...r...i...p” /t/ /r/ /i/ /k/ /4
cat “b…a...t” /k/ /a/ /t/ /3
trick “t…r…uk” /t/ /r/ /i/ /k/ /4
cat “k…ut” /k/ /a/ /t/ /3
Note: The sound segment as a whole is judged to be correct or incorrect.

26. Scoring Examples: Leave Blank
Additions
Examiner says “trick,” student says “t...r...i...ck...s.” Examiner says “cat,” student says “s...c...a...t.”
If the student adds a segment, they are not penalized.
Look at the sample
STUDENT SCORING CORRECT
WORD: SAYS: PROCEDURE: SEGMENTS:
trick “t...r...i...k…s” /t/ /r/ /i/ /k/ /4
cat “s…c...a...t” /k/ /a/ /t/ /3

27. Scoring Examples: Leave Blank
Omissions
Examiner says “trick,” student says “t...ick.” Examiner says “cat,” student says /k/...(3 seconds).
If the student omits a segment, leave it blank
Look at the sample
STUDENT SCORING CORRECT
WORD: SAYS: PROCEDURE: SEGMENTS
trick “t...ik” /t/ /r/ /i/ /k/ /4
cat “c” (3 seconds) /k/ /a/ /t/ /3

28. Scoring Examples: Circle
No Segmentation Examiner says “trick,” student says “trick.” Examiner says “cat,” student says “cat.”
Note: If a student segments a part of the word and then repeats the word, underline the sound and then circle the word.
If the student does not segment the word, it is incorrect.
Look at the sample
STUDENT SCORING CORRECT
WORD: SAYS: PROCEDURE: SEGMENTS
trick “trick” /t/ /r/ /i/ /k/ /4
cat “cat” /k/ /a/ /t/ /3
cat /k/ /kat/ /k/ /a/ /t/ /3

29. Scoring Examples: No Score
“I don’t know” Examiner says “trick,” student says “I don’t know” or “I don’t know that one.”
Do not underline; wait 3 seconds and say the next word.
If the students says, “I don’t know”, mark it incorrect.
Look at the sample
STUDENT SCORING CORRECT
WORD: SAYS: PROCEDURE: SEGMENTS
trick “I don’t know.” /t/ /r/ /i/ /k/ /4
cat “I don’t know.” /k/ /a/ /t/ /3

30. Note Articulation and Dialect
The student is not penalized for imperfect pronunciation due to dialect, articulation, or different first language.
Example: Examiner says “rest,” the student who consistently says /th/ for /s/ says “r…e…th…t.”
A student is not penalized for imperfect pronunciation due to dialect, articulation, or different first language.
Look at the sample shown
STUDENT SCORING CORRECT
WORD: SAYS: PROCEDURE: SEGMENTS:
rest “r…e…th…t” /r/ /e/ /s/ /t/ /4

31. Final Score: Scoring Page6 5 2 3 31
Add number of correct sound segments for each line (up to bracket). Record total for each line in space provided in right hand column of scoring page.
Add number of correct sound segments from each line. Record total number of correct sound segments in space provided in lower right hand corner of scoring page.
Read slide

32. Final Score: Benchmark Assessment
Transfer total number of correct sound segments from scoring page to front of benchmark assessment booklet.
What does a score of 31 on PSF mean at the beginning of first grade? in middle of K?
What will you do if you have any question about the accuracy/validity of the benchmark score?
Read BULLET ONE
Once the assessment is scored, student scores should be entered on the DIBELS data on-line system to track student progress and generate automated reports.
For additional instructional support, please refer to the Strategic Interventions for DIBELS that can be found in the Office of Curriculum and Instruction’s Making Sense of the Literacy Curriculum 31

33. Pronunciation Guide
Different regions of the country use different dialects of American English. These pronunciation examples may be modified consistent with regional dialects and conventions.
The following 5 slides provide additional support you may need in interpreting student pronunciation

34. Pronunciation of R-Controlled Vowels
/ar/ /ir/ and /or/ are treated as 1 phoneme.
/air/ /ear/ and /oor/ are treated as 2 phonemes.

35. Examples: R-controlled Vowels
short /sh/ /or/ /t/
bird /b/ /ir/ /d/
heart /h/ /ar/ /t/
bear /b/ /ai/ /r/
hear /h/ /ea/ /r/
sure /sh/ /oo/ /r/

36. Voiced and Unvoiced Sounds
Score ‘em as you hear ‘em, on the fly and in real time.
Don’t sweat the minutia.

37. Pronunciation Guide /ng/ is treated as one phoneme.
Other phonemes are pretty straight forward.

38. General Accommodations
Setting/Examiner:
Test in alternate setting, e.g., complete quiet, minimal distractions, enhanced lighting.
Test with familiar person, specialist, etc. present.
Test by person with specialized training (e.g., SLP).
Directions:
Check student’s understanding (have the student repeat what to do).
Provide directions in student’s primary language.
Repeat practice example, provide an additional example.
Provide lead example (e.g., do it with me) in addition to model.
Note: It is always permissible to retest, i.e., repeat assessment on different days with different forms.
Accommodations are permitted if they are written in the Assessment Section of the IEP

39. PSF Review How do I mark a completely segmented word?
Underline below the sound segment.
What do I do if the student repeats the word?
Circle the word.
What do I mark if the student skips a sound?
Leave blank.
How do I record an incorrect sound?
Slash the sound.
How do I mark that a child blended two sounds?
Mark a single underline under the blended sounds.
What do I do if a child hesitates for 3 seconds?
Leave blank and say the next word.
Please take a few moments to read the Phoneme Segmentation Fluency Review and Summary slides
CLICK for each bullet

40. PSF Summary Start timer after you say the first word.
Underline Sound Segment
(1 point for each segment underlined)
Slash
(0 points)
Leave Blank
Says correct sound segment
Adds schwa sound to correct sound.
Pronounces sound incorrectly due to articulation delay/dialect/different first language
Elongates sounds
Says incorrect sound segment
Adds sound (if separate from other sound segments)
Omits sound
Word repetition: Circle the word.
Incomplete (blended) segmentation: Underline blended sound segments.
Overlapping segmentation: Underline each segment.
Three-second Rule: Score as incorrect and say the next word.
Discontinue Rule: No correct sound segments in the first five words.

41. Contact Information
Arnetta Imes, Lead Academic Coach
Office of Curriculum, Instruction and Teacher Development
Lyn Bauer, School Growth Specialist
Donna Orenstein, Lead Assessment Coach
Office of Assessment
Renee Queen Jackson, Lead Academic Coach
Office of Early Childhood
This has been a Video Training for Phoneme Segmentation Fluency
Please review additional components from this series that are appropriate for your grade level
Contact information is listed on the screen.