Reading with comprehension demands accurate word recognition, which depends crucially upon good phonological awareness and phonic skills.

The Nonword Reading Test is an easy-to-use test based on nonwords which conform to common and acceptable letter-sound correspondences. Nonwords are used because – in contrast to real words – they are equally unfamiliar to all pupils. They thus make a comparable demand upon all pupils.

The use of regular word structures means that in order to produce the combined sound of letter strings, the pupil must use phonological decoding. The test is therefore independent of sight vocabulary,and provides a better and fairer assessment of the vital skills which underpin word recognition and functional literacy. Two equivalent forms allow you to assess progress over time.

The Nonword Reading Test is an individual test for pupils aged from 6 to 16+, and takes just five to ten minutes to administer. At the earlier stages of learning to read,the test will help to identify pupils who are slow to establish phonological decoding skills. With dyslexic and older pupils who are reading below the level for their age, the test will help to pinpoint phonological problems and the special provision that such pupils are likely to require.

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