Question

A first-grade teacher notices during guided reading that a student has difficulty decoding words such as 'ran,' 'pet,' 'him,' and 'hot.' Which of the following is the most appropriate way for the teacher to confirm the student's difficulty?

A. Administering a phonemic-awareness assessment in which the student breaks spoken words into individual phonemes
B. Choosing an appropriate passage for the student to read aloud and noting how many words the student can read in 1 minute
C. Checking for understanding by asking explicit questions after the student has completed reading a grade-level passage
D. Presenting a list of grade-level high-frequency words for the student to read aloud

Answer 1

To confirm the student's difficulty in decoding words, the teacher should administer a phonemic-awareness assessment where the student breaks down spoken words into individual phonemes.

Step-by-step explanation:

A first-grade teacher who notices a student has difficulty decoding words like 'ran,' 'pet,' 'him,' and 'hot' is seeking the best way to confirm the student's difficulty. Among the options provided, administering a phonemic-awareness assessment in which the student breaks spoken words into individual phonemes (Option A) would be the most appropriate method. This approach specifically targets the fundamental skills of phonemic awareness that are essential for decoding and would provide the teacher with clear insight into the student's understanding and ability to manipulate the individual sounds in words.