Phonemic Awareness Mastery Task
Initial, Middle, and Final Sounds
Mastery Task
Identifying initial (beginning), medial (middle) and final (ending) sounds in words.
Preparation
Prepare a list of 10 words that students will use during the task.
Administration
One-on-one
Procedure
- Tell the student: Today we are going to practice listening for sounds in words. We are going to listen to the first/middle/last sound in the word. Let’s practice.
- Provide 1 practice word. Say: I am going to say a word. I want you to tell me the first/middle/last sound. Ready? The word is cat. What is the first/middle/last sound in cat?
- If the student gets the practice word correct, continue with the task. If they do not, consider providing additional instruction before continuing with the task.
- Continue the task repeating the sequence for all 10 words. I am going to say a word. I want you to tell me the first/middle/last sound. Ready? The word is XXX. What is the first/middle/last sound in XXX?
- Record the student’s correct and incorrect answers.
Note: You may provide chips or blocks for students to use to point to the initial, middle, or final sound as a visual representation.
Outcome
When given 10 prompts, the student should be able to identify 80% or more of the initial, medial, or final sounds in words with automaticity.
NOTE: Choose one type of sound to focus on for the assessment (initial, medial, or final) depending on what the student has been working on.
Additional Resources
- Here is a reference for Phonemic Awareness skills and how to assess when students master each skill: http://www.readingrockets.org/article/development-phonological-skills
- Use lists like this one -- https://www.killeenisd.org/teacherDocs/c102/e44653/documents/TPRISkills-95185.pdf -- to find additional words to use during mastery tasks or practice.
FAQs - Frequently Asked Questions
How do you know if the students are ready for a Mastery Task?
We recommend administering a Mastery Task after an intervention, or targeted teaching of that skill, has been in place for 3 weeks. If a student appears to have mastered the skill before then, we recommend administering the Mastery Task.
What do I do with the results of the Mastery Task?
Using the results to guide your next lessons is a proactive approach to target weak skills or advance to the next skill level for students.