Developmental Spelling

Assessment
DSA

DSA Scoring Packet




PRE & POST DSA ASSESSMENTS

This year all students in grades K-2 will be assessed using the Developmental Spelling Assessment (DSA).

THE SCREENING INVENTORY
The main purpose of the DSA Developmental Spelling Assessment is to determine a childs stage of
development. The screening device consists of 20 words that become progressively more difficult. The
words are grouped into sets of five, with each set focusing on a different stage of word knowledge,
beginning with letter name. The Screening Inventory has been found to accurately identify a childs stage
of development over 90% of the time (Ganske, 1999).

Directions: I am going to say some words that I want you to spell for me. Some of the words will be easy
to spell, and some will be more difficult. When you dont know how to spell a word, just do the best you
can. Each time, I will say the word, use it in a sentence, and then I will say the word again.

Example
1. hen The hen sat on her eggs. hen
2. wish The boy made a wish and blew out the candles. wish

Continue until you have gone through all 25 words.

Dictation
Consider the following guidelines before starting:
1. Be familiar with the inventory.
2. Minimize distractions, and encourage a relaxed atmosphere. I let students know that I will not be
grading their papers but will instead use the information to understand how to help them learn
more about words.
3. Instruct students to print their responses on the reproducible answer sheet. Sharpened pencils
also help.
4. Speak clearly and distinctly when reading the items, but avoid overemphasizing parts of the target
word.
5. Dictate the number of the item, say the word, read the sentence, and then repeat the word before
moving on to the next item. (Primary grade teachers may omit the sentence if the children find it
distracting.)
6. Allow sufficient time for students to respond, but move along quickly.
7. Encourage reluctant spellers to write what they can.








Materials
DSA Form A: Letter Name Feature List for Dictation
DSA Form A: Within Word Pattern Feature List for Dictation
DSA Form A: Student answer sheets

Dictation and Scoring
Starting the Dictation

Make a list of which students will start at which stage. When determining these starting points, be sure
to drop back one stage from that indicated by the Screening Inventory. For students with two suggested
stages, go back one from the earliest stage predicted. For example, students who have within word
pattern as their likely stage will begin with the letter name list. Those with predicted stages of within
word pattern as their likely stage will begin with the letter name list. Those with predicted stages of
within word pattern and syllable juncture will begin with the letter name list also. Because you cannot
drop back a stage for predicted letter name spellers, they too will begin with the letter name list.
Although dropping back is beneficial to most students, it is especially advantageous for children who
have just moved into a new stage, because starting at their stage of development is likely mean responses
with many errors.

Once the list is compiled, begin dictation with the earliest stage needed. In most cases, this will be the
letter name list. Oral directions are included at the beginning of each Feature Inventory form. The same
general guidelines that were described for dictating the Screening Inventory should be kept in mind.

Scoring

Score all answer sheets for the first dictated list before dictating the next. The Feature Inventories are
scored qualitatively so that childrens knowledge of specific orthographic features can be determined as
well as their ability to correctly spell entire words. The following point system is used:
2 = entire word is correctly spelled
1 = targeted feature is correct; entire word is not
0 = targeted feature is incorrect

Answer cards facilitate the scoring process. The cards have the targeted feature underlined and can be
aligned with a students answer sheet (see Figure 2-4). By placing the students paper next to the
corresponding answer card, it is easy to determine the amount of credit to award each word. The
appropriate 2, 1, or 0 value is recorded beside each item. Letter reversals, such as b or d, are not
considered errors.









Stage score
(correctly spelled words)


Observations

22 25 Secure Understandings
The speller is competent and confident at this stage
and demonstrates firmly developed understandings.

12 21 State of Development
The student is confronted with new spelling issues
that challenge existing understandings about how the
orthographic system works. As the students revises
and refines previous notions in light of new
information, features are likely to be used correctly at
times but confused at others.

Below 12 (but with strong
scores, 22 25, on the
previous page
Early Stage of Development (WW, SJ, DC)
Although there is much at this stage that the speller
hasnt yet figured out about the spelling system, the
student has a solid base of understandings from which
to progress.

Below 12* Too Much is Unknown
Without a firm understanding at the previous stage,
scores below 12 reflect an overload of new issues. The
logic behind the childs spelling is likely to deteriorate;
even random spelling may occur.

Note. Because there is no prior list at the letter name stare, spellers with feature
knowledge that indicates lettersound association, such as B or BT for bet, may be
considered early letter name spellers.


FIGURE 2-5. Interpreting stage scores on the Feature Inventory.














UNDERSTANDING CHILDRENS WORD KNOWLEDGE

DSA Form A: Letter Name Feature List

1. jet The jet made a safe landing.
2. ship The ship sailed across the water.
3. bet I bet you will finish the book today.
4. got The boy got a new dog.
5. cap The new baseball cap was red.
6. drum We could hear the drum beat.
7. bump The bump on his head hurt.
8. much The boy didnt have much homework.
9. with My brother will come with us.
10. map The woman looked at a map of the city.
11. hop A rabbit can hop.
12. plan The class will plan a party.
13. that What is making that noise?
14. slid The player slid into second base.
15. mud There was mud on the floor.
16. grab She had to grab her hat in the wind.
17. chop Please chop the carrots into pieces.
18. fast The girl is a fast runner.
19. dish The dish fell and broke.
20. went The car went past our house.
21. win Lets try to win the game.
22. fed The farmer fed the cow hay.
23. trip The family took a trip to the beach.
24. rub I will rub the penny to make it shine.
25. fit The dress did not fit the girl.




School: _______________________________________________

Answer Sheet: FORM A
Name: _______________________________________________

Stage LN Letter Name
Date: ______________________________



1.

_____________________________________________

16.

_____________________________________________

2.

_____________________________________________

17.

_____________________________________________

3.

_____________________________________________

18.

_____________________________________________

4.

_____________________________________________

19.

_____________________________________________

5.

_____________________________________________

20.

_____________________________________________

6.

_____________________________________________

21.

_____________________________________________

7.

_____________________________________________

22.

_____________________________________________

8.

_____________________________________________

23.

_____________________________________________

9.

_____________________________________________

24.

_____________________________________________

10.

_____________________________________________

25.

_____________________________________________

11.

_____________________________________________


A B C D E








Total Score _____________

12.

_____________________________________________

13.

_____________________________________________

14.

_____________________________________________

15.

_____________________________________________






DSA Feature Inventory, Form A

DSA Form A: Within Word Pattern Feature List

1. patch The pirate had a patch over his eye.
2. couch His grandmother sat on the couch reading.
3. steep The hill was very steep.
4. cute Everyone thought the baby was cute.
5. bridge The bridge had to be fixed.
6. glare The glare of the sun made it hard to see.
7. scrap A scrap of paper was found on the floor.
8. might It might rain tomorrow.
9. girl The girl opened the envelope.
10. frown You could tell by her frown that the woman was upset.
11. smoke Smoke came out of the chimney.
12. flock A flock of geese flew overhead.
13. stood The boy stood on his tiptoes to reach the box.
14. least The opposite of most is least.
15. short The girl has short hair.
16. quite It is quite sunny outside today.
17. grape The grape juice tasted good.
18. yawn When youre tired, you sometimes yawn.
19. drive They will drive to the grocery store.
20. coast Its fun to coast downhill on a bicycle.
21. hurt The old man fell and hurt his back
22. point The teacher asked the child to point to the letter b.
23. ripe A banana is ripe when it is yellow.
24. fear He has a fear of the dark.
25. paint The men were going to paint the house.



UNDERSTANDING CHILDRENS WORD KNOWLEDGE

DSA Form A: Letter Name Answer Card


1.

j et D

16.

gr ab B

2.

sh ip B

17.

ch op D

3.

b e t C

18.

fa st E

4.

g o t A

19.

di sh E

5.

c a p C

20.

we nt E

6.

dr um D

21.

wi n A

7.

bu mp E

22.

f ed A

8.

mu ch D
23.

tr ip D

9.

wi th E

24.

r ub A

10.

ma p A

25.

f i t C

11.

h o p C


A B C D E
4
10
21
22
24
2
12
13
14
16
3
5
11
15
25
1
6
8
17
23
7
9
18
19
20



12.

pl an B

13.

th at B

14.

sl id B

15.

m u d C







School: _______________________________________________

Answer Sheet: FORM A
Name: _______________________________________________

Stage WW Within Word
Date: ______________________________



1.

_____________________________________________

16.

_____________________________________________

2.

_____________________________________________

17.

_____________________________________________

3.

_____________________________________________

18.

_____________________________________________

4.

_____________________________________________

19.

_____________________________________________

5.

_____________________________________________

20.

_____________________________________________

6.

_____________________________________________

21.

_____________________________________________

7.

_____________________________________________

22.

_____________________________________________

8.

_____________________________________________

23.

_____________________________________________

9.

_____________________________________________

24.

_____________________________________________

10.

_____________________________________________

25.

_____________________________________________

11.

_____________________________________________


F G H I J








Total Score _____________

12.

_____________________________________________

13.

_____________________________________________

14.

_____________________________________________

15.

_____________________________________________







UNDERSTANDING CHILDRENS WORD KNOWLEDGE

DSA Form A: Within Word Pattern Answer Card


1.

pa tch I

16.

qu ite I

2.

c ou ch J

17.

gr a p e F

3.

st ee p H

18.

y aw n J

4.

c u t e F

19.

dr i v e F

5.

bri dge I

20.

c oa st H

6.

gl are G

21.

h ur t G

7.

scr ap I

22.

p oi nt J

8.

m igh t H

23.

r i p e F

9.

g ir l G

24.

f ear G

10.

fr ow n J

25.

p ai nt H

11.

sm o k e F


F G H I J
4
11
17
19
23
6
9
15
21
24
3
8
14
20
25
1
5
7
12
16
2
10
13
18
22



12.

flo ck I

13.

st oo d J

14.

l ea st H

15.

sh or t G