Placement Test SPIRE

Use the Placement Test to determine where individual students should begin the program.
Placement level is not correlated to grade level.

Placement Test Directions........................................................ 1

Placement Test Recording Form .............................................. 3

Placement Test ...................................................................... 11

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 Placement Test Directions

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Placement Test Directions SPIRE

Preparation and Administration

• M
 ake a master copy of the Placement Test, plus one copy per student of the
Placement Test Recording Form.
• S elect a place to administer the test one-on-one. Choose an area where students
will not be distracted or observed as they are being tested.
• W
 hen administering the test, sit across from the student and position the
Recording Form so the student cannot see what you are writing. Be discreet
when recording observations.

Part A: Phonograms
Part A involves naming letters and saying the sounds the letters make.
• Instruct the student to read the list from left to right and to state the name of
each letter and the sound it makes.
• Circle each letter on the Recording Form that a student incorrectly identifies.
o A
 correct response includes both the correct letter name and its sound;
if either is incorrect, circle the item.
• D
 o not prompt the student unless he or she produces only one correct sound for
a letter that has multiple sounds.
o E xample: If a student correctly identifies the letter c and pronounces it
with a soft c, /s/, prompt for the hard c sound, /k/, by asking, “Is there
another sound for that letter?”
• P
 lace the student in Sounds Sensible if he or she does not correctly identify
all the letters and letter sounds. If a student misses 1–3 consonant sounds, you
may choose to teach only the corresponding lessons for those sounds in Sounds
Sensible, Step 4.
• If the student correctly identifies all of the letters and sounds in Part A, continue
testing with Part B.

Part B: Word Lists

Part B is a series of word lists organized by level and concept. It includes words for every
concept taught in S.P.I.R.E. and iSPIRE, Levels 1–6. Some nonsense words are included to
assess decoding skill and set it apart from sight recognition. Instruct the student to read
these words as if they were real words.
• Instruct the student to start reading the word lists, from left to right, beginning
with the Level 1 Word List. Explain that he or she will read each word aloud,
slowly and clearly, as you listen carefully.

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 S.P.I.R.E. Placement Test Directions
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• F ollow along on the Recording Form and circle each word the student decodes
incorrectly. To accurately assess the student’s ability to decode, do not prompt
the student.
• If the student reads each sound individually before blending the word, count it
correct, but mark the word “s/o” for “sounded out.”
• D
 iscontinue if the student makes more than 8 errors on a Level Word List. The
discontinue point is where the student is placed in the program.
o E xample: If a student makes 8 errors while reading Level 3 Word List B,
the student is placed in Level 3.
• A
 student who reaches the end of the Level 6 Word List may not need a S.P.I.R.E.
intervention.

The S.P.I.R.E. Initial Placement Assessment (IPA), which offers a more extensive
diagnostic assessment for placement into S.P.I.R.E., is available for purchase.

Placement Test Schedule

Errors Placement or Next Steps
Part A: Phonograms *1 or more Place in Sounds Sensible.
0 Continue with Part B.
Part B: Word Lists 0 to 7 Continue with Level 2 Word List
Level 1 8 Place in Level 1
Level 2 0 to 7 Continue with Level 3 Lists A and B
8 Place in Level 2
Level 3A 0 to 7 Continue with Level 3 List B
8 Place in Level 3
Level 3B 0 to 7 Continue with Level 4 Word List
8 Place in Level 3
Level 4 0 to 7 Continue with Level 5 Word List
8 Place in Level 4
Level 5 0 to 7 Continue with Level 6 Word List
8 Place in Level 5
Level 6 0 to 7 Doesn’t need S.P.I.R.E. or iSPIRE
8 Place in Level 6

* If a student misses 1–3 consonant sounds, the teacher may choose to teach only
the corresponding lessons for those sounds from Sounds Sensible, Step 4, before
continuing with placement in Level 1.

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 Placement Test Recording Form

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SPIRE
Placement Test Recording Form
Name: Class:

School: Date:

Placement: Tester:

Part A: Phonograms

p f w (as in water)

b v h (as in hat)

t s (as in sip) y (as in yellow)

d z l

k j (as in job) r

c (as in cat) m x

g (as in give) n

Notes

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 S.P.I.R.E. Placement Test Recording Form
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Part B: Word Lists

Level 1 Error Count
68 items (discontinue after 8 errors)

Short a Short e Short i

1. van 2. let 3. wig
4. pan 5. set 6. six
7. cap 8. fed 9. dip
10. lan 11. lem 12. ril
Short o Short u sh
13. cob 14. bun 15. shut
16. fog 17. cub 18. wish
19. cot 20. gut 21. bash
22. fom 23. pum 24. shem
ch th wh
25. punch 26. them 27. whip
28. chug 29. moth 30. which
31. chin 32. thus 33. whisk
34. luch 35. thig 36. whid
ang ing ong
37. rang 38. ding 39. gong
40. bang 41. ping 42. song
43. gang 44. zing 45. long
46. cang 47. ling 48. nong
ung ink ank
49. flung 50. sink 51. yank
52. dung 53. fink 54. tank
55. hung 56. link 57. dank
58. wung 59. yink 60. fank
onk unk
61. honk 62. punk
63. conk 64. lunk
65. bonk 66. funk
67. lonk 68. wunk
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 S.P.I.R.E. Placement Test Recording Form
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Level 2 Error Count

52 items (discontinue after 8 errors)

ff ll ss
1. huff 2. bell 3. dress
4. stuff 5. thrill 6. miss
7. stiff 8. swell 9. glass
10. sloff 11. mell 12. hoss
al wa qu
13. small 14. swat 15. quest
16. stall 17. wand 18. quill
19. fall 20. swan 21. squid
22. frall 23. wald 24. squich
ck tch a-e
25. tack 26. switch 27. maze
28. speck 29. hutch 30. shake
31. smack 32. match 33. spade
34. vack 35. scatch 36. mape
i-e o-e
37. quite 38. robe
39. bite 40. joke
41. time 42. stove
43. dize 44. grofe
u-e e-e
45. mule 46. Pete
47. mute 48. here
49. June 50. eve
51. stuze 52. spete

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 S.P.I.R.E. Placement Test Recording Form
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Level 3 List A Error Count

56 items (discontinue after 8 errors in Lists A and B combined)

e o y
1. belong 2. lo 3. fly
4. he 5. solo 6. try
7. renew 8. polo 9. sly
10. je 11. po 12. sny
ild old ind
13. mild 14. mold 15. grind
16. child 17. scold 18. blind
19. wild 20. bold 21. mind
22. kild 23. wejold 24. drind
ost oll ay
25. post 26. toll 27. tray
28. most 29. scroll 30. stay
31. host 32. poll 33. clay
34. zost 35. groll 36. blay
ed s es
37. hunted 38. frogs 39. boxes
40. tested 41. lamps 42. wishes
43. planted 44. sands 45. benches
46. tated 47. cugs 48. zeshes
ing er
49. lifting 50. boxer
51. sending 52. colder
53. thinking 54. simper
55. manding 56. zayer

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 S.P.I.R.E. Placement Test Recording Form
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Level 3 List B Error Count

56 items (discontinue after 8 errors in Lists A and B combined)

est en ish
1. pinkest 2. olden 3. selfish
4. wildest 5. lengthen 6. tallish
7. fastest 8. thicken 9. pinkish
10. yeyest 11. landen 12. yallish
ly y ful
13. gladly 14. rusty 15. playful
16. boldly 17. frisky 18. restful
19. bravely 20. sandy 21. useful
22. scoftly 23. umpy 24. sishful
ness less twin consonant
25. gladness 26. matchless 27. traffic
28. boldness 29. hatless 30. rabbit
31. kindness 32. restless 33. supper
34. zimness 35. indless 36. rillet
non-twin consonant ou ou
37. umpire 38. proud 39. shoulder
40. plastic 41. blouse 42. soul
43. contest 44. sound 45. court
46. intis 47. couch 48. pour
ou ou
49. country 50. croup
51. tough 52. coupon
53. cousin 54. group
55. enough 56. troupe

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 S.P.I.R.E. Placement Test Recording Form
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Level 4 Error Count

48 items (discontinue after 8 errors)

ea ea le
1. neat 2. meant 3. brittle
4. meal 5. thread 6. ankle
7. each 8. instead 9. middle
10. weave 11. threat 12. muttle
ea oa ai
13. great 14. float 15. chain
16. break 17. loan 18. sail
19. steak 20. toast 21. train
22. wear 23. moach 24. slait
ee oo oo
25. street 26. scoop 27. brook
28. sweep 29. tool 30. stood
31. need 32. tooth 33. hook
34. leeg 35. proof 36. shook
igh ie ie
37. sigh 38. lie 39. thief
40. bright 41. flies 42. grief
43. night 44. tie 45. yield
46. swight 47. dries 48. brief

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 S.P.I.R.E. Placement Test Recording Form
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Level 5 Error Count

60 items (discontinue after 8 errors)

Soft c Soft g er
1. piece 2. general 3. term
4. cell 5. giblet 6. lantern
7. space 8. page 9. clerk
10. cyss 11. gymitol 12. onerge
ir ur ear
13. twirl 14. sturdy 15. yearn
16. squirt 17. furnish 18. heard
19. thirst 20. curve 21. earth
22. nirt 23. wurty 24. sheart
wor dge ose / ise
25. worth 26. wedge 27. suppose
28. worst 29. badger 30. wise
31. worm 32. budge 33. rose
34. worch 35. medge 36. trose
ow ow oe
37. blown 38. prowl 39. woe
40. shadow 41. clown 42. Joe
43. flown 44. howl 45. doe
46. crow 47. drown 48. noe
or ar ar
49. order 50. marble 51. swarm
52. stork 53. starch 54. wart
55. worn 56. chart 57. quart
58. shord 59. parn 60. swarp

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 S.P.I.R.E. Placement Test Recording Form
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Level 6 Error Count

63 items (discontinue after 8 errors)

a- -a -able
1. abide 2. umbrella 3. serviceable
4. amend 5. Montana 6. enforceable
7. avoid 8. novella 9. manageable
ph ought ue
10. apostrophe 11. sought 12. grueling
13. philodendron 14. brought 15. residue
16. graph 17. forethought 18. duel
ue ew ew
19. barbeque 20. shrewd 21. pewter
22. argue 23. mildew 24. yew
25. pursue 26. crew 27. askew
tu oi oy
28. fluctuate 29. embroider 30. corduroy
31. infatuate 32. cloister 33. flamboyant
34. punctuate 35. moist 36. voyage

aw au ey
37. prawn 38. laurel 39. chutney
40. awl 41. tarpaulin 42. pulley
43. fawn 44. distraught 45. kidney

ey kn wr
46. prey 47. knapsack 48. wretched
49. obey 50. knave 51. wrongdoing
52. convey 53. knead 54. wrestler

mb gh gu
55. numbness 56. ghoul 57. disguise
58. jamb 59. gherkin 60. guinea pig
61. plumber 62. aghast 63. guild

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 Placement Test

®
SPIRE
Placement Test

Part A: Phonograms

p f w

b v h

t s y

d z l

k j r

c m x

g n

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 S.P.I.R.E. Placement Test
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Part B: Word Lists

Level 1

1. van 2. let 3. wig

4. pan 5. set 6. six
7. cap 8. fed 9. dip
10. lan 11. lem 12. ril
13. cob 14. bun 15. shut
16. fog 17. cub 18. wish
19. cot 20. gut 21. bash
22. fom 23. pum 24. shem
25. punch 26. them 27. whip
28. chug 29. moth 30. which
31. chin 32. thus 33. whisk
34. luch 35. thig 36. whid
37. rang 38. ding 39. gong
40. bang 41. ping 42. song
43. gang 44. zing 45. long
46. cang 47. ling 48. nong
49. flung 50. sink 51. yank
52. dung 53. fink 54. tank
55. hung 56. link 57. dank
58. wung 59. yink 60. fank
61. honk 62. punk 63. conk
64. lunk 65. bonk 66. funk
67. lonk 68. wunk
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 S.P.I.R.E. Placement Test
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Level 2

1. huff 2. bell 3. dress

4. stuff 5. thrill 6. miss
7. stiff 8. swell 9. glass
10. sloff 11. mell 12. hoss
13. small 14. swat 15. quest
16. stall 17. wand 18. quill
19. fall 20. swan 21. squid
22. frall 23. wald 24. squich
25. tack 26. switch 27. maze
28. speck 29. hutch 30. shake
31. smack 32. match 33. spade
34. vack 35. scatch 36. mape
37. quite 38. robe 39. bite
40. joke 41. time 42. stove
43. dize 44. grofe 45. mule
46. Pete 47. mute 48. here
49. June 50. eve 51. stuze
52. spete

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 S.P.I.R.E. Placement Test
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Level 3 List A

1. belong 2. lo 3. fly
4. he 5. solo 6. try
7. renew 8. polo 9. sly
10. je 11. po 12. sny
13. mild 14. mold 15. grind
16. child 17. scold 18. blind
19. wild 20. bold 21. mind
22. kild 23. wejold 24. drind
25. post 26. toll 27. tray
28. most 29. scroll 30. stay
31. host 32. poll 33. clay
34. zost 35. groll 36. blay
37. hunted 38. frogs 39. boxes
40. tested 41. lamps 42. wishes
43. planted 44. sands 45. benches
46. tated 47. cugs 48. zeshes
49. lifting 50. boxer 51. sending
52. colder 53. thinking 54. simper
55. manding 56. zayer

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 S.P.I.R.E. Placement Test
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Level 3 List B

1. pinkest 2. olden 3. selfish

4. wildest 5. lengthen 6. tallish
7. fastest 8. thicken 9. pinkish
10. yeyest 11. landen 12. yallish
13. gladly 14. rusty 15. playful
16. boldly 17. frisky 18. restful
19. bravely 20. sandy 21. useful
22. scoftly 23. umpy 24. sishful
25. gladness 26. matchless 27. traffic
28. boldness 29. hatless 30. rabbit
31. kindness 32. restless 33. supper
34. zimness 35. indless 36. rillet
37. umpire 38. proud 39. shoulder
40. plastic 41. blouse 42. soul
43. contest 44. sound 45. court
46. intis 47. couch 48. pour
49. country 50. croup 51. tough
52. coupon 53. cousin 54. group
55. enough 56. troupe

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 S.P.I.R.E. Placement Test
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Level 4

1. neat 2. meant 3. brittle

4. meal 5. thread 6. ankle
7. each 8. instead 9. middle
10. weave 11. threat 12. muttle
13. great 14. float 15. chain
16. break 17. loan 18. sail
19. steak 20. toast 21. train
22. wear 23. moach 24. slait
25. street 26. scoop 27. brook
28. sweep 29. tool 30. stood
31. need 32. tooth 33. hook
34. leeg 35. proof 36. shook
37. sigh 38. lie 39. thief
40. bright 41. flies 42. grief
43. night 44. tie 45. yield
46. swight 47. dries 48. brief

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 S.P.I.R.E. Placement Test
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Level 5

1. piece 2. general 3. term

4. cell 5. giblet 6. lantern
7. space 8. page 9. clerk
10. cyss 11. gymitol 12. onerge
13. twirl 14. sturdy 15. yearn
16. squirt 17. furnish 18. heard
19. thirst 20. curve 21. earth
22. nirt 23. wurty 24. sheart
25. worth 26. wedge 27. suppose
28. worst 29. badger 30. wise
31. worm 32. budge 33. rose
34. worch 35. medge 36. trose
37. blown 38. prowl 39. woe
40. shadow 41. clown 42. Joe
43. flown 44. howl 45. doe
46. crow 47. drown 48. noe
49. order 50. marble 51. swarm
52. stork 53. starch 54. wart
55. worn 56. chart 57. quart
58. shord 59. parn 60. swarp

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 S.P.I.R.E. Placement Test
®

Level 6

1. abide 2. umbrella 3. serviceable

4. amend 5. Montana 6. enforceable
7. avoid 8. novella 9. manageable
10. apostrophe 11. sought 12. grueling
13. philodendron 14. brought 15. residue
16. graph 17. forethought 18. duel
19. barbeque 20. shrewd 21. pewter
22. argue 23. mildew 24. yew
25. pursue 26. crew 27. askew
28. fluctuate 29. embroider 30. corduroy
31. infatuate 32. cloister 33. flamboyant
34. punctuate 35. moist 36. voyage
37. prawn 38. laurel 39. chutney
40. awl 41. tarpaulin 42. pulley
43. fawn 44. distraught 45. kidney
46. prey 47. knapsack 48. wretched
49. obey 50. knave 51. wrongdoing
52. convey 53. knead 54. wrestler
55. numbness 56. ghoul 57. disguise
58. jamb 59. gherkin 60. guinea pig
61. plumber 62. aghast 63. guild

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