Pseudoword Decoding - PALS

Pseudoword Decoding

Materials

• Pseudoword Decoding Student Sheet, select 1–25 (for student)
• Pseudoword Decoding: Student Progress Chart (for teacher)

Administration Notes

• The Pseudoword Decoding Quick Checks are arranged in five sets (A through E). Each set includes five Quick
Checks designed to monitor students’ progress in decoding words that follow specific word patterns:

• Set A (1–5) — CVC words
• Set B (6–10) — CVC words, “s” blends, and digraphs
• Set C (11–15) — CVC words, “l” and “r” blends, and digraphs
• Set D (16–20) — Blends and digraphs with short vowels and CVCe words
• Set E (21–25) — Long vowel patterns
• The Pseudoword Decoding Quick Checks are administered individually.
• Choose the set that includes word patterns the student is currently exploring in reading and word study instruction.

For guidance, check the most recent PALS spelling assessment for features that the student is “using but confusing.”
• Have the student read the words orally at his/her own pace. Allow plenty of time for the student to “sound out” each

word. Note that this is not the same procedure that is used for the PALS word lists, where automatic word recogni-
tion is emphasized.
• Once the student decodes pseudowords with 90% or greater accuracy on any of the five lists in one set, move on to
the next set.

Instructions

1. Place the Quick Check in front of the student. Fold the sheet so that only one Quick Check is visible.

2. Tell the student, “The words in the lists are not real words; they are pretend words that must be sounded out in
order to read them.”

3. Demonstrate pointing to the words and moving from line to line as you explain the task. Say, “Put your finger on
the first word. Read each of the pretend words, moving from left to right. When you finish the first line, go on to
the next one. Continue until you have read all of the words.”

Scoring

1. The entire word must be read correctly to be counted as correct.

2. As the student reads, mark words that are read correctly on the Student Progress Chart. You may wish to write down
the student’s incorrect responses for future reference.

3. Count the number of pseudowords the student read correctly.

4. The maximum possible score for each list is 20.

5. Write the date and record the student’s score on the Pseudoword Decoding: Student Progress Chart.

Updated on: 1/28/2009 © 2009 by The Rector and The Board of Visitors of the University of Virginia. All Rights Reserved.

Set A: 1–5

Pseudoword Decoding: Student Progress Chart

Student Date Range
Date Mastered
Teacher
CVC Words
20
19 90%
18
17Number of Pseudowords Read Correctly
16
15
14
13
12
11
10

9
8
7
6
5
4
3
2
1
0

Date

1 2 3 4 5

sab ped mot tam lam fim bub gam dit gup
ren fop yob nud nop zug wim tud
wub det wap ket ret jad kig het rop lim
tog lat mig bim hob ven yan dat
zum vit fip rit yun ped rup jit tig zot
bot bom veb jom vot com cun mab
cam gip cug zat sig dib sog nug wob kug
mib nim dut pob bap rud fap len
yob bup gub lan gat wab vob pum hap yib
kag hig sed jup kip mog mip zed
cag bam
Score: _____/20 Score: _____/20 Score: _____/20 Score: _____/20
Date: _________ Date: _________ Date: _________ Date: _________ san jop

Updated on: 1/28/2009 meb fet

wum nat

ved pom

Score: _____/20

Date: _________

© 2009 by The Rector and The Board of Visitors of the University of Virginia. All Rights Reserved.

Pseudoword Decoding: Student Sheet 1

sab ren wub tog zum
yob kag
bot cam mib lat vit
bup hig
ped fop det
mig 2
bom gip nim gub
bim fip
FOLD lan sed
rit
Pseudoword Decoding: Student Sheet jup

mot yob wap

veb cug dut

tam nud ket

jom zat pob

Updated on: 1/28/2009 © 2009 by The Rector and The Board of Visitors of the University of Virginia. All Rights Reserved.

Pseudoword Decoding: Student Sheet 3

lam nop ret hob yun
gat kip
vot sig bap ven ped
wab mog
fim zug jad
yan 4
com dib rud vob
dat rup
FOLD pum mip
jit
Pseudoword Decoding: Student Sheet zed

bub wim kig

cun sog fap

gam tud het

mab nug len

Updated on: 1/28/2009 © 2009 by The Rector and The Board of Visitors of the University of Virginia. All Rights Reserved.

Pseudoword Decoding: Student Sheet 5

dit rop tig wob hap
wum ved
cag san meb kug yib
nat pom
gup lim zot

bam jop fet

FOLD

Updated on: 1/28/2009 © 2009 by The Rector and The Board of Visitors of the University of Virginia. All Rights Reserved.

Set B: 6–10

Pseudoword Decoding: Student Progress Chart

Student Date Range
Date Mastered
Teacher
CVC words, “s” blends, and digraphs
20
19 90%
18
17Number of Pseudowords Read Correctly
16
15
14
13
12
11
10

9
8
7
6
5
4
3
2
1
0

Date

6 7 8 9 10

rit smat gad smit mab smot lim smib sab zum

theg snib thig nop thid len pisk snog thip snid

slom jup slin snab slig snup wum pom slan scap

tam wem peb shon het wom hish cag ren hig

spig pash spog misk spon pesk scag bosh spag bish

veb nud fim tud wim nug shub dit wam smub

wap skot hisk skib nisk stib thop skun fisk tog

scad chig bap chag chog scob sleb chib yob chud

lisk sted rish stip mish zed fet stup dask stin

shan pob scut zug skud shum spug nat shib skup

Score: _____/20 Score: _____/20 Score: _____/20 Score: _____/20 Score: _____/20

Date: _________ Date: _________ Date: _________ Date: _________ Date: _________

Updated on: 1/28/2009 © 2009 by The Rector and The Board of Visitors of the University of Virginia. All Rights Reserved.

Pseudoword Decoding: Student Sheet 6

rit theg slom tam spig
lisk shan
veb wap scad wem pash
sted pob
smat snib jup
peb 7
nud skot chig rish
shon spog
FOLD stip scut
misk
Pseudoword Decoding: Student Sheet zug

gad thig slin

fim hisk bap

smit nop snab

tud skib chag

Updated on: 1/28/2009 © 2009 by The Rector and The Board of Visitors of the University of Virginia. All Rights Reserved.

8

Pseudoword Decoding: Student Sheet

mab thid slig het spon

wim nisk chog mish skud

smot len snup wom pesk

nug stib scob zed shum

FOLD 9

Pseudoword Decoding: Student Sheet

lim pisk wum hish scag

shub thop sleb fet spug

smib snog pom cag bosh

dit skun chib stup nat

Updated on: 1/28/2009 © 2009 by The Rector and The Board of Visitors of the University of Virginia. All Rights Reserved.

Pseudoword Decoding: Student Sheet 10

sab thip slan ren spag
dask shib
wam fisk yob hig bish
stin skup
zum snid scap

smub tog chud

FOLD

Updated on: 1/28/2009 © 2009 by The Rector and The Board of Visitors of the University of Virginia. All Rights Reserved.

Set C: 11–15

Pseudoword Decoding: Student Progress Chart

Student Date Range

Teacher Date Mastered
CVC words, “l” and “r” blends, and digraphs
20
19 90%
18
17Number of Pseudowords Read Correctly
16
15
14
13
12
11
10

9
8
7
6
5
4
3
2
1
0

Date

11 12 13 14 15

nish wip tig blam wup plip shig wap zarn wep

plap chon plup wep flin keld flep lib plob tob

tilk pab wilk chan chun shum dold chom zold chim

ruck brun pib frap peb nuck beck zorn bock brum

drin glep cran bron clom drun trin glup tran blin

trup blom trop shup trep blim drup clun frep crub

sild teg seld vill rill ret relt tog nelk pag

mord grup rad reck nard grap yort grob vard clib

rud farn mard gorn lud forn sud bram pud yill

prag shap grop drig prog dilp prug zill shog prup

Score: _____/20 Score: _____/20 Score: _____/20 Score: _____/20 Score: _____/20

Date: _________ Date: _________ Date: _________ Date: _________ Date: _________

Updated on: 1/28/2009 © 2009 by The Rector and The Board of Visitors of the University of Virginia. All Rights Reserved.

Pseudoword Decoding: Student Sheet ruck 11
rud
nish plap tilk brun drin
trup sild mord farn prag
wip chon pab glep
blom teg grup pib shap
mard
FOLD frap 12
gorn
Pseudoword Decoding: Student Sheet cran
grop
tig plup wilk bron
trop seld rad drig
blam wep chan
shup vill reck

Updated on: 1/28/2009 © 2009 by The Rector and The Board of Visitors of the University of Virginia. All Rights Reserved.

Pseudoword Decoding: Student Sheet peb 13
lud
wup flin chun nuck clom
trep rill nard forn prog
plip keld shum drun
blim ret grap beck dilp
sud
FOLD zorn 14
bram
Pseudoword Decoding: Student Sheet trin
prug
shig flep dold glup
drup relt yort zill
wap lib chom
clun tog grob

Updated on: 1/28/2009 © 2009 by The Rector and The Board of Visitors of the University of Virginia. All Rights Reserved.

Pseudoword Decoding: Student Sheet 15

zarn plob zold bock tran
pud shog
frep nelk vard brum blin
yill prup
wep tob chim

crub pag clib

FOLD

Updated on: 1/28/2009 © 2009 by The Rector and The Board of Visitors of the University of Virginia. All Rights Reserved.

Set D: 16–20

Pseudoword Decoding: Student Progress Chart

Student Date Range

Teacher Date Mastered
Blends and digraphs with short vowels and CVCe
20
19 90%
18
17Number of Pseudowords Read Correctly
16
15
14
13
12
11
10

9
8
7
6
5
4
3
2
1
0

Date

16 17 18 19 20

shike besh swick frine crub bish cred zimp pish zamp

drap frane drep bock thime frone thibe slume frobe slune

chell plute blesh plune glate plabe clune sath grike dath

blick grom prape grap shaff grot prub blate brum clipe

slape pren cham wump truke pran trake swack prug swuff

vimp creb crin brote shile vump shoff pesh shite crod

sloke thome sluke thame drup slome drub frabe drib thabe

tath glite tith crob cheg sith glick grum glack plote

clate shuff clute shiff bluck clane chep brape chup bleck

swock trote shipe trate flipe sweck plone shime fline trape

Score: _____/20 Score: _____/20 Score: _____/20 Score: _____/20 Score: _____/20

Date: _________ Date: _________ Date: _________ Date: _________ Date: _________

Updated on: 1/28/2009 © 2009 by The Rector and The Board of Visitors of the University of Virginia. All Rights Reserved.

Pseudoword Decoding: Student Sheet blick 16
clate
shike drap chell grom slape
vimp sloke tath shuff swock
besh frane plute pren
creb thome glite prape trote
clute
FOLD grap 17
shiff
Pseudoword Decoding: Student Sheet cham
shipe
swick drep blesh wump
crin sluke tith trate
frine bock plune
brote thame crob

Updated on: 1/28/2009 © 2009 by The Rector and The Board of Visitors of the University of Virginia. All Rights Reserved.

Pseudoword Decoding: Student Sheet 18

crub thime glate shaff truke
bluck flipe
shile drup cheg grot pran
clane sweck
bish frone plabe
prub 19
vump slome sith chep
blate trake
FOLD brape plone
swack
Pseudoword Decoding: Student Sheet shime

cred thibe clune

shoff drub glick

zimp slume sath

pesh frabe grum

Updated on: 1/28/2009 © 2009 by The Rector and The Board of Visitors of the University of Virginia. All Rights Reserved.

Pseudoword Decoding: Student Sheet brum 20
chup
pish frobe grike clipe prug
shite drib glack bleck fline
zamp slune dath swuff
crod thabe plote trape

FOLD

Updated on: 1/28/2009 © 2009 by The Rector and The Board of Visitors of the University of Virginia. All Rights Reserved.

Set E: 21–25

Pseudoword Decoding: Student Progress Chart

Student Date Range
Date Mastered
Teacher
Long vowel patterns
20
19 90%
18
17Number of Pseudowords Read Correctly
16
15
14
13
12
11
10

9
8
7
6
5
4
3
2
1
0

Date

21 22 23 24 25

shoam brean pite breap blute trone pline blune groam zule

waith treel wole slean spail glay soam fay dreal bleam

plote shule sleed grile choom grole hain trule voom prole

roon bray flune dreel slude teel sloat greel brile chune

snite frane prote snape snate slape blane stape snope trape

frope tume frake groof fripe zeap frobe frean fribe shay

sleen plast wain tway sleem choan kipe shoop dreet ploan

fline goom shube sloak moak braim preem neak glane raim

glate sleam toop choam glite stean blay ploom koop prait

skay drait vay spait dray zoon pote draid cray breel

Score: _____/20 Score: _____/20 Score: _____/20 Score: _____/20 Score: _____/20

Date: _________ Date: _________ Date: _________ Date: _________ Date: _________

Updated on: 1/28/2009 © 2009 by The Rector and The Board of Visitors of the University of Virginia. All Rights Reserved.

Pseudoword Decoding: Student Sheet 21

shoam waith plote roon snite
glate skay
frope sleen fline bray frane
sleam drait
brean treel shule
flune 22
tume plast goom toop
dreel prote
FOLD choam vay
snape
Pseudoword Decoding: Student Sheet spait

pite wole sleed

frake wain shube

breap slean grile

groof tway sloak

Updated on: 1/28/2009 © 2009 by The Rector and The Board of Visitors of the University of Virginia. All Rights Reserved.

Pseudoword Decoding: Student Sheet slude 23
glite
blute spail choom teel snate
fripe sleem moak stean dray
trone glay grole slape
zeap choan braim sloat zoon
blay
FOLD greel 24
ploom
Pseudoword Decoding: Student Sheet blane
pote
pline soam hain stape
frobe kipe preem draid
blune fay trule
frean shoop neak

Updated on: 1/28/2009 © 2009 by The Rector and The Board of Visitors of the University of Virginia. All Rights Reserved.

Pseudoword Decoding: Student Sheet 25

groam dreal voom brile snope
koop cray
fribe dreet glane chune trape
prait breel
zule bleam prole

shay ploan raim

FOLD

Updated on: 1/28/2009 © 2009 by The Rector and The Board of Visitors of the University of Virginia. All Rights Reserved.