- Likes listening to stories that I read aloud
- Follows simple two- and three-step directions
- Continuously understands and uses new words
- Retells a basic sequence of steps from an activity (such as baking cookies) or a story
- Connects own feelings and experiences to stories we read together
- Answers questions about experiences and stories in complete sentences
- Identifies common signs in the community (restaurants, stores)
- Uses a variety of descriptive words when talking (such as “gigantic,” “excited,” “frustrated,” “patient,” “ridiculous”)
- Asks questions to clarify or extend conversations
Preview the Screener
Read each of the following 31 items and check “Yes” if you are confident your child routinely succeeds with that item. If you are not confident your child is successful with the item, check “No.”
- Recognizes his or her own name in print
- Sings, says or recites the letters of the alphabet
- Names some letters, especially those in his or her name
- Points correctly to some letters as I name them
- Points correctly to some letters as I name the letter sound (“Which letter makes the /b/ sound?”)
- Says the correct letter sound as I point to letters (“What sound does this letter make?”)
- Can identify at least 18 uppercase letters as I point to them
- Answers correctly when I ask if two simple words rhyme (“Do 'cat' and 'bat' rhyme?” or “Do 'car' and 'house' rhyme?)
- Tells me a word that rhymes with the word I say (“Tell me a word that rhymes with red.”)
- Points to pictures that have the same beginning sound
- Names a word that begins with a specific sound (“Tell me a word that starts with /b/.”)
- Identifies the beginning sound in words (“What sound do you hear first when I say 'doll' and 'door'?”)
- Blends words into compound words (base + ball = baseball)
- Blends smaller parts of simple words (b + at = bat), using pictures for support
- Breaks compound words apart (pancake = pan + cake)
- Removes part of a compound word (Take away “stop” from “stoplight,” and you have “light”)
- Enjoys drawing and scribbling
- Holds writing instrument with a comfortable grip
- Understands that writing is different than drawing a picture
- Writes his or her name (all letters don’t have to be completely accurate, but the name should be recognizable)
- Writes some letters that I name
- Tries to write words or stories and uses one or more correct letters (such as “lo” for “yellow,” “r” for “are,” “hs” for “house,” etc.)