Identifies preschoolers who are at risk for literacy problems, allowing early intervention

Children entering kindergarten, or first grade, are expected to have sufficient knowledge of vocabulary, phonological awareness and print knowledge. Early childhood educators, special educators, psychologists, diagnosticians and other professionals can easily administer the TOPEL.

Christopher J. Lonigan, Richard K. Wagner, Joseph K. Torgesen, Carol A. Rashotte

• Age Range: 3 to 5:11 years 
  
• Time: 25-30 minutes

The TOPEL has 3 principle uses:

1. Identification of a child’s print and oral vocabulary, and phonological awareness

2. Documentation of progress for compliance with federal statutes, state laws and/or school district policies

3. Research intervention-related change, or select students for research participation.

The TOPEL has three subtests, combined to determine the Composite Score, which best represents a child’s emergent literacy skills.

1. Print Knowledge–36 items which measure alphabet knowledge, and early knowledge about written language conventions and form.  The child is asked to identify letters and written words, point to specific letters, name specific letters, identify letter sounds, and say the sounds associated with specific letters.

2. Definitional Vocabulary–35 items which measures singleword oral vocabulary and definitional vocabulary (surface and deep vocabulary knowledge). The child is shown a picture, and asked to tell what the picture is and describe one important feature.

3. Phonological Awareness–24 items which measure word elision and blending abilities. The child is asked to say a word, then say what is left, after dropping out specific sounds (elision), for the first 12 items. On the remaining 12 items, the child is asked to listen to separate sounds, and combine them to for a word (blending).

The TOPEL Kit includes 25 Record Booklets, a Picture Book and an Examiner’s Manual.