With a policy restricting formal phonological assessments, which approach should a 1st-grade teacher take to inform instructional planning?

• A. Conduct only the approved formal assessments twice per year.
• B. Conduct informal and other formal assessments on an ongoing basis.
• C. Ignore informal assessments.
• D. Assess only at the start of the year.

Answer: (B)

Regular, ongoing assessment from multiple sources informs how you plan and adapt instruction as students develop phonological skills. Even when formal phonological assessments are restricted, you can still gather meaningful data by using informal checks—like quick phonemic awareness tasks, observations during work, and work samples—along with other formal assessments that are allowed, throughout the year. This approach gives you timely, actionable information about each student’s progress, so you can group students for targeted instruction, adjust instructional strategies, and set responsive goals.

In first grade, phonological awareness underpins decoding, so you want frequent insights into skills such as blending, segmenting, rhyming, and manipulating phonemes. Quick, regular checks embedded in daily routines help you notice who needs extra support and what specific areas to target, rather than waiting for a single annual measure. Relying only on formal checks twice a year would leave gaps in understanding, and ignoring informal evidence would miss day-to-day growth. Starting assessment only at the beginning of the year likewise misses changes over time. By continuously collecting data from informal and other permissible assessments, you can plan instruction that meets students where they are and moves them forward.