Western Oregon University

SpEd 625: Informal Language Assessment

Sand and Stones Concepts About Print Test

Reference: Clay, M. (1979). The Early Detection of Reading Difficulties (3rd edition). pp.
27-31).
Cost
Time to administer
Administration
Grades
Cognitive Elements
supported.

Languages test can

be administered in
Score reporting and
Test design data.

Comments

$5 retrieval price via Internet.

Included in Reading Recovery Program materials.
5-10 minutes
Individual
Pre-K, K and 1st
Varying levels of print concepts which include: book orientation,
print (not picture) carries message, line sequence, letter order,
reversible words, basic punctuation, letters concepts and word
concepts.
English, Danish and Spanish.
Scores are reported as percent correct on this 24-item test.
However, if a child misses question 10 (line sequence) items
12-14 should be omitted. Children scoring high on Concepts of
Print are displaying mastery on these specific conventions of
written language. Low scores may indicate a childs confusion
about the arbitrary conventions of English written language.
Reliability measures were found to be at .95; Test-retest reliability
coefficients ranged from .73-.89.
This test is a good indicator of a childs grasp on a defined set of
written language concepts. The format of the test lends itself to
be utilized with both new readers and non-readers. The use of
this test should be limited to the first year of reading instruction.
Excerpt from Concepts About Print Test

Test is a 24-item set of scripted questions with which the teacher reads.
Say to the child,: Im going to read you this story but I want you to help me.
Cover
Item 1

Test: For orientation of book. Pass the booklet to the child holding the
book vertically by outside edge, spine towards the child.
Say: Show me the front of the book.
Score: 1 point for a correct response.

Item 2

Test: Concept that print, not picture, carries the message.

Say: Ill read this story. You help me. Show me where to start
reading. Where do I begin to read?
(Read the text)
Score: 1 point for print. 0 for picture.

Scoring Standards- Concepts About Print

Item

Pass

1
2
3
4

Front of book.
Print (not picture)
Points top left I took (Sand); I walked (Stones).
Moves finger left to right on any line.
Moves finger from right-hand end of a higher line to the left-hand end of
the next lower line, or moves down the page.
Word by word matching.
Both concepts must be correct, but may be demonstrated on the whole text
or on a line, word or letter.
Verbal explanation, or pointing to top of page, or turning the book around
and pointing appropriately.
Score for beginning with The and moving right to left across the lower
line. OR, turning the book around and moving left to right in the
conventional movement pattern.
Any explanation which implies that line order is altered.
Says or shows that a left page precedes a right page.
Notices at least one change of word order.
Notices at least one change in letter order.
Notices at least one change in letter order.
Says Question mark, or A question, or Asks something.
Says Full stop, Period, or It tells you when youve said enough or
Its the end.
Says A little stop, or A rest, or A comma.
Says Thats someone talking, Talking, Speech marks, Print (from
computers).
Locates two capital and lower case pairs.
Points correctly to both was and no.
Locates one letter and two letters on request.
Locates one word and two letters on request.
Locates both a first and a last letter.
Locates one capital letter.

5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24

Score