CPM: How are pronunciation or articulation errors handled when scoring letter naming and letter sound responses?
Answer
For both letter naming and letter sounds, articulation errors should not automatically be marked incorrect. If a student’s response includes a pronunciation error but it is still clear which letter or sound they are attempting to produce, the response should be counted as correct. For example, young children may say “buh” for the letter B (adding a slight vowel sound) or slightly distort a sound due to typical speech development. These types of articulation differences are common among young children and should not be penalized.
A helpful guideline is: if another reasonable adult could easily understand the intended letter name or sound, it should be scored as correct.
However, if the response is unclear or could reasonably be interpreted as a different letter or sound, it should be marked incorrect.