New Group Spelling Test (NGST) Digital

Range: 7-14+ Years

Time: Approximately 20-30 Minutes

Purpose: To evaluate spelling ability once per term

Format: Online

Please note: Minimum order quantity is 10 administrations.

New Group Spelling Test (NGST) is an adaptive assessment which allows termly monitoring of spelling skills. When combined with the New Group Reading Test (NGRT) you can assess reading and spelling together in under an hour. Customised implications for teaching and learning in each individual report offer practical help with next steps in the classroom.

The NGST allows teachers to assess spelling ability benchmarked against the national average, and monitor progress. All questions are delivered via audio, and the test is fully adaptive which means that the material adapts to the pupil’s ability.

The NGST has two sections:

1. Single word section - tests five or six spelling rules
2. Spelling in context section - tests a variety of different spelling rules using sentence completion tasks.

How should I apply the New Group Spelling Test?

NGST features three equivalent forms A, B and C, one of which can be used at the beginning, middle and end of the school year.

By administering NGST for all pupils at the beginning, middle and end of a school year, you can stay on top of spelling progress. Or, NGST may be administered as a screener for all pupils at the beginning of a year, to identify any pupils who may be in need of additional diagnostic assessment and support for specific literacy difficulties. You could check the progress of this group midway through the year, then return to check the progress of everyone at the end of the year.

The Standard Age Score (SAS) provides you with a national benchmark, allowing you to compare each pupil’s performance with other children of the same age, and track progress year-on-year. Please note, the NGST is published in the UK.

Reports

Data is presented in visually accessible tables, bar charts and scatter graphs that allow for easy comparison, as well as clear narrative explanations that explain the pupil profile and its implications for teaching and learning.

The diagnostic information provided together with the ability to measure impact pre and post intervention makes NGST a valuable assessment. The reports include:

• Group report for teachers - stanines for each section to highlight where a wide discrepancy may need particular attention
• Individual report for teachers – offers a detailed analysis of responses to the two sections of NGST, a profile summary and tailored implications for teaching and learning
• Group progress report for teachers – see two points of progress at-a-glance against a national sample