Early Literacy Phonemic Awareness Tool - Surrey

The Early Literacy Phonemic Awareness Tool - Surrey (ELPATS) is a district-based oral assessment of phonemic awareness, which helps teachers identify learning gaps and plan instructional strategies to meet student’s needs and maximize learning.

Kindergarten teachers administer the assessment twice a year, once in January and once in May, to monitor students’ acquisition of phonemic awareness and guide instruction. Grade 1 students are monitored from the start of the school year. Students in Grade 1, plus upper primary children (Grade 2 and Grade 3), who have not yet mastered the nine literacy skills of the ELPATS are reassessed in January and May after intentional instruction and opportunities to practice the skills to mastery.

The Research and Evaluation Department supports the district through organizing, analyzing and reporting on ELPATS data, which helps to inform the district and Literacy Helping Teachers with decision-making and to assist in creating strategies to support our students. The ELPATS report identifies how students are doing on each of the nine sections of the assessment across the district. Our researchers utilize data mapping tools to visualize and analyze ELPATS data.

To view and download the 2023 ELPATS results, click below

To learn more about the ELPATS please contact one of our district's Literacy Helping Teachers or our department's senior research analyst providing research and evaluation support.