Assessments, when done well, should change outcomes for kids. Phonics assessments can demonstrate what students do and don’t know, so that teachers know how to best provide them with the instruction that they need.
Dictation can be a way of checking in on student learning – which sounds have they learned and which sounds are they still struggling with? I recommend incorporating it into your weekly schedule with:
”It is through writing that all of a students’ phonics knowledge is tested, confirmed, and consolidated” (Blevins, 2017). Formal dictation provides students with structured opportunities to apply their phonics knowledge, with your guided support and corrective feedback.
This download includes a variety of phonics dictation templates.