CTOPP-2 Assessment Guide
Understanding Phonological Processing & Rapid Naming
Learn about the CTOPP-2 assessment and discover practical ways to practice phonological processing and rapid naming skills at home
What is the CTOPP-2?
The Comprehensive Test of Phonological Processing, Second Edition (CTOPP-2) is specifically designed to assess phonological awareness and rapid naming skills in children ages 4-24. These are the foundational skills that predict reading success:
- Phonological Awareness: The ability to recognize and manipulate sounds in spoken language
- Rapid Naming: The speed at which children can retrieve and name familiar visual symbols
These skills are crucial because they directly support the development of reading fluency and comprehension. Children who struggle with phonological processing often have difficulty learning to read, while those with rapid naming difficulties may read accurately but very slowly.
Key CTOPP-2 Subtests
Phonological Awareness Composite
Elision: Child removes sounds from words ("Say 'cat' without the /k/ sound" → "at")
Blending Words: Child combines sounds to make words ("/k/ /a/ /t/" → "cat")
Sound Matching: Child identifies which words start with the same sound
Phoneme Isolation: Child identifies first, middle, or last sounds in words
Rapid Naming Composite
Rapid Letter Naming: Child quickly names letters in a timed format
Rapid Digit Naming: Child quickly names numbers in a timed format
Rapid Color Naming: Child quickly names colors in a timed format
Rapid Object Naming: Child quickly names pictures in a timed format
Phonological Memory Composite
Memory for Digits: Child repeats sequences of numbers
Nonword Repetition: Child repeats made-up words exactly
DIY CTOPP-2 Activities at Home
These playful adaptations help you understand what your child experiences during testing:
Phonological Awareness Activities
- Sound Deletion: "Say 'cat' without the /k/ sound" (answer: "at")
- Sound Blending: "What word is /k/ /a/ /t/?" (answer: "cat")
- Sound Matching: "Which words start the same: cat, dog, car?" (answer: cat/car)
- First Sound: "What's the first sound in 'ball'?" (answer: /b/)
- Rhyming: "What rhymes with 'cat'?" (bat, hat, mat, etc.)
Rapid Naming Activities
- Letter Naming: Print random letters in rows. Time how fast they can read across.
- Number Naming: Same as letters, but with numbers 1-9.
- Color Naming: Print colored circles in rows. Time color naming.
- Object Naming: Print simple pictures (cat, dog, ball) in rows. Time naming.
- Mixed Naming: Alternate between letters and numbers in the same row.
Phonological Memory Activities
- Digit Memory: Say "3-7-9-2." Child repeats exactly.
- Nonword Repetition: Make up words like "mitalo," "flister," "bramp." Child repeats exactly.
- Word Memory: Say "cat-dog-ball." Child repeats in order.
- Sentence Memory: "The big red car." Child repeats word-for-word.
What Weak Scores Mean for Reading
When children struggle with CTOPP-2 skills, it often shows up in reading as:
- Difficulty with phonics: Struggling to sound out new words
- Slow reading: Taking much longer than peers to read simple text
- Poor spelling: Difficulty remembering letter-sound relationships
- Reading avoidance: Finding reading frustrating and avoiding it
- Comprehension problems: So much effort goes into decoding that meaning is lost
- Difficulty with multisyllabic words: Struggling with longer, more complex words
How Readle Builds CTOPP-2 Skills
Readle directly targets the same skills measured by CTOPP-2:
- Rapid Naming: Timed word and letter recognition builds automaticity
- Phonological Awareness: Mixed font displays strengthen sound-symbol connections
- Phonological Memory: Sentence recall builds memory for sound sequences
- Processing Speed: Adaptive timing helps children build reading fluency
Instead of creating homemade worksheets, Readle provides engaging, adaptive practice that automatically adjusts to your child's level and tracks progress over time.
Related Tests
CTOPP-2 often appears alongside other assessments. Here's how they connect:
Building CTOPP-2 Skills at Home
Daily Practice Strategy:
- Morning (5 min): Rapid naming practice with Readle's letter/word modes
- After School (5 min): Phonological awareness with sound games and word play
- Evening (5 min): Memory building with sentence recall and story comprehension
Key Tips:
- Make it fun! Turn activities into games
- Start easy and gradually increase difficulty
- Celebrate small improvements
- Practice regularly - consistency matters more than intensity
© 2024 Readle. Helping families build stronger reading skills, one practice session at a time.
