How to Use the GFTA-3 Scoring Manual for Articulation Assessment

The Goldman-Fristoe Test of Articulation 3 (GFTA-3) is a standardized test that measures the speech sound production skills of children and adults. The test assesses the articulation of consonants in single words and connected speech, as well as the intelligibility and stimulability of speech sounds. The GFTA-3 scoring manual provides detailed instructions on how to administer, score, and interpret the test results.
In this article, we will explain how to use the GFTA-3 scoring manual for articulation assessment, including:
- The components and format of the GFTA-3 scoring manual
- The steps for recording and scoring responses on the GFTA-3 record form
- The procedures for calculating raw scores, standard scores, percentile ranks, age equivalents, and growth scale values
- The guidelines for interpreting test results and identifying speech sound errors and patterns
- The resources and tools available for GFTA-3 scoring on Q-global and Q-interactive platforms
The Components and Format of the GFTA-3 Scoring Manual
The GFTA-3 scoring manual is a comprehensive guide that covers all aspects of the test administration, scoring, and interpretation. The manual consists of six chapters and five appendices, as follows:
- Chapter 1: Introduction. This chapter provides an overview of the test purpose, design, development, and psychometric properties.
- Chapter 2: Administration. This chapter describes the test materials, administration procedures, and scoring rules for each section of the test.
- Chapter 3: Scoring. This chapter explains how to record and score responses on the record form, how to calculate various types of scores, and how to use the normative tables.
- Chapter 4: Interpretation. This chapter discusses how to interpret test results and identify speech sound errors and patterns using the error analysis forms.
- Chapter 5: Case Studies. This chapter presents four case studies that illustrate how to apply the test administration, scoring, and interpretation procedures in different scenarios.
- Chapter 6: References. This chapter lists the references cited in the manual.
- Appendix A: Stimulus Words by Sound and Position. This appendix provides a list of all the stimulus words used in the test, organized by sound and position.
- Appendix B: Normative Sample Characteristics and Score Distributions. This appendix provides information on the normative sample characteristics and score distributions for each age group.
- Appendix C: Reliability and Validity Evidence. This appendix provides evidence for the reliability and validity of the test scores.
- Appendix D: Developmental Norms for Consonants. This appendix provides developmental norms for consonant production based on previous research.
- Appendix E: Dialectal Variations of Standard American English. This appendix provides examples of accepted dialectal variations of Standard American English that are not counted as errors on the test.
The Steps for Recording and Scoring Responses on the GFTA-3 Record Form

The GFTA-3 record form is a four-page document that allows you to record and score the individual’s responses for each section of the test. The record form has a three-column design for recording errors in initial, medial, and final word positions. The columns are color-coded (purple shading for initial position, green shading for medial position, blue shading for final position) so that error patterns based on word position are easier to see at a glance.
The following steps are provided for how to mark responses and calculate scores on the record form:
- Record demographic information on the cover page of the record form, such as name, date of birth, age, gender, examiner name, date of testing, etc.
- Administer the Sounds-in-Words section of the test following the instructions in Chapter 2 of the manual. Record correct responses by leaving the phonemes in the IPA Transcription column unmarked and leaving the Response column blank. Record incorrect responses by marking through each misarticulated phoneme in the IPA