I would like to let you know about a new Reading assessment tool being used by the district. Parents of 4th and 5th Grade students may have heard about istation last school year, as all 3rd-5th Graders participated in the assessment and some participated in the interventions offered. All students in Grades Kindergarten through 5th Grade will be participating this school year. HISD has chosen the assessment tool within the istation program to assess students in K-2nd and this will replace the Texas Primary Reading Inventory (TPRI) starting this school year. Third through 5th Graders in the district will continue to participate. In fact, all the students at Roberts have completed the on line assessment over the past 3 weeks.
The assessment and interventions are being used by the district to identify and target students who are struggling to acquire critical Reading skills. All students are monitored for continued progress throughout the year with a beginning(BOY), Middle (MOY), and End (EOY)assessment. Students indicating a need for intervention will be assessed at least once a month.
The areas of Reading that are assessed varies based on grade level. Kindergarteners and some 1st Graders are also learning to work with a touch pad on the laptops and working to negotiate the test. Teachers are working with students to best observe and assess that Reading skills are being determined and sorting out the computer skills from academic skills.
Teachers will evaluate to determine instructional goals for students and use the data to plan for future instruction.
If your child has been targeted for intervention after taking the istation assessment, a letter will be sent home in this coming week's Tuesday Folder. If you have further questions and/or concerns, you can contact your child's teacher or myself.
Happy Reading,
Carol Rivers
Thursday, September 26, 2013
Wednesday, September 18, 2013
Setting Student Reading Goals
In an effort to ensure each and every student continues to make progress, Reading Teachers across the district set student goals each year. Roberts Teachers are meeting with individual students over the next week or two(if they have not done so already) and are setting Reading goals for the current school year. The amount of student input varies based on age and/or grade of students. In determining functional Reading Goals for individual student, the teachers have first evaluated for current reading level.
There are many evaluation instruments available to teachers to determine student reading levels. Here at Roberts, one of the most valuable tools is a Reading Running Record. This involves listening to a student read, recording errors, time, repetitions and self corrections. Once complete, the teacher and student discuss the student understanding and evaluate comprehension. This gives teachers critical information needed in order to determine current reading skills and level as well as make instructional decisions to be sure each student makes progress toward Reading performance goals.
When determining student reading levels, teachers must consider all aspects of a student's reading, including fluency, phrasing, accuracy and comprehension skills. This determines a student's independent reading level. The Instructional Reading Level will usually be one level higher than the Independent Reading Level. Teachers will plan for additional instruction in accuracy (sight word reading, phonemic processing and knowledge), fluency (speed and phrasing), and/or comprehension (inferencing, summarizing, recalling facts and details, vocabulary etc).
We use 2 instruments at Roberts for Reading Running Records: Fountas and Pinnell and Developmental Reading Assessment (DRA). We primarily use the DRA in grades K,1 and 2 and Fountas and Pinnell in grades 4 and 5. In 3rd Grade, we use one or the other depending on the individual's reading level.
As you can see from the information below, students make the most visible progress in the lower grades and there are more opportunities for skill specific development within a level at the higher grades. For example, If you are at a level U in 5th grade, you may not end the year on a W, but work on improving fluency or comprehension on a level U or V.
Please look for your student’s Reading Goal Sheet in the Tuesday folder sometime over the next couple of weeks and keep a copy at home. Discussing goals and implementing a plan will be a help you encourage your student to continue on the path to become a great reader.
There are many evaluation instruments available to teachers to determine student reading levels. Here at Roberts, one of the most valuable tools is a Reading Running Record. This involves listening to a student read, recording errors, time, repetitions and self corrections. Once complete, the teacher and student discuss the student understanding and evaluate comprehension. This gives teachers critical information needed in order to determine current reading skills and level as well as make instructional decisions to be sure each student makes progress toward Reading performance goals.
When determining student reading levels, teachers must consider all aspects of a student's reading, including fluency, phrasing, accuracy and comprehension skills. This determines a student's independent reading level. The Instructional Reading Level will usually be one level higher than the Independent Reading Level. Teachers will plan for additional instruction in accuracy (sight word reading, phonemic processing and knowledge), fluency (speed and phrasing), and/or comprehension (inferencing, summarizing, recalling facts and details, vocabulary etc).
We use 2 instruments at Roberts for Reading Running Records: Fountas and Pinnell and Developmental Reading Assessment (DRA). We primarily use the DRA in grades K,1 and 2 and Fountas and Pinnell in grades 4 and 5. In 3rd Grade, we use one or the other depending on the individual's reading level.
As you can see from the information below, students make the most visible progress in the lower grades and there are more opportunities for skill specific development within a level at the higher grades. For example, If you are at a level U in 5th grade, you may not end the year on a W, but work on improving fluency or comprehension on a level U or V.
Please look for your student’s Reading Goal Sheet in the Tuesday folder sometime over the next couple of weeks and keep a copy at home. Discussing goals and implementing a plan will be a help you encourage your student to continue on the path to become a great reader.
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