A Look at Levels 1-3 (Developmental Reading Assessment Levels)

Grade Level Equivalency

Levels 1-3 are considered Kindergarten level text. Level 1 is beginning of Kindergarten, Level 2 is the middle and level 3 is the end. We look for students to end Kindergarten on at least a level 3 so that they are ready for First Grade Reading skills acquisition.

Level 1 Books-
Have a repeated pattern on each page with one word that varies from page to page. Readers use the pictures to help determine the word that varies. “Picture walks” of the book prior to reading help set the stage for determining unfamiliar words. Students are working on pointing to each word while he/she is reading that corresponding word. This builds visual tracking and sight word learning. More difficult level 1 books have return sweeps, when the text continues onto a second line.

Level 2 Books-
They are still text with patterns, with the exception of the last page, where one or two words may be different. Also, more than one word may be different from page to page, may include a preposition change as well as another change.

Level 3 Books-A more complex version (a little more variation between pages) of a level 2.
Look for students to know their sight words from levels 1-3 in isolation before they are ready to move to a level 4. Level 4 books will no longer have a repeated pattern.

How to Help Your Child Read-
When students bring a leveled reader home for practice, they have read it at least twice with their teacher. They should read their book at least two more times at home (while pointing to the words) and will then read it one more time in class the next day. When you are listening to your child read, you can wait for them to finish a page before correcting errors. Some of the things you can say are; “Does that make sense?” or “ That word does match the picture and in this book they use the word ________” or, “Look at the first sound” or “Get your mouth ready with the first sound”. You can also ask your child’s teacher about visual or verbal cues she uses. Once your child has fixed the error, have him/her go back and reread the sentence.

Students reading a level 1-3 are still not sounding out words, but may be ready to begin using initial consonant sounds along with the pictures to read unfamiliar words.

Read only on the days you eat!

istation Reading Assessment and Intervention

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

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.

Reading Assessments at Roberts

Reading Running Records and Your Student's 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 V.

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Fluency

Sometimes parents wonder if it is okay for their child to re-read the same book/s.  As parents, we sometimes feel like this may be a waste of time because the child has already read the book in question, they already know what it is about and know exactly what is going to happen.

It is quite common for students to benefit from re-reading books, especially if they are working on becoming increasingly fluent readers.  It helps students remember facts and focus on higher levels of comprehension and understanding.

What is fluency? 
Fluency is how fluidly someone reads.  This includes speed, use of punctuation and ability to read with expression.  In order for a student (or adult) to read with fluency, they need to read at an independent reading level or slightly lower.  In other words, it is okay for your student to read an easier book. 

Concerned about fluency?
As a parent, you can model the reading of a paragraph or a few sentences, the way it is meant to sound and have your student try it with the same text.  It does not have to be speed reading, but purposeful and fluid.

How is fluency addressed in the classroom?
There are several strategies to increase fluency, including re-reading.  You may also see teachers instruct students through automaticity with sight words, phrasing, reader's theatre, choral reading, paired reading, reading while listening to text, teaching students to recognize the parts of difficult words that they already know (including teaching of and automaticity with prefixes and suffixes), and other methods as well. 

What is the expected rate of fluency for my student?
Fluency rates begin to increase in 2nd Grade and begins to take shape in 1st Grade.
Fall expectations:

Grade                                  Average #-words per minute                     Above Average#-words per minute
2nd                                        40-50                                                                          80
3rd                                        55-70                                                                          100
4th                                         75-95                                                                          120
5th                                         90-110                                                                        140

Teachers assess fluency while completing Reading Running Records with students at the beginning, middle and end of the school year in most grade levels. 

Enjoy watching your student read!

Helping Your Student Pick Just Right Books

Ever wonder what to do when your child chooses to read a book that is too difficult or too easy? Is it okay? How do I handle without being discouraging? Well, here is how teachers work with students to help them find a just right book.



Here are some ways you may hear the teachers at Roberts instruct when teaching students how to choose a just right book.

I PICK

P- Purpose (what is the reason you are reading?)
I- Interest (choose a book you are interested in)
C- Comprehension (be sure you can understand the text)
K- Know (do you know all the words- for a chapter book page, this means having less than 5 words on a page that you do not know. This means that the student does not have to sound out these words. For the younger students, this means knowing all the words)

The 5 Finger Rule

This is also used to describe "I PICK" or it is used to remind students that there should be 5 or fewer words on a full chapter book page that they do not know. "Knowing" in this stategy is being able to understand and read the words.

Book Room: Parent Corner

Dear Roberts community,

I am looking forward to being the new Reading Specialist at Roberts Elementary this school year. If you are wondering where I am located, I am in the small book room adjacent to the Center for Inquiry. In addition to maintaining the inventory of leveled readers for Teachers and Classrooms, I will be providing intervention for students who are in need of Tier III intervention as decided by the Intervention Assistance Team (IAT). I will be posting parent tips on how to help your readers at home. Here is the first tip:


Ever wonder what to do when your child gets "stuck" on a word while reading?

Do not provide the word right away.

First, ask the child, "What can you do to help yourself?"

If attempt is incorrect, ask...

"Does that make sense?"

"Does that sound right?"

"Does that look right?"

If your child does not attempt to read the word when "stuck", ask, "What's a word that would make sense in the story?"

It's important for your child to think about the meaning of the story/text while using the letter sounds they already know.

Keep reading,

Carol Rivers