TQS 2 k)The purposes of student assessment. They know how to assess the range of learning objectives by selecting and developing a variety of classroom and large scale assessment techniques and instruments. They know how to analyze the results of classroom and large scale assessment instruments...and how to use the results for the ultimate benefit of students.

There´s no question that improving reading fluency and comprehension is an urgent need at our school. 

Melissa, Phil, and myself are posting this month on a measure we are taking in our class to improve student reading with the aim of bringing all of our students to grade level in reading.

Phonemic Awareness Assessment and Grouping Based on Specific Student Needs

Lana Laine talked to us at the beginning of the year about the gaps that struggling readers often have with their phonemic awareness. Sure enough, when I started getting the class to produce rhymes, some simply couldn´t! With regular practice, I saw a notable improvement, but it wasn´t until a conversation with Jessica after the literacy convention she attended, that things really clicked.

Jessica talked about a school where  literacy achievement had syrocketed and a huge aspect of that was continual assessment and targeted, small-group teaching based on the results. This has been missing from my literacy instruction. I have some global ideas of the problems my students are having, but I haven´t been assessing specific skills enough that I can actually correct them! 

As a result, I administered a Phonemic Awareness Screening to my class and the results were quite surprising. Many students had problems with skills I´ve never even THOUGHT to teach! I organized the class by areas of need on stickies and have created small groupings to target those skills. I am also doing fun little phonemic quizzes on washroom trips to give everyone practice. 

This week, I am planning to do a reading running record with everyone on a book at their Fountas & Pinnell level so that I can get data on both fluency issues and comprehension skills for other targeted lessons.  I am optimistic that I can become so much more successful in improving my students´s reading if my instruction is done with greater intention.

Erin