Assessing Readers

This summer I attended a five-day institute at Teachers College, Columbia University in New York City. During one session by Jen Serravallo I learned that developing a goal and planning reading instruction for an individual student could be strengthened when looking at that student through five different lenses. The lenses are:

• Engagement
• Comprehension
• Fluency
• Print Work
• Conversation

Assessment comes in many forms and is more than standardized testing like NECAPS or a Universal Screening Running Record. Teachers can gather data using multiple tools (for example: Classroom Running Records, Logs, Notebook Jots, Writing, Post-it Notes, etc.) in order to get a broader picture about a student’s level of engagement, comprehension skills, fluency, ability to decode and solve words, and skills when talking about books with others. Student strengths and needs are both determined and targeted instruction can be planned.

During our weekly Professional Learning Group meetings (PLGs) teachers have been collaborating and doing this work. K-1, 2-3, and 4-5 grade level teams have been developing goals and instructional plans for their students. We are also developing our skills within each area so that instruction in engagement, comprehension, fluency, print work and conversation is more effective and explicit. (More posts to follow about each one.)