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Thread: Assessing Young Children
Post: Assessing Young Children
Author:
Posted Date: April 6, 2014 2:43 PM
Status: Published
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(Post is Read)
After reading Afflerbachs chapter, High-Stakes Reading Tests, I decided to
read further about testing and young children. I am particularly interested in
this topic because when we return from spring break, K-2 students will be
piloting an online readiness assessment in our building. When asked why?
the answer is grant money. Any adult who works with young children knows
this is not worth money, but instead a horrible idea for many reasons.
Students this young are constantly developing. David Berlinger points out in
Why giving standardized tests to young children is really dumb that young
students who do not score well are not ruined, but, instead, we know that
they will eventually grasp the concepts as their brains further develop. He
points out that in studies the tests do NOT predict a childs achievement
scores well at all, and were useless down the road. This is due to the fact that
any brief snapshot of a childs skills and abilities taken on a single occasion
is simply unable to capture the shifts and changes in that childs
development. This is especially true for young students.
The issue of high-stakes testing and children boil down to this concern:
Meisels and virtually all other scholars in this field teach us that no single
indicator, especially a formal test, can reliably and validly assess a young
childs skills, achievements, or personality. It is quite fair to say that no
collection of standardized indicators can produce an assessment of any
lasting value. Its frustrating that day-in and day-out a hefty weight is
placed upon students and teachers regarding high-stakes tests. What makes
in incredibly more frustrating is that the information gained would be
incredibly more reliable and valid if the tests were obsolete and the
information they were looking for could be supplied by the teachers.
Sara Eilers
Thread: Ch. 8/Henk
Post: Ch. 8/Henk
Author:
Posted Date: March 30, 2014 11:07 AM
Status: Published
Sara Eilers
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I really enjoyed this chapter and its focus on looking further than skills and
strategy development in reading instruction. I thought this quote (Afflerbach)
really got to the heart of motivation and interest in reading stemming from a
students self-concept, We understand that all the effective skill and strategy
teaching in the world may not translate to reading success if a students self-
concept is needy and unchanged as related learning and growth occur. I
think there is nothing more important in reading than getting a child excited
about reading. As their excitement, interest, and motivation grows, so will
their progress.
I am a big proponent of not telling students what to read, but, instead, letting
them self-select their texts. We focus heavily on just right books and how
to choose them. During my first couple years of teaching my books were
organized by levels instead of by topics and genres. I directed the students to
which basket of books were their specific level. I noticed that students were
motivated to read any book EXCEPT the ones in THEIR leveled baskets.
Motivation and interest decreased because they were dont exactly which
books they couldnt read in a sense. Its easy to get caught up in our reading
curriculum, pacing guide and controlling what our students are reading.
Consequently, this doesnt cultivate lifelong readers! I teach in a school
where there are a considerable number of students reading below grade-
level. As the text points out, many of these struggling readers struggle with a
negative self-concept in reading. I was interested in how Nan increased her
students positive reading experiences and increased self-concepts as
readers. I love being able to pinpoint a students interests and then collecting
books for them. I would like to incorporate a reading survey each year so that
I can gauge each students motivation, interest and self-concept in regards to
reading.
Thread: Chapter 9
Post: Chapter 9
Author:
Posted Date: March 23, 2014 3:09 PM
Status: Published
This chapter reminded me of a quote I see frequently, Fair does not mean
equal. What one student needs in order to be successful will look different
from what another student needs. We are fortunate in our building to have a
very strong special education program. I have two autistically impaired
students in my room. As I was reading this chapter, a lot of the suggestions
mentioned we already have in place for these students. For instance, both of
the boys receive assessment modifications, including extra time, breaks while
test taking, reading the test aloud to the student, and testing in a different
location.
I also thought it was important that the author went beyond accommodations
Sara Eilers
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for those with an IEP, to include students who are close to qualifying for
special-needs, but not close enough. I find it to be so crucial to
accommodate these students because its highly possible that they will
qualify them to be a special-needs student in later years, but not at the
present time. I think its critical to be giving these students accommodations
so they can best show what they know on assessments. For some students in
this situation, I have read the assessment aloud, given them extra time,
paraphrase instructions, or preferential seating.
Thread: Chapter 4
Post: Chapter 4
Author:
Posted Date: March 8, 2014 11:53 AM
Status: Published
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(Post is Read)
Im envisioning that I would use a portfolio for my own classroom use. I see
so many benefits in how authentic they are in the classroom and, also, the
positive impact they have on students. So often, at conferences and report
card grading, I rely heavily on summative assessments to document learning
rather than looking at the journey of the learner. In the classroom, I would
use an ELA portfolio where writing would be included with the reading and
word work.
In the portfolio might be the following pieces for reading: IRI summative
assessments, students Words Their Way progress report and assignments,
graphic organizers that the student used while reading independently,
students reading journal, reading log, assessment of comprehension,
RazKids data and progress, self-reflection, graphs where the student graphed
their progress in reading level and rate, and my own conferring notes from
working with the student.
In the portfolio might be the following pieces for writing: the students pieces
as they worked through the writing process (brainstorming, planning, rough
draft, editing, revising, and publishing), their final piece of writing, student
reading aloud their final piece (audio recorded), self reflection, and spelling
inventories.
!"# %&'()&*+& ,&-*. /# -0#. (& 0"&, 0(-.#1( 2'&,(" &3#' ("# 4&-'0# &) ("#
0#5#0(#' 61. 7#6'8 9 +562+1# ("6( 6 0(-.#1( ,&-*. (6:# ('#5#1.&-0 %'+.# +1 ("#+'
%&'()&*+& 60 +( .&4-5#1(0 ("#+' %'&2'#008 9 ,&-*. -0# ("# %&'()&*+& ,"#1 2'6.+12
0(-.#1(0; '#%&'( 46'.0< 6( 4&1)#'#14#0
Sara Eilers
Thread: Reading Words Fluently Posted Date:
Post: Reading Words Fluently
Author:
February 28, 2014 10:31 AM
Edited Date:
February 28, 2014 10:31 AM
Status: Published
1) Which book chapter or article did you read? What concern about your
student partner led you to choose that text? Provide a specific
example(s) of student literacy behavior that led to your concern.
I chose to read the chapter Reading Words Fluently in the book
Teaching Word Recognition for Students with Learning Difficulties. My
student partner is able to independently read beyond the level he
successfully passed in the IRI, but his rate and phrasing hold him
back. For example, at a DRA2 level 20, he is able to pass in terms of
accuracy and comprehension, but his word-by-word reading put him
at fluency score this is not independent.
2) What insight did you glean from this reading? What are the
implications of these insights for your teaching your student partner?
It takes extensive practice to increase fluency. As the chapter
states, students memorizing words out of the context of
authentic reading does not transfer successfully to improving
rate or comprehension when reading a book.
Repeated reading is a productive intervention for fluency.
Students reread a passage numerous times, increasing rate
and word recognition (with assistance of errors from a skilled
reader). Passage should not be too difficult for the non-
proficient reader.
Students should (1) practice building fluency for 1020
minutes per day over along duration such as a school year, (2)
engage in reading aloud (versus listening), and (3) use text at
an instructional level.
Partner reading with two important guidelines
o All pairs finish at the same time
o Reread the passage at least twice
Partner reading where the more fluent reader reads the page
and then the struggling reader rereads the page with the
fluent reader acting as a coach.
As stated in number three, I would like to integrate these interventions into
his reading support. It made sense that the passage should be at his
instructional level, but not too difficult. As an added benefit of these
interventions, in addition to increasing fluency, students increase their word
recognition!
1) After reading this text, what action would you like to take, including,
perhaps, seeking additional information? Be specific.
I would like to implement some of these fluency interventions that the
chapter laid out. I think the rereading with a small intervention group
would be especially helpful. As stated, it takes at least 20 minutes,
three times per week to see a marked increase in fluency.
As a reading center, students read each day with a partner. I would
Sara Eilers
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like to implement their suggestion of having the proficient reader
read a page first, and then have the non-proficient reader reread the
same page. In addition to these interventions, I would like to start
having my student partner graph his WPM to foster excitement with
his progress and to encourage responsibility in continuing to practice
this skill independently.
Thread: NCTE
Post: NCTE
Author:
Posted Date:
February 22, 2014 9:52 PM
Status: Published
Before reading:
Formative assessments are a way to monitor students understanding and
learning. Formative assessments can be done in many different forms, but
are typically quick. The results provide the teacher with instructional direction
(whole group, small group, individual) and the ability to provide feedback to
learners.
Formative assessment I use:
Writing a response on whiteboards
Turn-and-talk
Thumbs up/down
Exit ticket
Quick write
ActiVotes
Conferring (one-on-one)
Graphic organizers
Progress monitoring

After reading:
I thought this article stated a current frustration of some teachers really well:
While well designed tools or assessment strategies are a key component to
authentic formative assessment, if they are not what teachers consider the
right tools for the immediate task at hand, they are frustrating and
counterproductive. I would update my above understanding of formative
assessments by adding that formative assessments must be authentic by
occurring in the context of classroom learning.
This article helped me further understand how learning targets go handin-
hand with formative assessments. Our district has development a huge push
for learning targets this school year. Formative assessments and learning
Sara Eilers
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targets place more of the responsibility of learning on the student, are clearly
communicated, encourage students to self-monitor their progress toward the
learning goal.
Ways I would like to further develop the formative assessment that I now use
(or want to start using):
Observations which I would like to develop by incorporating miscue
analysis
I would like to incorporate more student self-evaluations: exit slips,
reflections
As an artifact of learning, Id like to look back at a students school
year and look for patterns of growth and next steps
Thread: Stiggins
Post: RE: Stiggins
Author:
Posted Date:
Status: Published
Tags: None
(Post is Read)
I, too, found that idea the most compelling in the article. I have always
thought of the assessments being more for ME, than students. With
personalized feedback that points out what the student did well, and, also,
some areas where they need to create a goal around. I feel like this makes a
world of difference in the way a student interprets how they did.
Unfortunately, it can be so difficult to carve out the time to do this. With
pacing guides, it's easy to just keep plugging along, but this article
reinforced to me the importance of feedback that highlights the positive.
Sara Eilers
Thread: Kucan & Beck
Post: Kucan & Beck
Author:
Posted Date:
Status: Published
Is there a published IRI that uses thinking aloud as an assessment/inquiry
piece? I can see publishers avoiding this because it doesnt follow a
black/white system of assessment :( .
I have not used thinking aloud as an assessment into comprehension, but I
use it daily in my lessons and conferring. Just this past Thursday, I had a
literacy coach come into my classroom and do a Visible Thinking lesson with
Sara Eilers
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my students. I thought of that lesson/strategy as I was reading this article.
Throughout the lesson, she was having students express their thoughts as
they discovered more and more information as parts of a MLK speech picture
was revealed. It was so interesting to sit back and just hear how their
thinking progressed and changed during this activity.
In my teacher-created assessment, I am very interested in adding a thinking
aloud inquiry, in the way Squire (1964) did when he attempted to find out
what readers were doing as they read by dividing short stories into segments
and asking students to read each segment and then verbalize their thoughts
(pg. 274).
Thread: Stiggins
Post: Stiggins
Author:
Posted Date:
Status: Published
Tags: None
On the final page, Stiggins states, we must abandon the limiting belief that
adults represent the most important assessment consumers or data-based
decision makers in schools. Students' thoughts and actions regarding
assessment results are at least as important as those of adults. The students'
emotional reaction to results will determine what they do in response.
In a time when education is hyper focused on assessments, I have always
looked at the adults as the assessment consumers and decision makers in the
schools. After reading this article, my thoughts around this idea changed
significantly. When I look at assessments through a students perspective, I
see that their thoughts and actions are just as important. I realized this when
reading the chart that details the internal thoughts and attitudes of students
who are successful on assessments versus those who are not. I can see some
of my students on both sides of the chart. When their emotional response is
one of shutting down in failure then the assessment is teaching them that
they are not smart enough. Its here where I really appreciated Stiggins plan
of action to combat this experience for students.
I would like to integrate parts of this plan into my student partners
assessment experience. The plan starts with sharing the achievement targets
with the student and, then, providing self-assessments to the student so
he/she has access to feedback. I really like this last idea of having students
chart their progress. The overall goal seems to be very transparent in the
student partners goals. The student should know where he/she is at and
where the intended goal is. With this knowledge, continual feedback, and
self-assessments, there is ownership over learning and a clear understanding
of strengths and area of improvement. All of this combines to increase
achievement and a positive emotional response.
Sara Eilers
(Post is Read)
Thread: Buly & Valencia
Post: Buly & Valencia
Author:
Posted Date: February 8, 2014 1:18 PM
Status: Published
Tags: None
(Post is Read)
!"#$% '()*$))(#+ #%%#",$+(,- ./0 Whal message (be secific!) do you lake avay
from lhis sludy`
I really enjoyed this article. In an educational world where policy
and pressure seems to be solely placed on high-stakes testing, I
feel like this article gets to the heart of why we, as teachers, feel so
frustrated with the focus. The instructional emphases that come
with reading curriculums are often surface level and not getting to
the real issue of why they are a struggling reader. Policymakers
and school administrators are looking for a one size fits all
answer to non-proficient readers that just isn't out there.
Policymakers, behind the reform and high stakes testing, are
grossly uninformed in their understanding of where the true needs
and issues stem from for students.
At the heart of the study is something the authors write on page
232, reading failure is multifaceted and individual. In short,
beneath each failing score is a pattern of performance that holds
the key to improved reading instruction and, consequently,
improved reading ability. We need to study, be informed and
instruct students on the key to their reading success that is
beneath their score. Our reading instruction is failing students
because it is not going deep enough into their individual reading
needs. A teachers curriculum should help get to the depth of the
problem, rather than being a one-size-fits-all script. In the end,
on page 235, the authors state, this research is a vivid reminder
of the complexity of reading performance and the potential danger
of policy that fails to acknowledge this complexity or strategies for
dealing with it. No single measure or intervention can possibly
meet the needs of all, or even most, of the students who are
experiencing reading difficulty. This article has definitely been a
reminder with solid evidence of the complexity of a childs reading
and that there is no simple answer for all struggling readers.
Sara Eilers
Thread: Lipson and Wixson
Post: RE: Lipson and Wixson
Author:
Posted Date:
Status: Published
Tags: None
(Post is Read)
Stephanie,
I have found the same issue of there only being two texts at each level with
the DRA2. Additionally, the DRA2 only offers narrative until the students are
at a 3rd grade reading level. Since I have found an increasing need to
administer more than one assessment on each child to ensure a more
accurate level, I am finding I need more books at one level! As I stated in my
post, I only actually listened to my student-partner read for two minutes and
two seconds. I do not feel like this is a large enough sample size to gather
concrete data from. Therefore, my answer has been to assess at the same
level with a different book, but a new problem arises if that student has
already read that book (either with me in the fall when we were determining
reading level with an educated guess, assessment administered by the
previous year's teacher or with the reading specialist).
I know time is SO limited in the classroom that I often have a hard time fitting
in ONE assessment per child. When I think about constructing my own IRI, I
am thinking I will choose a longer passage so I am able to hear the student
read for a longer period of time.
Sara Eilers
Thread: Lipson & Wixson
Post: Lipson & Wixson
Author:
Posted Date:
Status: Published
!"#$% '()*$))(#+ #%%#",$+(,- .10 efore reading lhese ages from Lison &
Wixson, record in your Iearning |ournaI lhe issues, robIems, or concerns lhal arose
in your exerience vilh an IRI.
Wilh lhe DRA2, lhere are muIliIe shorlcomings vhen il comes lo assessing a
sludenl's reading IeveI. The lexl choices are cIearIy vrillen for lhis assessmenl-
curricuIum ackage, ralher lhan using high quaIily Iileralure. Wilh lhe lexl, ! #$%&'
$& '() *+,)-', il's a very shorl, surface IeveI slory lhal has basic slory eIemenls. The
slory is highIy rediclabIe vilh very IillIe lhoughlfuI foreshadoving needing lo lake
Iace. There is nol a lvisl in lhe Iol lhal requires lhe reader lo be anlicialing or
aIlering lheir rediclions. ecause of lhis, higher order lhinking is nol cuIlivaled
vhiIe reading. Therefore, lhe osl-reading queslions are basic recaII, summary,
inlerrelalion and refIeclion. Whal is gIaringIy obvious is lhal in order for a sludenl
lo lhink deeIy aboul a lexl lhrough queslions, lhe lexl needs lo have lhe oorlunily
for rich lhinking lo lake Iace.
Sara Eilers
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(Post is Read)
Wilh lhe lexl being so shorl (I onIy Iislened lo lhe reader oraIIy read for exaclIy 2
minules and 2 seconds), I do nol have access lo a samIe size lhal is Iarge enough lo
galher soIid dala. Therefore, more lhan one DRA2 definileIy needs lo be
adminislered vilh each chiId. I have queslioned lhe reIiabiIily of lhe lexls' difficuIly
al lhe same IeveI. My sludenl arlner read one book al a IeveI 20 vilh erfecl
accuracy and slrong comrehension, bul, lhen read a differenl book al a IeveI 20 vilh
greal difficuIly (Iov accuracy and fIuency). This couId have been arlIy due lo
sludenl inleresl, bul I aIso noliced a difference in difficuIly.
!"#$% '()*$))(#+ #%%#",$+(,- .2: Afler reading Lison and Wixson's crilicaI reviev
of IRI's, record in your Iearning |ournaI addilionaI imorlanl underslandings aboul
Iimilalions of IRI's.
ooks al an aoinled IeveI, can vary in difficuIly because lhere is no vay
lo ensure lhe IeveI of difficuIly. I did Iike lheir recommendalion of using
assages from lhe same book lo ensure a cIoser comarison in reading IeveI.
Sludenl inleresl in a arlicuIar book can infIuence a sludenl's erformance.
Comrehension queslions shouId be assage deendenl, ralher lhan rior
knovIedge deendenl. Sludenls vilh rior knovIedge on a book's loic are al
an advanlage vhen il comes lo comrehension.
Tesl reIiabiIily is a big issue, arlIy due lo lhe adminislralion of lhe
assessmenl. This varies vilh lhe arlicuIar direclions lhal vere given, sludenls
becoming faligued/bored vilh lhe amounl of lesling in one selling, and
difference in scoring.
Ierformance can vary belveen oraI reading and siIenl reading
Hov errors are vieved and scored
Discreancy belveen IRI erformance and acluaI cIassroom erformance.
Thread:
Fisher, Frey and Lapp Reading
Post:
Fisher, Frey and Lapp Reading
Author:
Status: Published
What makes text difficult or complex? Provide an example from
your own experience and one from a students experience.
o I think that what makes a text difficult is the difficulty of the
words (require higher level word attack skills, complex word
patterns), few pictures or text features, and higher level
thinking that needs to take place in order to interpret themes.
In my own experience, what continues to make a text
Sara Eilers
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(Post is Read)
particular text difficult is an expository text that I dont have
sufficient background knowledge on to understand.
Additionally, a text that uses vocabulary that is unknown to
me. For my students, I think that same is true for them, but, I
would add, the length of a text can often interfere with their
commitment to finish.
o After reading these chapters, I would focus on the qualitative
and quantitative dimensions of text complexity, along with
reader and task considerations. Aspects that stood out to me
were that the style of writing may interfere with
comprehension, the coherence of events, experience with a
certain text structure, how appropriate the text is for the
specific audience, language clarity, the meaning and purpose,
and background knowledge required. Reflecting, I didn't
realize ALL of the factors that influence the difficulty of a text.
I am guilty of often just looking at the difficulty of words alone
when deciding the level.
Thread: Ch. 3
Post: Ch. 3
Author:
Status: Published
a. I think qualities of good questions center on higher level
thinking. What comes to mind immediately is Bloom's
Taxonomy. Questions that get the reader interpreting,
connecting, synthesizing and reflecting comprise good
questions. These types of questions are not search and find
or yes/no questions. Good questions elicit discussion and a
depth of thinking.
b. After reading chapter 3, I would like to add that questions
should help us best understand the thinking and reasoning
the student is doing. Good questions should be clear, follow a
logical sequence, comprehensible to the student, offer wait
time and avoid close-ended questions. One that really struck
me was that a students response should guide the next
question. In classroom teaching and discussions, this is true,
but when I am assessing students, I follow the scripted
questions in the IRI. I am really looking forward to developing
my own assessment that will follow these qualities of good
questions. I liked that he wrote on page 60, Low-level
questions asked across an entire school year send students a
consistent message that memorization and retrieval of
information from test are important. More challenging
questions invite students to problem solve, problem find, and
Sara Eilers
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(Post is Read)
partake in complex thinking. I never thought about the
message we are sending students through our questions.
Thread: Chapter 2 Responses
Post: Chapter 2 Responses
Author:
Posted Date: January 21, 2014 9:09 PM
Edited Date: January 21, 2014 9:11 PM
Status: Published
Tags: None
(Post is Read)
1.
1. Reading inventories build on our understanding that children are mindful
users and processors of language and that the examination of their oral
reading can shed light on how they use language to construct meaning
(Betts, 1946; Clay, 2000; Goodman & Goodman, 1977).
I chose this quote because I feel like it gets at the heart of why we
administer reading inventories. We are aiming to discover how, and at
what level, they use language to construct meaning. A childs reading
ability is focused on their ability to successfully construct meaning with
a piece of text.

2. What can be gleaned from a reading inventory completed with a child: their
ability to self-correct, ability to recognize word patterns, reading habits at
home, an analysis of their miscues, reliance on visual cues, ability to
demonstrate literal and inferential comprehension, ability to evaluate a text,
reading rate, expression, ability to predict, accuracy, phonemic awareness,
vocabulary, decoding strategies.
Included in my personal expectations would be the above, but in
some ways the commercial reading inventories fall short. One way they
fall short is that I may not get a varied amount of evidence for one of
the above expectations. In a reading inventory there are a lot of
expectations packed into a small passage and an abbreviated list of
questions. I am trying to gather a vast amount of information from a
student, who at times, only is reading aloud for 2-3 minutes. I would
add a longer passage and add questions that get at the heart of
interpreting and comprehending a story. I do appreciate that the
commercial reading inventory developers are trying to respect our
classroom time because its so precious, but a reading inventory gives
me information that I use for months at a time.
Sara Eilers
Thread: Chapter 6 Response
Post: Chapter 6 Response
Author:
Posted Date: January 21, 2014 9:05 PM
Status: Published
Tags: None
(Post is Read)
1. 1. Afflerbachs description of RtI is fairly similar to my experience with RtI. At
the core of RtI, in my building, we:
a. Assess students to identify their reading needs (DIBELS and
DRA2)
b. Collaborate with specialists and teachers to determine
instructional needs and grouping (Tier 1, 2, or 3)
c. Provide targeted instruction
d. Monitor their progress (progress monitoring)- Adjust
instruction if needed
e. Provide targeted instruction
f. Reassess (DIBELS and DRA2) and collaborate
As pointed out on page 122, we need to ensure that the RtI instruction is not
based on a generic approach to addressing a childs needs. This is an easy
trap to fall into with the commercial, scripted curriculums.
2.
2.Parameter: Nature of information provided
a. The OSELA provides information on a childs understanding of
directionality of print, function of pictures and punctuation,
letter and word boundaries. This assessment also provides
information regarding a childs ability to identify letter names
and letter sounds, word reading (high frequency words),
vocabulary knowledge, reading fluency, reading
comprehension, and their ability to record sounds in words.

b. DIBELS Next assessment provides information on a childs
phonological awareness, alphabetic understanding, and
fluency. This assessment is limited in assessing a childs
comprehension and vocabulary knowledge.
Sara Eilers
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