Practicum: Assessment Project for READ 3302 Spring 2013

Your Name: Karen Bolick Practicum Class Grade Level: 5th

Instructions: The assessment project includes 3 activities. Work with your clinical teacher to target a small group of students in your assigned grades 3-5 classroom. Use initials or pseudonyms to refer to students. For this project, you will: o o o shadow 2 students and record observations of their behaviors related to reading conduct 2 interest inventory/interviews with students conduct the QRI-5 (an informal reading inventory) with one student to estimate the students instructional reading level

PART I: Shadow/Observe Students (5 pts.)

Record detailed, objective, descriptive observations related to his or her reading/literacy behaviors. Student 1 Camo 10 / 5th Sawmills Elementary / Suzanne Singer Multiple Thursdays during SRI Internship / several hours Independent reading during AR time / small group read aloud on 2/28 Student 2 Bree 10 / 5th Sawmills Elementary / Suzanne Singer Multiple Thursdays during SRI Internship / several hours Independent reading during AR time / small group read aloud on 2/28

Pseudonym Age / Grade School/Classroom where you observed Date/Time/Duration of observation

Context of observation (i.e., science lesson, independent reading, etc.)

Behaviors Observed - Student 1: Camo reads many books. Each day I was in the classroom, he had a different book always a novel of some sort. He would usually take several minutes to settle into reading in the mornings. He would chat with a neighbor, fiddle with things in his desk, or sharpen his pencils before actually reading. Once he started the book, however, he would be totally immersed, often not hearing the teacher give instructions for their first activity. Camo would need to be reminded to put the book away. In the afternoons during free reading time, Camo typically sits at his desk to read, but on one occasion, he gathered cushions and settled into a corner of the classroom. During a small group reading of Chapter 3 of The Indian in the Cupboard, Camo read aloud very quickly, to the point that I had to ask him to slow down as we couldnt understand what he was saying. I watched as he read and his eyes scanned ahead and then would return to the text. In several instances, Camo read an incorrect verb (substituting taken for going) and then quickly corrected it. Behaviors Observed - Student 2: Bree sits quietly at her desk to read. In my observations, she rarely fidgets or gets distracted by the other students in her table group. Her book choices have been widely varied. One week she was reading Hatchet and the next The Homework Machine by Dan Gutman. When reading she is solely focused on the text and her face is very expressive. While reading The Homework Machine, Bree smiled and giggled. From that, I believe she can find enjoyment in reading. During the small group read aloud, Bree read quickly but without much expression. She omitted most punctuation, letting sentences run together. There were a couple of words Bree stumbled over (uncompromisingly & lithely). She tried to sound them out, but had no idea of the meaning of the word once she said it.

Practicum: Assessment Project for READ 3302 Spring 2013

Reflection: In approximately 1-2 single-spaced paragraphs, reflect on the observations you made, what you learned about your students from what you observed, and what you learned about observing students in general. These two students are both reading at or above grade level. My observations showed that these students become engrossed in whatever they are reading. I thought from my observations that each liked to read, possibly even had a passion for reading. Their book choices suggested they had a wide range of interests from realistic fiction, to fantasy, to young adult award winning books. Each student has the ability to focus on their text to exclude outside factors such as noise in the classroom or movement of other students. When I observed them reading aloud in the small group, I realized that each student had certain characteristics to their reading that might lead to difficulties later on. Camo read extremely fast. He mumbled words in an effort to simply get it over with. The other students couldnt keep up in the text with the pace he set, nor could they understand what he was saying. Bree read in an almost monotone, barely putting in punctuation. When she encountered words that she didnt know she attempted to sound them out, but didnt wait for clarification or definition. Both of these habits could lead to a lack of comprehension of the texts they read. After this portion of the assessment, I realized that simply observing a students behavior is not enough evidence to base an evaluation on. As a teacher, I will need to take the time to observe the student in many types of reading activities in order to properly assess their strengths and weaknesses.

Practicum: Assessment Project for READ 3302 Spring 2013 PART II: Interest Inventory Interview
(5 pts.)

Interview students about their reading attitudes and interests using the protocol/questions provided. Pseudonym Age / Grade School/Classroom where you did interview Date/Time/Duration of interview Student 1 Camo 10 / 5th Sawmills Elementary 2/28 1:00 15 min Student 2 Bree 10 / 5th Sawmills Elementary 2/28 1:15 15 min

Answers Student 1: [type in OR scan and include on PPT slide of supporting materials] Interviewers Name Karen Bolick Students Name Camo Date 28 February 2013 Students Grade 5th

Reading Interest Inventory/Interview (Grades 3-6) How do you feel about reading? Be honest! Explain why you feel that way. Its not fun. Its boring. Id rather be outside riding my bike or something than stuck inside reading. What are some of the things you like about reading? Nothing. Well, it kills time. What are some of the things you dont like about reading? Its boring takes forever to get through it. We have to read so many points to get to go to the party. Do your friends think you are a good reader? I dont know. Do you think you are a good reader? No. I can read in my head, but out loud its bad. How much time do you spend reading? Do you read every day? I have to read until it finish. Until my parents tell me Im done. I dont read every day just about 4 times during the week. I dont read on weekends cause my parents dont make me. What are some of the things you have read lately? Beverly Cleary books realistic fiction. What kinds of things do you like to read? Sci-fi / fantasy theres these ones about time traveling kids. I like those books.

Practicum: Assessment Project for READ 3302 Spring 2013

What is/are your absolute favorite book(s)? Caught by Haddix thats one in the series of time traveling kids. What is something you would like to get better at when it comes to your reading? I want to read faster. That way I can get done faster. Do you ever get books from the school library? YES NO How often do you have to go to the library at school? What is it like when you are there? Do you like to go there? Why? I go to the media center when I finish both of the books I have we check out two at a time. So I go twice a week or so. The media center is really quiet we cant talk. Its not bad going there About how many books do you have? Like 3 theyre the Diary of a Wimpy Kid books. What are some books you would like to have? If you were at a bookstore (name bookstore) and could pick out any book, which book or type of book would you pick out? Id like to have the 6th book in that series about the time traveling kids. Actually theres not a 6th book yet, but Id like to have it when it gets made. Or a book that gives me candy. (laughs) Do you like to read the newspaper or magazines? Not the newspaper, but a sports magazine. Do you read on the computer? What kinds of things do you like to read on the computer? Yes websites, video game instructions / cheats Do people who live with you like to read? Tell me about that. My parents read the Bible thats all they do. And, oh yeah some magazines. What are your favorite TV shows? The Regular Show (Cartoon Network), Animal Planet lots of shows on there, Crazy Food with Andrew Zimmerman, Family Guy

Practicum: Assessment Project for READ 3302 Spring 2013

Circle the genres/types/topics of reading material you like or might be interested in.

history

travel/geography

plays

sports

science fiction

adventure

romance supernatural stories humor

detective stories

war stories

art

poetry space/solar system self-help

car stories

novels how-to-do-it books Internet

biography

folktales actors/ actresses nonfiction

mysteries comics or graphic novels Westerns

singers

books in a series

drama

gaming

Are there others that arent here youd like to add? _Realistic Fiction____________

Practicum: Assessment Project for READ 3302 Spring 2013

Answers Student 2: [type in OR scan and include on PPT slide of supporting materials] Interviewers Name Karen Bolick Students NameBree Date 28 February 2013 Students Grade 5th

Reading Interest Inventory/Interview (Grades 3-6) How do you feel about reading? Be honest! Explain why you feel that way. Its not that fun its easy, but not that fun. What are some of the things you like about reading? I like the pictures both in the books and in my head. What are some of the things you dont like about reading? I dont know I just dont like to have to read. Do your friends think you are a good reader? I dont know maybe. Do you think you are a good reader? Not really I dont like to read aloud. How much time do you spend reading? Do you read every day? About 30-60 minutes. No, I dont ready every day; probably more like 4 times per week. What are some of the things you have read lately? The Homework Machine is what Im reading now. What kinds of things do you like to read? Mysteries I loved the Magic Treehouse books. What is/are your absolute favorite book(s)? Funny books and mysteries. I dont have one favorite just types that I like. What is something you would like to get better at when it comes to your reading? I get stuck on long words, so Id say long words. Do you ever get books from the school library? YES NO

Practicum: Assessment Project for READ 3302 Spring 2013

How often do you have to go to the library at school? What is it like when you are there? Do you like to go there? Why? I go to the library when I take AR tests, usually every week but sometimes more.

About how many books do you have? Maybe 3 or 4. What are some books you would like to have? If you were at a bookstore (name bookstore) and could pick out any book, which book or type of book would you pick out? I dont know Oh, thats a hard question. Maybe a mystery? Do you like to read the newspaper or magazines? No, not really. Do you read on the computer? What kinds of things do you like to read on the computer? Yes, sometimes. Instructions for things. Do people who live with you like to read? Tell me about that. My older sisters read all the time. My mama reads the Bible and big books. What are your favorite TV shows? Adventure Time and The Regular Show (Cartoon Network), Killer Karoke, Police Women of Cincinatti, The Simpsons

Practicum: Assessment Project for READ 3302 Spring 2013

Circle the genres/types/topics of reading material you like or might be interested in.

history

travel/geography

plays

sports

science fiction

adventure

romance supernatural stories humor

detective stories

war stories

art

poetry space/solar system self-help

car stories

novels how-to-do-it books Internet

biography

folktales actors/ actresses nonfiction

mysteries comics or graphic novels Westerns

singers

books in a series

drama

gaming

Are there others that arent here youd like to add? Nothing else

Reflection: In approximately 1-2 single-spaced paragraphs, describe what you learned about these students as readers based on the information you gathered. What can you tell that they think/believe about reading? Reflect on what their answers teach you about intermediate readers in general, and what you learned about conducting interest interviews.

With both of these students, my observations of them reading in the classroom had led me to believe that each liked reading. The interview questions, however, revealed that each student simply read to meet the requirements of their parents, AR, or whole class assignments. Neither student owned more than a few books, neither read magazines, nor had many positive reading role models in their homes. Neither student felt that they were good readers although both read above grade level. After hearing each student read in our small group, I wondered if their read-aloud difficulties were what led them to believe they were not good readers. This is something that I will add to my list of things to observe and ask questions about. Both of the students held some similar interests in the genres of books that they liked to read, especially humorous books and graphic novels. I think most students at this level would have an interest in both of these types of books. Camo expressed an interest in what he called realistic fiction series which, from further questioning, I believe are books similar to The Hunger Games, and the series by Haddix (Sent, Found, Sabotaged). These books, while set in a dystopian future, feature adolescent heroes and heroines and appeal to intermediate readers both male and female. Sadly, the main similarity these students had was their dislike of AR tracking. Because they have to read and obtain a certain number of points per week, they felt constantly pressured to read. From

Practicum: Assessment Project for READ 3302 Spring 2013

my experiences with other students of this age, this is a prevalent thought. They read only to get their points.

PART III: QRI-5 (8 pts.)

Administer the QRI-5 to ONE STUDENT to estimate the students instructional reading level.
NOTES: Do your homework and be prepared before you meet with the student. Plan for approximately 30 minutes to administer the QRI-5, but time may vary depending on how many passages you need to administer to pinpoint the students instructional level. You will turn in ALL the completed word lists and ALL the scoring sheets from the passages. ONLINE SECTIONS: Scan all documents and paste as images into a PowerPoint presentation. Try to paste one page/image per slide.

Students Pseudonym: Camo

Date(s) of Assessment: 3/1/13

Grade/Age: 10 / 5th

Word Identification (start 2 levels below students grade in school continue until you reach frustration level) Grade Level of List # Automatic Correct # Identified Correct # Total Correct
[# automatic + # identified]

3 20

4 19

5 19 1

6 15 2 17 85 INSTR

Upper Middle 11 3 14 70 FRUSTR

20 100 INDEP

19 95 INDEP

20 100 INDEP

% Total Correct Overall Level for List

[INDEP or INSTR or FRUSTR]

Oral Reading (start with a passage at the level the word lists estimated would be instructional OR highest independent) Passage Name Abraham Lincoln Readability Level (grade) Six Narrative or Expository? Narrative Familiar Concepts % 91% # of Total Miscues 10 Word Recognition Accuracy Level INSTR # of Ideas Recalled / Total Ideas 16/47 # Explicit Comprehension Questions 1/4 Correct (without Look-backs) # Implicit Comprehension Questions 3/4 Correct (without Look-backs) Total # Comprehension Questions 4/8 Correct (without Look-backs) Comprehension Level FRUSTR (without Look-backs) # Explicit Comprehension Questions 3/4 Correct using Look-backs (optional; if used) # Implicit Comprehension Questions 3/4 Correct using Look-backs (optional; if used) Total # Comprehension Questions 6/8 Correct using Look-backs (optional; if used)

Practicum: Assessment Project for READ 3302 Spring 2013

Total # Comprehension Questions Correct with AND without Look-backs Total Comprehension Level (both with AND without Look-backs) Total Passage Level
[Word Recognition Accuracy + Comprehension = INDEP or INSTR or FRUSTR]

INSTR INSTR INSTR

Level Summary Based on the scores/data you collected, answer the following: 1. Identify the students overall instructional reading level. Camos instructional reading level is Level 6. 2. Explain how you know this. The reading level is instructional because the total number of miscues (10) places him in the instructional level for word recognition. His retelling and comprehension of the passage was at the frustration level without look-backs but rose to the instructional level with look-backs. Camo was quickly able to find the information in the text to answer the comprehension questions which told me that he had paid attention to the text as he read. 3. Given the findings from the assessment, what are the students strengths and needs related to decoding, comprehension, and fluency? Camo has an extensive vocabulary and is able to quickly decode unknown words when presented to him, if he takes his time. He reads quickly which is both a strength and a liability. At this point, Camo has sacrificed comprehension for speed. He doesnt read with much fluency as he is simply reading for speed. Camo needs to read at a reasonable pace in order to comprehend what he has read.

QRI-5 Reflection In approximately 1 single-spaced paragraph, reflect on the information you gathered about the student and on the process of conducting the QRI-5. While it seems daunting at first, the QRI-5 is an excellent resource to use to determine the strengths and weaknesses of the readers in a class. Since the QRI-5 takes time one-to-one to administer, teachers may simply limit its use to evaluate the needs of struggling readers. However, giving the QRI-5 to a good reader opened my eyes to the potential it has to effect change. As an observer in the classroom, Ive simply seen Camo reading books during independent reading time and in one small group setting. From my observations, I knew he read at or above grade level but had no understanding of his interests or comprehension level. Now I know that he needs help with his comprehension and fluency. PART IV: Overall Comments and Reflection (2 pts.) Using the knowledge gained from this assessment project and the course readings, write approximately 2 single-spaced paragraphs reflecting on all three components of this project. Now that youve finished these three components, what have you learned about reading assessment with intermediate readers? What other readings/ideas from this course did it make you think about more deeply? What does the information you gathered possibly mean for your future instruction? Make an explicit connection to at least 1 specific course reading/activity.

Practicum: Assessment Project for READ 3302 Spring 2013

The number one thing that I learned about assessment of readers is to never take anything for granted. Students by this age are adept at meeting requirements, getting the points they need to attend the AR party, and choosing the books that will earn them the biggest points for the lowest effort. The students I observed and interviewed seemed engaged when reading, but in reality their efforts were for the wrong reasons. Observation is too subjective to be a true evaluation of a students abilities. A more in-depth assessment, such as is obtained by the administering of the QRI5, will give the teacher a more accurate and objective view of a students strengths and weaknesses. Through this inventory I discovered that even students reading above grade level still had weak areas which were not evident through simple observation. Additionally, this assessment reinforced my feelings that the AR program of points and rewards is not an effective motivator for promoting a love of reading in our students. Many of the thoughts of my interviewees were simply restatements of the students in the Souto-Manning (2010) article. The selection of books was too small, points became the only goal, and students felt separated and segregated by the book leveling process. I would love for my classroom to be a place where books were a focal point of instruction and enjoyment. Where literature circle discussions were a highlight of the week and students actively talked about the books they LOVED to read. To do this, I will have to find out what subjects interest my students, find the resources to bring those books into the classroom, and engage the students in discussions and activities that bring meaning to the work.