WK4Assgn_Gordon_T

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1 Informal Reading Assessments for Grade 4-6 Literacy Learners Terry Ann Gordon Master’s of Science in Education, Walden University READ- 6709 Dr. Ruby Willey-Rendon February 4, 2024

2 Informal Reading Assessments for Grade 4-6 Literacy Learners Literacy plays a significant role in the lives of students. According to Sanacore (2002), "Helping students develop a lifelong love of reading increases the chances that they will become literate and use literacy as an essential part of their lifestyles" (p.68). However, as they progress through the different stages of literacy development, they encounter many challenging tasks. Overcoming these challenges requires ongoing assessments. Assessing students' literacy skills helps teachers gain valuable insights into their strengths and areas that need improvement, which will help serve them better. Struggling literacy learners require unique or intensive instructional support. "These learners need repetition, practice, and explicit instruction" (Walden University, 2014c, 02:02). Informal reading assessments are essential for helping educators better understand literacy learners' unique needs, strengths, and challenges, which lays the foundation for effective instruction. For my informal reading assessment, I selected a struggling fourth-grade student who struggles in reading. Before I began the assessment, I administered a noncognitive assessment to check her motivation toward reading. Using the Burke reading informal interview, I asked the student eight questions, which gave me initial insights into how the student sees himself as a reader and reading task in general (Reutzel & Cooter, 2019). The student answers most of the questions enthusiastically and with a huge smile. His answer to the question, 'Are you a good reader?' had me thinking immediately that he was eager and ready to improve his reading skills. The students' self-efficacy toward reading had me in total amazement. Despite being a struggling reader, he did not hesitate to tell me how much he enjoys reading about science topics because he aspires to be a scientist. Conducting this interview helped me to build an immediate relationship with the student as he became comfortable and eager to take his informal assessment.

3 I use the Fry Sight Word Assessment to evaluate the students' word recognition skills to begin the informal reading assessment. Word recognition is the instant identification of a word and its meanings without decoding it into smaller parts (Reutzel & Cooter, 2019, p.125). The student was given explicit instructions on how he would be evaluated. I told the student that he would read from a list of one hundred words that would be untimed. I handed him a printed copy of Fry's 4th 100-word list. As the student read, I noted and recorded his responses. The student was able to recognize 89 of the 100 sight words. This result shows that the student was proficient in recognizing high-frequency words, placing him at the independent reading level. Using the Fry Sight Word Assessment tool gave me in-depth insight into the student's ability to recognize and read words commonly found in written text. I used the Dynamic Indicators of Basic Literacy Skill (DIBELS) assessment and scoring tool my school offers to check the student's oral reading fluency. "Fluent readers decode words in text accurately, effortlessly, and automatically (Reutzel & Cooter, 2019, p.179). I used the fourth-grade passage entitled 'The Raft.' I told the student that he would be given 1 minute to read the passage, and I would score him on my computer. Furthermore, I told him that if he got stuck on a word, I would tell him so he could keep reading. As the student began the timed reading, I recorded his miscues on my scoring sheet. He read with appropriate expressions and at a moderate pace. The text contains 224 words; the student read 158 words per minute (wpm) with three mispronunciations. The student scored 69% accuracy, placing him at the instructional level. This indicates that he has a solid word recognition foundation but highlights the need for targeted support to enhance his fluency. This assessment tool provides a starting point for instructional adjustments and ongoing progress monitoring, benefiting the student's fluency growth. The ability of students to comprehend what is being read is an essential skill necessary for success in academics and career readiness (Dakin, 2013). Using the same

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4 passage, I utilize the Oral Story Retelling questions to check the students' reading comprehension skills (Reutzel & Cooter, 2019). I had the student reread The Raft; I prompted the oral story retelling by asking the students seven questions. He answered the questions of how the story began, how the story ended, what happened next, and where the story took place correctly. However, he was frustrated when asked What happened to the main character, when the story took place, and how the main character solved the problem. I recorded the student's responses; he obtained a 4 out of 7 score, which gave him an overall score of 57%. This shows that the student is at the instructional reading level, with room for improvement in his understanding of texts. The student can understand and comprehend the text with some support and guidance. The oral retelling is a dynamic and insightful tool for assessing reading comprehension by evaluating the student's ability to articulate, organize, and express his understanding verbally. The data collected reveal that the student has strong work recognition skills but needs additional reading fluency and comprehension support, guiding my literacy activities in the Read To, Read With, Write With, Word Study, Talk With (RRWWT). The repeated reading activity will allow the student to strengthen his reading fluency skills. He will also be able to experience model fluent reading by the teacher and engage in discussions about texts. The data from the reading comprehension assessment shows that the students need support. Small group guided reading provides personalized, targeted support and active engagement, all contributing to improved comprehension skills. Writing and word study activities enhance word recognition, fluency, and comprehension skills. Students reinforce their understanding of vocabulary, sentence structure, and overall language use through writing. Additionally, word study activity improves decoding skills, which are fundamental for fluency. I plan to incorporate interactive e-books in my literacy activity. Interactive e-books explain the content to users while they guide and assist users and shape the content to their

5 needs (Kesim & Yildirim, 2017). They enhance and provide immediate feedback. If the comprehension quizzes highlight struggles in recalling details, interactive e-books with comprehension checks can reinforce understanding. " Student progress monitoring is a practice that helps teachers use student performance data to continually evaluate the effectiveness of their teaching and make more informed instructional decisions" (Safer & Fleischman, 2005, p.81). I will use regular assessments such as weekly running records and comprehension quizzes to monitor student's progress. Timely identification of academic difficulties allows for prompt intervention, preventing issues from escalating and providing targeted support when needed. This ongoing data collection will help me to adjust my instruction based on the evolving needs of my learner, ensuring a responsive and effective teaching approach. In addition, I will use progress monitoring data to communicate effectively with parents, guardians, and other stakeholders. Transparent sharing of the student's progress promotes a collaborative approach to education, ensuring everyone is informed and involved in supporting the learner. In conclusion, employing diverse literacy tools through informal reading assessments provides a holistic view of the fourth-grade student's capabilities. This data-driven approach informs targeted instructional activities within the RRWWT Framework, and integrating technology tools aligns with the student's identified needs. Monitoring progress through continuous assessments ensures a dynamic and adaptive teaching strategy for literacy outcomes.

6 References Dakin, C. (2013). The effects of comprehension through close reading. Kesim, M., & Yildirim, H. A. K. A. N. (2017). A literature review and content analysis on interactive e-books. Proceedings , 2(1), p.9824. Reutzel, D. R., & Cooter, Jr., R, B. (2019). Teaching children to read: The teacher makes the difference (8th ed.). Boston, MA: Pearson. Safer, N., & Fleischman, S. (2005). Research matters: How student progress monitoring improves instruction. Educational Leadership , 62 (5), p.81. Sanacore, J. (2002). Struggling literacy learners benefit from lifetime literacy efforts. Reading Psychology , 23 (2), p.68. Walden University, LLC. (Producer). (2014c). Considerations when working with struggling readers [Video file]. Baltimore, MD: Author.

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7 Appendix A Informal Reading Assessment Data Interest/ Attitude Inventory The Burke Interview Eager and enthuse about reading. Word Recognition 89/100- Fry Sight Words Missed Words: against, certain, field, figure, ground, measure, notice, numeral, piece, several , usually Fluency Check 155/224- DIBELS 69% Accuracy Miscues: mispronunciations (3), omissions (0), insertions (0), repetition(0), substitution (0) Comprehension 4/7- Oral Retelling 57% Inferential questions posed a challenge

8 Appendix B Read To, Read With, Write With, Word Study, Talk With (RRWWT) Framework Template The following framework represents the essential components of reading as an effective approach to planning literacy instruction for the academically diverse classroom. As you plan your instructional activities below, you must incorporate at least one technology tool within one of the activities your literacy learner can use to support their literacy development. In your rationale, make sure to address the reasons for the use of this technology tool. Reading Stage Spelling Stage READ TO READ WITH WRITE WITH WORD STUDY Activity Repeated reading- Class read aloud (The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein) The teacher will demonstrate fluent text reading to provide students with a clear example of proper pacing, expression, and intonation. After reading, the teacher will ask comprehension questions and model answers. The teacher will have a discussion about the story. Activity Small Group- Guided Reading The Tale of Peter Rabbit by Beatrix Potter The teacher and student will preview key vocabulary. The teacher will conduct a small group session with four students at a similar reading level participating in guided reading. The teacher will guide students through the reading process, aid discussion, and make predictions. Students will answer comprehension questions about the story using interactive e-books. Furthermore, the teacher will engage students in a reflection task where they discuss their thoughts. Activity Students will write a different ending to the story The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein. They will write at least three paragraphs providing details about their events. The teacher will guide the practice. Students will share their finished work with the on class Jamboard. Activity Students will use Word Wall technology tool to match word meanings to the correct words from the story The Tale of Peter Rabbit by Beatrix Potter. Each word will have a definition used in a sentence. Students can select the activity in a Quiz, match activity, or Crossword Puzzle.

9 Rationale Encouraging students to read a selected text multiple times enhances their fluency, accuracy, and expression. It also leads to improved comprehension and boosts students' confidence in reading. Rationale Small group guided reading significantly contributes to boosting comprehension. Teachers can provide targeted support and address individual needs by tailoring instruction to a small group of students with similar reading abilities. Students develop a deeper understanding of the text by engaging in rich discussion, actively participating in the reading process, and receiving personalized guidance. Rationale Having students write a different ending to the story provides a valuable opportunity for creative expression, critical thinking, and deeper engagement with the narrative. This activity encourages students to think beyond the confines of the existing storyline, fostering creativity as they consider alternative resolutions, character developments, or plot twists. It also gives students a sense of ownership and autonomy. Rationale The word wall is a valuable instructional tool in word study, offering a visual reference for students to explore and reinforce their understanding of words. It provides a consistent reference point that aid vocabulary acquisition, spelling, and overall language development.

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