Classrooms That WorkChapter 10: Assessment

Assessment is collecting and analyzing data to make decisions about how children are performing and growing.

Four steps for assessment:o Identify what you want to assesso Collect evidenceo Analyze that evidenceo Make a decision and act on that decision

Three main purposes for reading assessment:o To determine student reading levelo To identify good reading behaviorso To document student progress

IRIs: Informal Reading Inventories Most experts recommend that a child have an oral reading accuracy of

about 95% and demonstrate comprehension of 75% to be considered on the instructional level.

o If the child scores this, have them continue reading on higher levels until their scores fall below this percentage to determine their instructional level.

Weekly independent reading conferences: have a child read a passage that they choose to you, and do an informal, unwritten assessment to make sure they are reading at a level that’s “just right” for them.

Use the seven signs of emergent literacy for young children to assess successful reading and writing. (p. 210)

Anecdotal records can be used to assess comprehension. Analyze one child each day, which allows each child to be analyzed every 4-6 weeks.

Assess writing by looking at samples of their writing over a course of time. Perhaps choose to do a focused writing sample three times a year to track progress.