EDRD 7717: M2: Levels of Achievement Article Analysis

Discuss ways to match assessment to curriculum to enhance instruction

So many teachers rely on pacing guided to get through the curriculum.  With that being said it is important to look at assessments as a way to enhance instruction and to gain insight into what each student's individual thoughts and needs are.

Many assessments measure a student's ability based on a single skill or basic comprehension.  When a teacher incorporates teacher made assessments in the classroom she is able to asses her students on what has been taught.  She is able to measure their deeper comprehension as well as their understanding of the topics.  This truly matches the curriculum so that teachers are teaching for knowledge and not teaching for the test.

When using formative assessments, teachers can align these assessments with global standards so that we can see where students are matching up with curriculum.  As a teacher I worry about this.  With these assessments there is so much data feedback.  I worry that I am not using the data correctly or that I won't meet all of the benchmarks. I wonder what we can do to change this?

I think using multimodal tests is a successful way for teachers to reach all learners.  Using technology and other modes for assessing will help the teacher see in which areas her students succeed and where weaknesses may lie.

EDRD 7717: M2 PowerPoint Summary

When reading the PowerPoints upon completing the assigned readings I found that there was a lot of information that went along with the Opitz text.  One of the parts of the presentation that stood out to be was the review of "Sociocultural Considerations in Literacy Development".  I had no read much on their theorists since undergrad and now looking back I found that a lot of what both Piaget and Vygotsky said are true (although completely opposite of one another).

Going through the stages of reading and writing development were also great reviews and allowed me to reflect and see that the students in my class are still on all different developmental levels.  I have students in my 2nd grade class ages 6-9! There are so many kids growing at different rates developmentally, physically, and emotionally, it is exhausting!

There are so many ways that teachers can teach that work for each child.  I think it is so important that all students' needs are met.  The Assessment of Reading and Writing Processes" was very insightful and allowed me, as a teacher, to see areas in which I can and should be assessing students.  I do wonder sometimes about children and vocabulary development.  My school uses a phonics program that has students leveled for word study groups.  I find that my students who are in the higher level are great spellers and have a good vocabulary but often do not even know how to properly use the words.  This was interesting to me when I read that children with high vocabulary typically have higher comprehension.  This caused me to go back and check.  I found that my students in my highest word study group were also my strongest readers! Thus, this is correct! How interesting?

I really dislike making rubrics.  What I have found that fixes the problem is that the students help me make them! :) When we do this, the students are able to set goals in which they hope to achieve in their work.  I also like to give the rubrics to the students so that they are in charge of grading their own piece.  They are taking ownership and it is teaching them to edit and look over their piece before turning it in.

EDRD 7717: M2 Reading Inventory Demo YouTube Video

As I was watching the reading inventory demo video there were a few ideas that I picked up that I could definitely see myself using.  At the beginning of the school year we always make sure to give a reading inventory so that we can see where the students are reading and also what their interests are.  A lot of times at this age we hear a lot about non-fiction.  Here are my thoughts/ what I liked about the demo:

• "Do you like to read?" I really think this is an important question in figuring out whether a student is a reluctant reader or a brave reader.  This gives a lot of insight into the student's reading life both in and out of school.
• "What do you like to read?" This is a perfect question to ask to get to know your students interests.
• "Who is a good reader?" This question allows the teacher to see who the students looks up to in their reading life.  It may be a classmate, celebrity, author, or a family member.  You can use this information to help encourage the student.

Reading inventories are a wonderful informal assessment that can be used to get to know your students and gauge their reading interest/levels.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XHAZyRKKbic

EDRD 7717: M2: Informal Assessment: Text Opitz Ch. 5/6 v. Article Analysis

Both the Opitz text and the article I read discuss the importance and effectiveness of informal assessment.  What stuck out to me the most from the Opitz text was the amount of information about observation as a form of informal assessment.  In my classroom I do a lot of conferring and when I am not working with students I just sit and observe. I think, like the text states, that observation is a wonderful technique for collecting data on your students.  I also like that there are so many ways to use observation as an informal assessment.  I typically assess their behavior as well as their stamina/attitude via observation.

When discussing observation as a form of informal assessment I found a part of the article that described informal assessment as “a way in which teachers can collect data over time to piece together a student’s true understanding” (Ruiz-Primo, 2011, p.1).  When taking observations you can observe a student over a period of time to measure growth, change, and success.

Because there are so many forms of informal assessments, students and teachers can both use these assessments to help the student succeed (Ruiz-Primo, 2011).  The Opitz text gave a large list of ways a teacher can informally assess students, all of which include just working with the student to see where they are at.  When teachers take a step back and look to see where the students are strong or weak they are gaining insight into the mind of that student and are able to choose that correct form of assessment to give that student.

With that being said, sadly, standardized tests are still required in most schools.  These tests are typically used to see what students know on the basic comprehension level.  So although there is no escaping these assessments, there are ways that teachers can collect data informally so that a student can demonstrate his/her knowledge in a variety of ways.  As the Opitz text states there are so many types of assessments.  My personal opinion and input is that teacher-made tests are the most successful in the classroom.  I think this to be true because teachers are typically the ones with their students the most and so she is able to  see what each student needs in order to be a successful student.  The teacher also has the opportunity to choose what can be on the test so that it is more individualized and available for each student.

Both the text and the article I researched discussed the importance and successes of informal assessment in the classroom.  Both texts seem to have the same general idea and merged on many of the same topics and ideas. Informal assessment is a great way in which students and teachers can both see the success and feel the success in the classroom.

Article:

Ruiz-Primo, M. (2011). Informal Formative Assessment: The Role of Instructional Dialogues in Assessing Students’ Learning. Studies In Educational Evaluation, 37(1), 15-24.

EDRD 7717: Module 1 Summary/ Takeaways

        While reading all of the texts, my article, the powerpoints, and viewing the YouTube video there was a lot of information to soak in. One of my main questions was how do you go about bringing up an issue with a parent who just doesn't want to hear it?

        Something that really "hit home" with me was talking about diagnosis being continuous.  I know that a lot of teachers send their students to get tested but from my experience teaching I really like ot give the child a real chance.  This means that although I have heard of this student being a struggling student, I want to give her a chance, see what she can do, and see if she has grown.  I do believe that since we work with students so young there are so many "maturity levels" amongst the children.  Some are late bloomers.

       With the PowerPoint I found all of the terms very important and enlightening.  I think that the different approaches were interesting to read about.  Some teachers in today's education society are so set in their ways that they believe so heavily on specific phonics instruction.  I personally believe that the best way to get a child to engage more in print is to surround them in it.  Children should be able to look at books and be read to from an early age.  I really do think that my school does a great job of following both the interactive and systems approach- both which are more individualized and focuses on the "whole-child".

        I really believe that being a teacher is about making each student confident in his/her own learning.  Allowing students to be intrinsically motivated is a dream come true! Student that can feel safe to take risks are happy students.  Ways in which I encourage this is my classroom is observing the students and playing off of their strengths.  I also think that it is important to praise a child for trying a new reading strategy out that was taught in the mini-lesson.

All of these sources we were introduced to this week explained the important of intervention and what teachers can do to understand differentiation within the classroom and what we can do to help each child.

(Differentiation is the million dollar word in education right now...)

EDRD 7177 Module 1: Article Analysis (vs. Opitz text ch. 1& 2)

Module 1: Article Analysis

Compare the text and the article. Where do the ideas seem to merge? What differences can you discern?

As I was reading Chapters 1 & 2 in our class textbook I became very interested in Response to Intervention and the diagnosis process.  I found an article that analyzes the tiers of RtI and how they work and what both the teacher and student do.  With this article as well as our textbook I found many similarities and few differences.

Both the article and the text discuss the importance of intervention as well as observing and catching the problem early on in their schooling years.  This was interesting because I had no idea there was such a diagnostic pattern (Opitz, 2007).  I think that as an educator it is important to notice that during the diagnosis process and observation it is essential that teachers look at both strengths and weaknesses.  By praising a child and also working from their strengths to help the child succeed are both successful ways a teacher can encourage a child.

Both the text and the article went into details about RtI as a while and the text analyzed it more deeply.  The authors found that reading instruction from an early age is essential and there are various components needed to create a successful program.  Word study, fluency, supported reading and comprehension, and supported writing (Denton et al., 2013).  I think that what a lot of research does not cover is the importance of both reading and writing in order for a child to be successful in reading.  They need to both read and create print in various formats.

One part of the article that I found was different from our text was when the text went into detail about how the diagnostic process should be on going and continuous (Opitz, 2007).  This article discusses the importance of completing standardized testing in order to come to a conclusion about the student.  The article also talked about completing testing “every year” for the child to measure growth.

So although I do believe that diagnosis of learning difficulties should be fluid and continuous, I also wonder about standardized testing.  When do you need to refer the child to a learning specialist?

Article:

Denton, C. A., Tolar, T. D., Fletcher, J. M., Barth, A. E., Vaughn, S., & Francis, D. J. (2013). Effects of tier 3 intervention for students with persistent reading difficulties and characteristics of inadequate responders.Journal Of Educational Psychology, 105(3), 633-648ecialist

EDRD 7717: Activity # 4 (p.14, Opitz)

Activity # 4 (Opitz) p. 14

Use Table 1.1 “Summary of Proficient and Less Proficient Reading Behaviors” to observe a reader.  Highlight the characteristics you notice and provide an example of what you see.

When working with a new student in my classroom I found that she was somewhat a less proficient reader.  I found that with working with this student she was focusing way too much on just decoding the words that by the time she got to the end of the sentence she had little to no comprehension. She focused far too much on pronouncing the word that she was unable to even try to decipher meaning from the text.  When there were struggles I had to remind het to use more strategies for tricky words as well as look at visual print information to help create comprehension.

This student is very aware that she is a lower level reader in our class and I think that is one of the biggest struggles to overcome.  We discussed the importance of just focusing on self-growth but clearly there is an emotional tie to this.  When she gets frustrated I find that she just ignores miscues and does not try to connect them.  I also found that the words that she would try to say were in chunks.  She was chunking parts of the word, not parts of the sentence.

EDRD: 7717 YouTube Analysis: Watch & Learn

This video was very insightful and continued to support the ideas read in our Opitz textbook.  It is true that reading is not just a mental process, but also an emotional one, as well.  The ways in which students view reading and themselves as readers is important in determining their success in the classroom.  If they are reading incorrectly and are not receiving support, they will grow more and more into reluctant and embarrassed readers. I really liked how Dr. Lyon said that you cannot let people continue doing a complex activity incorrectly, you must fix it as soon as possible.

I really do believe that ongoing assessment is the most effective way to diagnose and observe students in the classroom.  It enables the teacher to constantly be monitoring the students for both strengths and weaknesses the student may encounter.  With the ongoing assessment, if the teacher finds an issue, she is bale to immediately attack the issue, working with the child so that they can continue to grow and be corrected.

In my own experience I think it is extremely important tot constantly assess students.  There are times throughout the school year that we give Fountas & Pinnell assessments but when we are not, we are always checking in with the students, working on reading strategies and conferring with the students individually as well as in small groups.  At my school the students are given multiple opportunities to work individually, with small groups, or academic resource teachers if needed.  This allows for very individualized and personal education that fits the needs of all students and is not thought of as “one size fits all”. It is important to be constantly monitoring our students to oversee their growths and areas where scaffolding and support are necessary.

Final Personal Model of Reading Theory

Laura Jordan

EDRD  : Dr. Ritchie

Due: 7/17/2012

Final Personal Model of Reading Theory

            At the beginning of this semester I already felt like I knew a lot about literacy instruction because it truly is a passion of mine.  But over the last six weeks I have learned so much and am looking forward into implementing many of these strategies into my classroom come August.

            I think that when discussing how children read I think the most important strategy is print exposure.  From a young age children are surrounded by print and if they are able to develop a meaning for these words and pictures it will help them build a context so that they have background knowledge, in their schemas. When students learn something new, especially at a young age, they are able to store that memory that will eventually help them build upon something new the next time they learn something.  By teaching children about print or reading to them at an early age, they are gaining an advantage so that they will already be exposed and have context meaning to many ideas and concepts.

            From a very early age the best thing that I recommend to parents who want to know about what they should do with their child is: read, read read! I believe that the more time students spend reading, the more words, ideas, story lines, and vocabulary they are introduced t .  I think that children should not be told what books they can and cannot read, for that will cause confidence issues.  By allowing students to pick which books they want to read, they are more likely to read.  And as I previously stated, getting students in front of print is the only way they will continue to grow as readers. There is also something to be said about finding what interests your student.  If exposed to interesting concepts, this child is more likely to be intrinsically motivated to read.

            Children also learn to read based on the environment in which they are surrounded.  When children are able to read what they want, be read to, and have someone they can ask questions to, they are going to gain more insight and build their schemas as well as acquire more background knowledge to help them grow as readers.

            There are many strategies that teachers can implement to teach reading effectively.  I believe that with comprehensive literacy instruction, students are given the holistic approach, meaning that they read to gain information as a whole, not to focus on each word by itself.  As previously stated the best way for students to learn to read is to let them read. Allowing students to experience reading is a great way for them to become exposed to different types of books.  By making the options unlimited the students to gain insight into new topics as well as look to understand various types of texts. Reading workshop sets the student up to do just that.

            With there being less focus on phonics, students are able to read more and learn new words through the use of background knowledge in the books that they are reading.  When students are not worried about breaking a sentence down word by word they are able to read the sentence as whole, the paragraph as a whole, the book as a whole.  This allows the students to comprehend what they are reading.

            One of the best ways to teach reading is through a collaborative classroom.  I think it is extremely important for the class to be a whole.  This allows the teacher to gather the students on the rug and teach a mini-lesson.  When the whole class is being taught, each of them is taking in this new information, and filing it away.  Teaching in a collaborative classroom also allows the teacher to model what is expected of the students.  When all of the students are seeing the teacher model a reading strategy, they are able to see what the teacher is thinking.

            Creating a collaborative classroom does not mean just meeting as a class on the rug. Students learn best with the support of others.  By allowing students to read with a buddy, in a book club, or with a teacher, that child is gaining support and allowing his peers or teacher to provide scaffolding.  This student is experiencing reading in a different light because there is someone there to provide support and feedback as well as complete the book so that the student is not alone.

            In conclusion, I think that the best way to teach literacy is allowing students to be exposed to text and think of it as a shared experience. They should be reading to buddies, teachers, parents, siblings, whoever will listen.  When students are able to share this experience, they gain more knowledge, which will only continue to help them become more proficient.  When students find something they love, they want to share it. This enables the students to become confident as well as learn to love reading.  Life longer learners and lovers of reading are my goals.