Syllabus Framework
The purpose of this course
is to help practicing teachers become proficient with a variety of formal and
informal assessment and instructional procedures, and how to strengthen the
connections between them. For
example, a teacher should be able to determine if a struggling reader needs
extra support in an area of word identification or comprehension, and then more
specifically if that reader needs instruction in letter-sounds, consonant
blends, long vowel patterns, or in oral language development, comprehension
strategies, or in comprehension monitoring. Teachers will learn to screen students for reading problems
or potential reading problems, diagnose students= reading strengths and needs, and monitor
students= progress to ensure that
students will make optimal progress in reading. Teachers will also learn procedures for managing and
analyzing assessment data.
The course will also focus
on Curriculum-Based Measurement (Fuchs, et al) and the assessment/instruction
cycle, and how to use assessment data to design and implement instructional
interventions to increase students= reading achievement. Instructional procedures will be based on
scientifically-based reading research (NRP, 2000; Snow, Burns, & Griffin,
1998) and will focus on building students= oral language
and background
knowledge, teaching alphabet knowledge and phonemic awareness, teaching
students to recognize and use common phonics spelling patterns, building
students= vocabulary, increasing
fluency, teaching students to apply comprehension strategies, and fostering
students= reading engagement.
Additionally, the course
will describe reading assessments and interventions that are appropriate at the
primary, intermediate, and secondary levels.
1. Understand various physical, emotional, developmental,
social, linguistic, and instructional contributors to reading problems. (IRA Standard 4.1)
2. Understand and be able to use a wide variety of
assessment tools and practices that range from individual and standardized
group tests to informal, individual, and group classroom assessment strategies
appropriate to the primary, intermediate, and secondary levels. (IRA Standard
10.1)
3. Use assessment procedures for
a) screening students for reading
problems,
b) diagnosing students= reading strengths and
needs, and
c) monitoring students= progress in reading. (IRA
Standard 4.2, 10.2)
4. Use assessment information to plan and implement
effective individual, small- and whole- group reading intervention strategies
appropriate for students at the primary, intermediate, and secondary levels.
(IRA Standard 10.2)
5. Use reading assessment data to design and implement
instruction and interventions in the following areas:
$ oral language and
background knowledge instruction $ vocabulary instruction
$ alphabet knowledge
instruction $ fluency instruction
$ phonemic awareness
instruction $ comprehension instruction
$ phonics instruction $ reading engagement (IRA Standard 4.5)
6. Evaluate their own instruction. (IRA Standard 16.2)
7. Effectively communicate the results of these assessments
to students, parents, colleagues, and administrators. (IRA Standard 10.2)
Suggested Course
Activities:
$ Reading Assessment and Intervention Case Study. Identify a student or a small group of students in your
classroom (or another classroom) that need additional support in reading. Administer screening assessments to
gather initial baseline data, diagnostic assessments to identify students= instructional strengths
and needs and on-going progress monitoring data. Based on these data implement reading instruction
interventions to improve their reading achievement throughout the
semester. Describe the assessment
data, intervention procedures, and students= reading progress data in a written case
study. If possible, videotape a
tutoring session to share in class so classmates may observe teacher and
student behaviors and offer feedback.
$ Reading Assessment Review Paper. Review a variety of common reading assessments. These assessments should include standardized tests such as the Utah
Core Curriculum End of Level Tests, the National Assessment of Educational
Progress, and the California Achievement Test. Additional classroom reading assessments may include the
Curriculum-Based Measurement test (CBM), the Developmental Reading Assessment
(DRA), the Diagnostic Assessment of Reading (DAR), the Dynamic Indicators of
Basic Early Literacy Test (DIBELS), the Elementary Reading Attitude Survey, the
IPT screening test for ESL students, the Multi-Dimensional Fluency Scale, Marie
Clay=s Observation Survey, the
Qualitative Reading Inventory, the Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test, the
Yopp/Singer Phonemic Awareness Test, the Texas Reading Test, the RMS: Primary
version, and the Woodcock Johnson Reading Test. Write a comparison paper
detailing their purposes (screening, diagnosis, progress monitoring),
procedures, reliability and usefulness.
$ Annual Assessment Plan. Develop a 5-7 page
written annual assessment plan appropriate to your grade level and teaching
assignment. Include instructional
goals in areas such as fluency, comprehension, and attitude towards
reading. Include measures to
assess your goal areas. Provide a
schedule showing the frequency of data collection for each measure. Include
plans to use the information for instructional decision-making. Complete the attached Annual
Assessment Plan
page.
$ Assessment and Instruction Alignment Chart.
During in-class discussions, complete the following chart:
|
Instruction Area |
Assessments |
Instructional
Interventions |
|
Background
Knowledge |
|
|
|
Alphabet
Knowledge |
|
|
|
Phonemic
Awareness |
|
|
|
Phonics |
|
|
|
Vocabulary |
|
|
|
Fluency |
|
|
|
Comprehension |
|
|
|
Engagement |
|
|
Basic Resources:
Barrentine, S. J. (Ed.)
(1999). Reading assessment: Principles and practices for elementary teachers. Newark, DE: International
Reading Association.
Barr, R., Blachowicz,
C.L.Z., Katz, C., & Kaufman, B. (2002). Reading diagnosis for teachers
(4th ed.).
Boston: Allyn & Bacon.
Block, C.C. (2003). Literacy
difficulties: Diagnosis and instruction for reading specialists and classroom
teachers (2nd ed.). Boston, MA: Allyn & Bacon.
Cooper, J.D. & Kiger,
N.D. (2001). Literacy assessment: Helping teachers plan instruction. Boston, MA: Houghton
Mifflin.
Gunning, T. (1998). Assessing and correcting reading and writing difficulties. Needham Heights, MA:
Allyn & Bacon.
Hill, B. C. (1998). Classroom based assessment. Norwood, MA: Christopher-Gordon Publishers, Inc.
Leslie, L. &
Jett-Simpson, M (1998). Authentic literacy assessment: An ecological
approach. NY: Addison-Wesley.
Moore, D. W., Alvermann, D.
E., & Hinchman, K. A. (Eds.) (2000). Struggling adolescent readers: A
collection of teaching strategies. Newark, DE: International Reading Association.
Moore, D. W., &
Hinchman, K. A. (2003). Starting out: A guide to teaching adolescents who
struggle with reading.
Boston: Allyn & Bacon.
Lipson, M.Y. & Wixson,
K.K. (2003). Assessment & instruction of reading and writing difficulty:
An interactive approach (3rd ed.).
Boston, MA: Allyn & Bacon.
Reutzel, R. & Cooter.
(1999). Balanced reading strategies and practices: Assessing and assisting
readers with special needs. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice-Hall, Inc.
Richek, M.A., Caldwell,
J.S., Jennings, J.H., & Lerner, J.W. (2002). Reading problems:
Assessment and teaching strategies (4th ed.). Boston, MA: Allyn &
Bacon.
Other Resources
Allington, R. L. (2001). What
really matters for struggling readers: designing research-based programs. New York: Addison Wesley
Longman.
Bear, D., Invernezzi, M.,
Templeton, S., & Johnston, F. (2000).
Word study for phonics, vocabulary, and spelling instruction. Second edition. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice-Hall,
Inc.
Elkins, J. & Luke, A.
(2000). Re/mediating adolescent literacies: Articles from the journal of
adolescent & adult literacy. Newark, DE: International Reading Association.
Fuchs, L. S., Fuchs, D.,
Karns, K., Hamlett, C. L., Dutka, S., & Katzaroff, M. (in press).
Mathematics performance assessment in the classroom: Effects on teacher
planning and student learning. American Educational Research Journal.
Fuchs, L. S., Fuchs, D.,
Eaton, S., & Karns, K. (1999). Test accommodations for students with
disabilities: Teacher judgement vs. data-based decision. Paper presented at the
annual meeting of the American Educational Research Association, Montreal.
Hiebert, E.H. & Taylor,
B.M. (2000). Beginning reading instruction: Research on early interventions (pp. 455-482). In M.L
Kamil, P.B. Mosenthal, P.D. Pearson, & R. Barr (Eds.), Handbook of
reading research, Volume III. Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum.
Invernizzi, M. (2001). The
complex world of one-on-one tutoring. In S.B. Neuman & D.K. Dickinson (EDS.), Handbook of
early literacy research (pp. 459-470),
New York: Guilford.
Rycik, J.A. & Irvin,
J.L. (2001). What adolescents deserve: A commitment to students' literacy
learning.
Newark, DE: International Reading Association.
Supporting Young
Adolescents' Literacy Learning: A Joint Position Paper of the International
Reading Association and National Middle School Association (2001)
(http://www.reading.org/positions/supporting_young_adolesc.html)
Clay, M. (1993). An observation survey of early
literacy achievement. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann.
Clay, M. (1993). Reading recovery: A guidebook for
teachers in training. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann.
Goodman, Y., Watson, D.,
& Burke, C. (1987). Reading
miscue inventory: Alternative procedures. New
York, NY: Richard C. Owen Publishers,
Inc.
Rhodes, Lynn K. (1993). Literacy
Assessment: A Handbook of Instruments. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann.
Rhodes, Lynn K. &
Shanklin, Nancy L. (1993). Windows Into Literacy: Assessing Learners K-8. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann.
Themed Issue of The
Reading Teacher
(vol. 40, no. 8, 1987). State of Reading Assessment (1987), which includes the
following:
Valencia, S., &
Pearson. Reading assessment: Time
for a change, 726-733.
Wittrock, M. Process
oriented measures of comprehension, 734-737.
Calfee, R. The school as a context for assessment
of literacy, 738-743.
Johnston, P. Teachers as evaluation experts,
744-748.
Wixson, K. & Assoc. New
directions in statewide reading assessment, 749-755.
Ruth, L. Reading children=s writing, 756-760.
Dixon, J. Becoming a
maturer reader, 761-765.
Durkin, D. Testing in the kindergarten, 766-771.
Teale, & Assoc. Assessing young children=s literacy development, 772-777.
Paratore, J. &
Indrisano, R. Intervention
assessment of reading comprehension, 778-783
Chall, J. & Curtis,
M. What clinical diagnosis tells
us about children=s writing, 784-789.
Barr, M., Craig, D.,
Fisette, D., Syverson, M. A. (1999). Assessing literacy with learning
record: A handbook for teachers, Grades K-6. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann.
Barr, M.A. & Syverson,
M.A. (1999). Assessing literacy with the learning record: A handbook for
teachers 6-12.
Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann.
Clay, M. (2000). Running records for classroom
teachers.
Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann.
Hill, B. C. (1998). Classroom based assessment. Norwood, MA: Christopher-Gordon Publishers, Inc.
Mariotti, A. & Homan,
S. (2001). Linking reading
assessment to instruction: An application worktext for elementary classroom teachers. Mahwah, N.J.: Lawrence.
Meyerson, M., &
Kulesza, D. (2002). Strategies
for struggling readers: Step by step.
Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education, Inc.
Annual Assessment Plan
|
|