Angela Miller
    Assessment

    Our school corporation has decided to use 4-blocks from K-3, so we decided to set some standards for assessment. I was given the task to decide what would be needed to assess and how to best assess our students. We use writing samples three times a year and score them using the Blackburn Cramp or our State rubric (INDIANA) depending on the age of the child. We use the same general topic for all students at a grade and look for mechanics as well as creativity. We give a weekly word wall test to assess the use of the word wall. In the test students are dictated 5 sentences with word wall words, theme words and some unknown words. The word wall tests are then checked for accuracy. We score them according to correct # of word wall words and determine what level of spelling (semiphonetic, phonetic, conventional, etc.) they are at from their strategies used to spell the unknown words. We use our children's daily writing and word wall sentence test to come up with a spelling grade.

    To test their reading accuracy we use IRI's three times a year. We just adopted a set series from Pearson Learning called the Developmental Reading Assessment. It can be used for K-3. This assessment allows us to do a running record on each child, to ask comprehension questions when finished, and to determine reading behaviors. There are other companies out there as well or you can develop your own. The daily record-keeping in all four blocks is where most of your grades are going to come from. Make sure you know what behaviors are expected of your age/grade level and determine success or improvement from those standards. Since 4-Blocks is based on multilevel, individual progress, these tools seemed to best fit our needs. I hope this has helped you. I do have a complete pamphlet on assessment if you are interested.


    Here is the document on assessment we are using at our corporation. I hope this helps.

    Assessment is an integral part of the Four Blocks Program. The classroom teacher is doing constant informal and developmental assessment everyday. The use of anecdotal notes and checklists exists in all four blocks. The tools explained in this booklet allow the teacher to get more in-depth information on her students. The use of Running Records, Word Strategy Checklists and Writing Rubrics are explained. A schedule for their use is outlined as well.

    Combining the anecdotal notes, daily checklists and the more formal methods outlined will allow the teacher to make informed judgments on the students' progress in all areas of Language Arts. The important thing to remember is that we are seeking growth in all students.  Not everyone is always going to be on the same levels at the same time.  Keep samples throughout the year so that you can make a judgment on each child's progress.

    READING PROFILES

    SELF SELECTED READING
    • Fluency Checklists
    • Oral Retelling
    • Interest Inventories
    • Anecdotal Notes
    GUIDED READING
    • Running Records/ Miscue Analysis
    • Concepts About Print
    • Letter Identification Inventories
    • High Frequency Words Checklist
    • Audio tapes
    • Anecdotal Notes
    WRITING
    • Rubrics
    • Writing Samples
    • Writing Checklists
    • Anecdotal Notes
    WORDS
    • Developmental Spelling Inventory
    • Anecdotal Notes
    • High Frequency Words Checklist
    WRITING SAMPLES
      When looking at a student's writing sample to determine his level of word knowledge, look at his spelling of high-frequency words and his attempts at spelling unfamiliar words. Use the same guide for his attempts as outlined in the word strategy checklists guide. It is sometimes easier to obtain a growth record by using the same focused topic for each writing. There should be no assistance offered. The first draft copy are to be assessed.
      • K- What I Do With My Family
      • 1-  My Favorite Things To Do
      • 2- What I Like To Do At School
      • 3- An Animal I Would Like To Have For A Pet
      • 4- A Fun Day I Have Had
      • 5- If I Could Travel Into the Future
      • 6- If I Could Nominate Someone For An Award


      This same piece can be used to check for growth on the developmental writing scale and the ISTEP rubrics. (Blackburn-Cramp Rubric is to be use for K and first semester of first grade, ISTEP rubric is used for all others: available at http://ideanet.doe.state.in.us/assessment/pdf)

      Remember you are looking for individual growth in each student not comparisons to other children. Keep examples for review with the parents and so you can make informed decisions on the children's progress. Record the score for each piece on the Writing Assessment Record and retain a copy of the May writing for the running records folder that will be passed on to the next grade.  All of the previous graded pieces should remain in the folder throughout the child's school career.

    Word Strategy Checklists
    Dictate the following words for your students to spell.
    • monster
    • united
    • dress
    • bottom
    • hiked
    • human
    • eagle
    • closed
    • bumped
    • type
    This test was developed by Gentry.

    Students are not expected to spell all the words correctly.  Use their attempts to determine at what stage in their spelling development they are.

    Precommunicative Stage:
    Spelling at this stage contains scribbles, circles, and lines with a few letters thrown in at random.  These letters are usually just there and any connection between these letters and the words they are thinking is pure coincidence.
    Semiphonetic Stage:
    The second stage can be seen when words begin to be represented by a letter or two. The word monster may be written with just the m or an mr or a mtr. Type might be spelled with just a t or tp.  This stage indicates that the child is beginning to understand letter-sound relationships and knows the consonant letters which represent some sounds.
    Phonetic Stage:
    In the third stage, vowels appear--not necessarily always the right vowels, but vowels are used and most sounds are represented by at least one letter. Phonetic spellings of monster might include munstr and mostr. Type will probably be spelled tip. You can usually tell when a child is in the phonetic stage because you can read most of what children in this stage write.
    Transitional Stage:
    In this stage all sound are represented and the spelling is usually a possible English spelling, just not the correct spelling. Monster in this stage might be spelled monstir or monstur. Type is probably spelled tipe.
    Conventional Stage:
    Finally, the child reaches the stage of conventional spelling in which most words which a child at that grade level could be expected to spell correctly are spelled correctly.
    You should use this same guide as well as the writing rubric to determine progress in writing.

    RUNNING RECORDS

    A GUIDE TO TAKING RUNNING RECORDS: AN ASSESSMENT TOOL
    • Running records are taken one-to-one
    • Recorder is "neutral observer;" no prompting or teaching
        • Four permissible teacher interventions:
        • telling the passage title;
        • revealing a problem word (after a pause) if it cannot be recognized;
        • requesting to "try that again;" saying "you try it" after an appeal for help.
    • Use blank sheet for greater recording flexibility
    • Record all behaviors observed
    • Purpose determines seen or unseen text
    • Establish accuracy level and self-correction rate
    • Analyze sources of information used (meaning, structure, visual)
    • Summarize information
    • Plan next learning steps
    I created my own running record last year by using a grade appropriate text that my students had not read yet. I use a story called ALL IN FUN. I called each of my students up individually and had them read the book to me. I coded their errors according to the following list. Then I asked them comprehension questions as well. It was a very good tool to assess what reading strategies my students were using and how well they comprehended. Any text will do as long as it is on grade level and the students have not been exposed to it before.

    There are also many companies with ready made running record tests. Next year are whole corporation is doing 4-blocks and we decided to adopt the Developmental Reading Assessment from Pearson Learning.

    TALLYING ERRORS AND SELF-CORRECTIONS
    Total each line separately going across the line of text. If a line is error and SC free, leave the error and SC column blank.
  • An uncorrected substitution, omission, or insertion counts as one error.
  • Unsuccessful multiple -attempts on one word count only as one error.
  • An error on a proper noun is counted only on the first error.  Subsequent errors on that proper noun are coded but not tallied.
  • If a word is mispronounced due to a speech problem or a dialect, it is coded but not counted as an error.
  • Repetitions are coded but are not errors.
  • Waits are coded but are not errors.
  • Sounding the first letter is coded but does not count as an error if the word is subsequently read correctly.
  • TTA =1 error
  • Told = 1 error
  • Appeal that is not corrected is an error
  • Self-Corrections are not errors, even after an appeal.  They are not included in the error column.
  • Contractions count as I error.
  • Each insertion counts as an error so that you could have more errors than text.
  • Inventing -just write invention at the top of the page unless ust one page was invented - then count each error.
  • Skipped line - each word counts as an error.
  • Skipped page - subtract the number of words on that page.  Do not count as an error.  When in doubt, give the child the benefit of the doubt.
    • Calculating Accuracy and Self-Correction Rates
     
    Error rate Percent Reading Accuracy Reading Level
    1:200 99.5 Easy
    Appropriate for independent reading.
    1:100 99
    1:50 98
    1:35 97
    1 :25 96
    1:20 95 Instructional
    Appropriate for guided reading.
    1:17 94
    1:14 93
    1:12.5 92
    1:11.75 91
    1:10 90
    1:9 89 Difficult
    Appropriate for shared reading and reading to children.
    1:8 87.5
    1:7 85.5
    1:6 83
    1:5 80
    1:4 75
    1:3 66
    Schedule for Assessment
    • August/September - Use a concepts of print checklist to check for basic concepts.  Do a running record on each child and a writing sample.
    • October - Reassess using the concepts of print checklist, also begin to check for phonemic awareness, word learning of Word Wall words and using letter sounds to decode new words.
    • November - Reassess those who had difficulty with October assessment.  Do a reading fluency recording on each child.
    • January - Do a running record on each child, do a writing sample and look for word strategies as well as assess using rubric, do a word strategy test to see what spelling stage the students are at.
    • March - Readminister the assessments done in January.  Note those that are still having difficulty.
    • April - Assist students who are, having problems by using coaching sessions that concentrate on. specific areas (i.e. - graphophonemic, contextual, etc.). Do a reading fluency recording for each child.
    • May - Reassess all students with a running record, writing sample and word strategy test.


    *Remember that you are continually assessing using daily checklists and anecdotal notes.
    ______________________________________________________

    Here is a copy of the Blackburn-Cramp Developmental Writing Scale that is referred to in my assessment document.
     

    Blackburn-Cramp Developmental Writing Scale

    Level 1

    • Child draws a picture in response to a prompt and can verbalize about it.
    • Child draws a picture and can talk about his or her picture.
    • Child draws a picture but cannot verbalize about the picture.
    • Child attempts to write scribbles or draws picture.
    • Uncontrolled scribbling.
    Level 2
    • Alphabet letters and mock letters are in a line across the page.
    • Child writes alphabet and mock letters around the page.
    • Child writes mock letters.
    • Child pretends to write.
    Level 3
    • Letters don't match sounds.
    • Child writes letter strings.
    • Child copies words she/he sees around the room.
    • Child dictates to another person and then copies what is dictated.
    Level 4
    • Child writes letters in word grouping and can read it back.
    • Child writes letters to convey a message and can read it back.
    • Child dictates one (+) sentences, copies, reads it back and still remembers it the next day.
    • Child dictates one or more sentences, copies it, and can read it back.
    • Child dictates one or more sentences and copies it.
    Level 5
    • Child begins to use spaces between words.
    • Child uses familiar words and invented spelling to convey a short simple message.
    • Child uses initial consonants to represent words.
    • Child uses labels for his/her pictures.
    • Child writes familiar words.
    Level 6
    • Child begins to write 2-3 sentences using a simple pattern of 3-4 words.
    • Child uses invented spelling and some conventional spelling.
    • Child writes a single, factual, understandable sentence independently.
    Level 7
    • Child begins to use capitalization & simple punctuation, often in random fashion.
    • Child uses both phonetic and sight strategies to spell words.
    • Child writes some sentences related to topic and some not related to topic.
    • Child writes short, simple sentences that are not in a pattern form.
    • Child writes sentences of more than 4 words following a pattern.
    Level 8
    • Child writes the start of a story.
    • Mistakes in grammar, mechanics and usage may detract from clarity & meaning.
    • Child begins to use more conventional spelling.
    • At least two thoughts follow one another in logical sequence.
    • Child writes sentences with random ideas related to prompt.

    I hope this helps.

    Angie

    Here are my daily record sheets.

    Peer Evaluation
    Print Concepts
    SSR Conference Form
    Self-Selected Reading Conference Record
    Editing Self-Evaluation
    Writing Assessment Record
    Writing Rubric



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