Education-Reading Assessment Essay

In determining books for elementary-grade children, it is important that I consider their curriculum as well as the level of their understanding and interest. Children have different interests. By this time, they are also starting to read on their own. Thus, books that they can read-along with, with subjects that they can associate with and learn from are my best choices. Not all elementary-grade children will like the same books. For children to develop interest in reading, it is also essential for them to be able to choose the books that they like. Thus, I should have several books tackling different subjects which children can choose from. If I must present or read a book aloud, I should try to choose something that can also be incorporated with sound effects such as animal or character stories. This way, I can get the attention of the children while we read. 2. Describe a creative way to document writing progress. Cite sources that you used to help you create this method. A good way to document writing progress is through a student journal. Students will be asked to keep a daily account according to specific instructions that will be given to them throughout the week. For example, for week one, they are going to write 100-word personal essays about a tangible thing. They are supposed to talk about one different thing for each day. Then, for week two they are going to write 100-word persuasive essays about anything that they think they should persuade people to believe, and so on. This method tackles the different areas of writing progress. It helps the students improve their writing vocabulary because of the daily exercise. It also entitles the students an exercise of the different aims of writing. The students will also be able to be sensitive about instructions while on the process of composing. According to the National Assessment Governing Board of the US Department of Education (2007), students need to know the definite expectation in their compositions. This does not only help them come up with more competitive essays that will mark higher, it will also make it easier for the teacher to streamline the evaluation and grading criteria. Busch, Hall and Lembke (2007) agree, stating that curriculum-based monitoring criteria are effective in measuring improvement of students. A journal is also a creative way to make the students write without pressure, instead of giving them daily writing seatwork which can give them the impression that they are pressured and tired. 3. How can you monitor children’s growth in spelling? Why have you chosen this method for monitoring? Curriculum-based monitoring (CBM) to measure spelling progress is a good method for assessing the improvement in children’s spelling. This can be done by dictating a list of words to spell to students. The words should match their current vocabulary level. Students are then expected to write down the words. A time limit will be necessary. (Busch, Hall and Lembke 2007) In scoring spelling activities using the CBM method, the words may be scored two ways. One is with correct spelling and another is through letter sequences, where letters placed in the correct sequence gets points. In this method, the total score is the total number of letters in the word—and each word is scored separately. With proper implementation, it is effective in gauging and monitoring the current level of a student’s spelling abilities. It is also creative and encouraging in such as way that students will not get frustrated over low spelling marks. Because they will realize that there are some words that they did not get correctly, they are encouraged to try harder for the next exercise. In the process, the students do not only see that their spelling was wrong, they also know what went wrong and how to remedy it. 4. Find a reading formula that you think you could use with a struggling reader. Name the formula. What have researchers written about the formula? Why do you think it will be productive? The Spache readability formula is a good tool for struggling readers. Dawson (nd) states that it matches readers up to the third grade, which makes the text easier for struggling readers of all levels as compared to texts which used the Dale-Chall formula. Moreover, Welna (nd) asserts that Spache matches actual classroom reading levels and is widely used. Coping with a struggling reader requires both patience and proper metrics. The use of Spache will not only ensure that the reader is starting at an early level, it also introduces new words and increases vocabulary. As the readers goes along, the Spache level of reading materials can be increased accordingly to introduce newer words and more complex sentences. Struggling readers need encouragement and one way that they can get this is with step by step reading guidance and monitoring. By introducing reading materials that are one score step at a time according to the Spache formula, the reader will slowly develop his reading skills. He will also feel positive about reading if he realizes that he is slowly conquering his own difficulties. On a technical note, because Spache is widely used, the reader is also assured that the level of reading metrics that he is achieving is similar with the skills developed in other students. References Busch,T. , Hall, T. , and Lembke, E. 2007. Using CBM for progress monitoring in written expression and spelling. Retrieved September 2, 2008, from http://www. studentprogress. org/summer_institute/2007/Written/ProgressMonitoring-Writing_2007. pdf Dawson, J. nd. How to choose the best readability formula for your document. Retrieved September 2, 2008, from http://www. streetdirectory. com/travel_guide/15675/writing/how_to_choose_the_best_readability_formula_for_your_document. html National Assessment Governing Board of the US Department of Education. 2007. Writing framework and specifications for the 2007 national assessment of educational progress. Retrieved September 2, 2008, from http://www. nagb. org/frameworks/writing-framework-07. pdf