Chapter 3 and 13 were pretty good reads. Chapter 3 was based on assessments. Most of this we already read and learned about in many previous education courses. This chapter lists the type of assessments, formal, informal, formative, and summative. Then on page 44, there is a chart that provides a list of formal and informal assessments, which I thought was simple to look at and understand. This chapter even list tests that are available. Miscue analysis is discussed on page 52 and 53. I have heard about this type of assessment from my mentor and my past instructors so I thought it was great that I could read more about this type of assessment as well as see examples. I do still wonder how teachers give these informal assessments to each child while keeping the rest of the class busy and learning at the same time. Especially miscue analysis and I think it would get confusing and hard to keep up with running records. Then as I continued reading I came across MSV! This made me have a flash back to Reading and Language Arts Methods course! It is a great strategy to use though and I am happy to know more about it.
Chapter 13 is what I would call spot on. It is all about tutoring. There are 5 different types of tutors (which I did not know) each varying on the level of knowledge which makes sense. This chapter also talks about the benefits of tutoring, which I am pretty sure Mrs. Stoppel also basically said the same thing the book does in a previous meeting. The book states that the benefits of tutoring is the one-on-one instruction and designing lessons as needed for the skills that need more work. On page 347, the chapter discusses reading recovery. I have just recently learned about this within the last week so I thought it was fabulous that this was included in the chapter for me to read. The goal of the reading recovery is to help struggling readers to read at their grade level as soon as possible. I think this would be a fabulous and very rewarding job and would actually like to know more about this. Sadly, it is very expensive so very few schools do have this program. Then starting on page 348, the chapter talks about planning for the tutoring session, what should be done during each session, and so on. There is great information in these two chapters.
I am also confused as to how we can do these assessments all the time and still teach other students. I saw running records completed a couple of times at my internship last semester. The teacher did them during guided reading time, so many of the students were at centers, and the student being assessed was at the guided reading table. The students who were supposed to be at guided reading that day just went to centers. Some students only get guided reading once or twice a week at my school, so I feel skipping a session is detrimental to their learning. Our school has several people who come in to assess the children all the time. For example, the Title I teachers are constantly pulling students out into the hallway for assessment. Although this is helpful to the classroom teacher, it is also disruptive and pulls kids away from their learning experiences. I guess nothing is perfect and we will have to do the best we can!
I am with you on Chapter 3 being very familiar. It is nice to get a refresher of the many kids of assessments that are out there to use though. There is a large amount of them that we could use during tutoring it looks like. I was not aware of the 5 different tutors either and actually started my blog on Chapter 13 with that also. It is nice that you got the opportunity to learn about Reading Recovery. It seems like a great method if a school can afford to do it. I have actually never heard of any of these types of methods, but would like to know more. This chapter definitely had a lot of helpful information for us and broke lessons down simply for us to see.
Danielle, I was also glad to read chapter 13. You also mention the Reading Recovery program. My son was part of the Reading Recovery program in our school and it is absolutely wonderful. Like the text says, they write their own short two or three sentence story. He would bring home his story and read it to me several times and then take it back. I really liked that the stories were about his life which is obviously more exciting for kids. Most of the stories were funny because he has a great sense of humor and is very adventurous. The program helped him tremendously. If you have the opportunity to teach Reading Recovery one day you should! I think it would be very rewarding to see so many students reach their grade level because of your efforts. :)
This chapter was all about tutoring, and it made me feel both more confident and more nervous about our upcoming sessions. First, there are several different types of tutors: reading specialists, certified teachers, paras, computer-assisted, and web-based. To be a reading specialist you have to have a master’s degree in reading, and the job title incorporates many different responsibilities other than just working with struggling readers. Reading specialists may plan and deliver training for staff, coordinate assessment and intervention, serve as a school or district resource, and provide instruction. Learning a little bit more about reading specialists made me realize that, after completing my undergraduate degree in elementary education, I will not have all the answers to help struggling readers. I will have quite the tool belt, but my tools will not be as big or well used as a reading specialist’s. And that is all right!
I have also heard of a title called “reading interventionist,” which this chapter didn’t mention, but I believe is a certified teacher without a master’s degree that has been trained by a specialist. One thing I was surprised to learn is about “tutor fatigue.” Because tutors are always assessing and analyzing a struggling reader’s actions, they can become taxed quickly. Paras can also be trained to tutor. Computer-assisted tutoring is where the computer can be used as a tutor or tool in the sessions. I was interested in Reading CAT, a program that analyzes miscues and recommends strategies relevant to the student. It seems like it would make assessment quicker and easier for the tutor/teacher.
After reading the description of what a Reading Recovery session may look like, I believe it is the most similar to what we will be doing in our own sessions. The sample tutoring plan on p. 349 matches Reading Recovery quite well. It was comforting to look at the plan and realize that it is easy to follow and it will be simple to record reflections.
Chapter 3
I began reading this chapter with a big sigh. Assessment…again? Although I recognize the importance of assessment in the classroom, I am beginning to feel like that is ALL I will be doing. Who’s going to have time to teach with all the assessments going on? For example, look at figure 3.20 – Mr. Green’s anecdotal record. We ARE going to have more than one student in our classes, right??
I am definitely familiar with all the techniques and strategies discussed in this text, but I will admit I learned many things while reading this chapter, or at least made connections that I have not made before. For example, miscue analysis and running records are both informal assessments but different procedures with different goals. It seems they both can help determine a student’s instructional level when scores are used quantitatively. But when you look at those scores qualitatively, you begin to get a bigger picture. Miscue analysis evaluates a reader’s miscues and focuses on if and/or how they disrupt meaning of the material. Running records seek to determine what sort of cues (semantic, syntactic, or graphophonic) a student uses when making the errors and then allows a teacher to plan instruction based on this information.
I will admit that I still do not like Cloze tests. I tried to complete the one on p. 59 and was stumped by some of the possible answers. I was also a little confused as to how there could be such a small percentage range for instructional reading level. Both individual and frustration levels have a range of about 40% while instructional only has a 20% range. However, I do see how useful Cloze tests could be when working on context clues.
Amy, I too can relate to the fact that after reading these chapters I am now excited and even more nervous than ever before. Realizing the variety of tutoring out there was new to me as well. I did not realize there was so much to know, understand, and roles a person can play to an individual, while tutoring them. I enjoyed reading your post and really related to much of your thoughts and personal feelings. Jennifer Willcott
I was familiar with a lot of the topics in Chapter 3. A good portion of it was in Curriculum & Assessment and Reading and Language Arts. Assessing is a key part of instruction though and know why it is in most all books. It gives teachers and tutors something to guide their instruction on, as the book stated. I did like getting to read and see figures of the different types of Informative Assessments that can be used, especially the Miscue Analysis since we are diving into that this week. All of them seem simple enough to conduct through out the year. They also seem to really help with finding what students struggle with. I really like the Cloze tests, I do feel that they can have multiple different answers on some parts which would make it a bit difficult, but I think students could learn a lot with Sight Words and current vocabulary through this type of test. The other section I enjoyed was of Portfolios since we will be using one of these in tutoring. I have never had the opportunity to use or see one so the section gave me some insight of how to use them while in session.
Chapter 13 was a very informative chapter, for obvious reasons. I was not aware there were different types of tutoring. I am curious on if our tutoring is based on any of these methods. Breaking the lesson plans and the sessions down helped me understand what I am supposed to do during my sessions. One of my biggest concerns is how to make sure I'm getting everything in each session that's is supposed to be there. The chapter helps answer some of those questions. It will be a chapter I have to come back on from time to time I have a feeling. It does seem like we are starting our sessions differently, with testing, than what the book stated. Is this correct? All in all this was a great chapter that helped me gain some understanding of what is expected during my tutoring.
I agree that it was nice to see the different assessments that are used, both formal and informal. I know that working as a Para educator for the past 6 years has really helped me to see first hand most of the assessments that were discussed. However, I also share the same concern as you in regards to tutoring. I am nervous about getting all of the right teaching tools in my sessions and also with not planning enough, or planning too much. I guess these are concerns that all new educators are faced with though. :)
Chapter 3 This chapter discussed the roles and uses of assessments. This included diagnostic tests such as oral reading and informal assessments. It is always important to remember that when doing assessments on students the person doing the assessment understands the types of miscue analysis such as: substitutions, mispronunciations, repetitions, omission etc. In figure 3.10 – it gives examples of each these miscue analysis. This chapter covered a great deal of assessment guidelines and expectations but as of right now I do not have any questions. I am a bit overwhelmed but I think once I am doing it and practice I will be able to understand it a lot better. The reading allowed me to reflect back to when I was substitute teaching one time and I was helping with timed reading assessments. That experience really allowed me the opportunity to understand what is involved with reading assessments. Not only that but I was interning for English and Language Arts last Fall when students timed and assessed each other in reading passages. This was a great way to encourage students to see their improving scores and practice reading with their peers.
Chapter 13 It was until this class that I learned there was much more than a “tutor” than I ever imagined. Chapter 13 was just another example and benchmark into my own understanding of what exactly a tutor does, is, the credentials that they must have, and the abilities and knowledge that is expected of them. I also did not realize that tutors are: certified teachers, paraprofessionals, computer-assisted, web-based. Then there are the amazing tutoring sessions and the fact that it has “getting started” for the first few sessions was great to read and I will definitely utilize! Question: Are you wanting us to keep a record of the books we read to the students as they have in figure 13.9? I do not have much tutoring experience, but I have worked with children for seven years. I was tutored in math growing up but I do not ever remember having been tutored with guidelines, activities, and so forth as we have learned in this class and book. I think that the lesson plans will be great, allow the students to have a better organized and easy to follow structure and hopefully really make the difference in a students learning success!
Jennifer, I agree this class has make me realize how important it is to be a successful tutor and that there is more to it than one though. I too do not remember the guidelines being used as stated in the text even with schools today. Most tutors are paras that have no education.
I really like how chapter 3 broke down all the assessments and told whether the assessments were formal or informal assessments. This chapter gave you a total breakdown of what is expected out of students when they are being assessed. It is very important to correctly assess the student as to give them the best possible chance at showing us their abilities. Diagnostic test, ones that we will do in our tutoring sessions, are tests that will tell the strengths and weakness of the student. This will allow the tutor to build upon the weaknesses and strive with the strengths. One of the benefits of knowing the student’s weaknesses is that maybe the one thing standing in their way of becoming an independent reader. In chapter 13, two things really stuck with me. The text says that tutoring has two benefits the first being that each session is based on individual needs of the student and the second being the reader gets instant feedback. Tutoring can really help someone overcome their struggles and become a confident reader. I am excited to start tutoring and hope that I can help. The successful of our tutoring can change someone life. The one thing that scares me is that throughout this chapter it has said that tutors should be qualified and trained by reading specialists. I am not sure that I am quite there yet. Both of these chapters gave a detail instruction on how to properly assess and tutor your students. Most of the information was repeated from other class but it was good to have a brief overview before tutoring begins.
I totally agree with you as you are talking about the benefits of tutoring. I am also excited! At first I was feeling a little bit worried, but after reading this chapter I felt that there is a huge benefit for both the reader and the tutor. The tutor gains experience and the reader will gain instant feedback and help. As for being qualified to tutor, I am sure we are more than ready. I tutored one student when I only had an associates degree and no teacher education courses! However, I do think these chapters did give us information (although it was repeated) to rely on, especially chapter 3 with the assessment information.
Hanna, Great post. I also think that the assessment process is very important because it tells where students’ are and their level. It is so important for classroom teachers to know where their students are at. I don't think that there are enough teachers that know their students’ weaknesses and strengths think that this chapter was very helpful since there is probably a lot of us that have not tutored students before and need help knowing how to go about it.
Hanna, I enjoyed reading your post. It was nice to hear someone else enjoyed how well the text laid out the information. I found it to be a great read. I also completely agree with your thoughts on how performing assessments correctly is highly important and how it directly affects the student. Just like you I am very excited to start tutoring myself.
1.Analysis of the reading/issue. Chapter three of the textbook Literacy Assessment &Intervention by B. Devries first discussed a variety assessment tests and how they differ from one another. There is a variety of assessment test that can be used and teachers must understand how the tests are used and which is best for a certain situation. There are some tests that will compare one student to another student and there are also tests that will determine the students level including how much they improved and what they may need to work on. This chapter of the textbook also explains how to score these tests so that they are useful. Since working with English learners is different than working with students that already understand the language the textbook also gives these details as well. The textbook also explains how students can also take an active role on keeping track of their progress.
2. Questions and/or contradictions about the reading/issue. How do other people feel about students keeping track of their own progress? I have seen students sometimes say they have read a book but really never completed it. I also wanted to discuss the “anecdotal record” with the class. This seems to be a very difficult process because the teacher has to be constantly taking notes on the students it seems like and if you have a class that has between 25 and 30 students this seems impossible, unless you record the students in small groups.
3. How did the reading reflect you or allow you to look at an issue differently? This chapter had a lot of useful information in it. This seems like there is a lot of assessments that I will have to be familiar with and know which assessment fits where. I am really nervous about doing assessments with my class because they are so important and there seems to be so many steps. After reading this chapter I could see more of the process of the assessments and the figures really helped me to visualize it.
4. Connecting the reading to you. Examples of your own experience. I really like the idea of having portfolios for students to keep. When I was younger I was always so proud of how much I achieved during the school. I was able to teach summer school this year and used this self progress report system. I would have the students take a timed test everyday (the same one) and the students would graph their score so that they could have a visual for their improvement or is they may need more practice.
1.Analysis of the reading/issue. Chapter thirteen of the textbook Literacy Assessment &Intervention by B. discussed the tutoring process. As described in the textbook there are a variety of tutors including, reading specialists, certified teachers, paraprofessionals, computer assisted tutoring and web-based tutoring (Devries, 343-347). This chapter also described some tutoring programs that benefit students. This chapter of the textbook also went over how to start a tutoring session and what the lesson plans could look like.
2. Questions and/or contradictions about the reading/issue. I do not have any question or contradictions for this chapter
3. How did the reading reflect you or allow you to look at an issue differently? This chapter of the textbook made me start thinking about different activities that I can include in my tutoring sessions. It also made me think that the tutoring sessions needs to be a gradual process. I can do a review at the beginning and something to bring the lesson all together at the end.
4. Connecting the reading to you. Examples of your own experience. This chapter of the textbook made me think of activities that I can bring into my tutoring sessions. I will be starting off with a review at the beginning (vocab), then we will review what the students know about the subject we are learning about, we will then do a activity and then have read aloud at the end.
Chapter 3 and 13 of DeVries was very helpful at this point of the course. Chapter 3 was a great refresher of available assessments out there for educators. Chapter 3 did a positive job of discussing assessment in a clear and understandable manor. I have read several texts regarding assessments and they have made the topic confusing for me. I also enjoyed the examples provided within this chapter over miscue analysis. Figure 3.10 was very helpful in providing a visual as well as definitions for each piece of miscue analysis. I now have a clear picture of how to document and label data collected while performing a miscue analysis with a student. Chapter 3 assisted me with connecting the dots of assessments and more specifically miscue analysis. I had heard this form of assessment discussed but did not have a clear picture of the assessment. In Chapter 13 I found great tips as a tutor in the area of literacy. I enjoyed reading how to plan and conduct a tutoring session. Just like in Chapter 3 I found the information provided to be clear and easy to comprehend. It was helpful to read chapter 13 prior to engaging in tutoring myself this semester. The lesson plan in figure 13.4 was helpful and provided a great visual for me to access when formatting my own lesson plans. The session two lesson plan was also very helpful in figure 13.6. One interesting fact I gathered from this reading assignment is the amount of money tutoring costs schools. I did not stop to think of the cost of a certified teacher conducting small tutoring sessions within the school day. I see how this could be costly for schools. However I see how not implementing these tutoring sessions can be costly for the students.
Jade, I was also very pleased with the section in chapter three over miscue analysis. I think you said it right, that it "connects the dots" and makes it easy to understand as well as use as a resource during our tutoring sessions. I think chapter thirteen will be used a lot this semester! It was so helpful and will be a great tool for lesson plans. I never stopped to realize that tutoring could cost so much money, either. But you are right, it is very worth it and a necessity to get students the help the deserve.
Chapter three was all about assessment. The different types of assessments were discussed, such as formal and informal, and then they broke it down into smaller categories from there. A lot of this chapter was review for me but there was a bunch of new information as well. At first thought, I tend to think negatively about standardized testing. However, this chapter reminded me of all the advantages that standardized tests can have. They can tell us whether or not an individual student needs additional testing, as it may not have been recognized before. Reliability and validity are also an advantage of these formal assessments. This chapter did leave me a little overwhelmed, I think due to the fact that there was so much information. But I did appreciate all the figures throughout the chapter that broke down individual tests and made it easy to see a quick view of what certain tests contain, or do for us. I also liked the broken down directions on how to prepare and administer certain tests. I thought there were great directions for the miscue analysis and I appreciated the refresher over the types of miscues and what exactly to look for and how to mark them, as noted in figure 3.10. I think I need to go back through and reread the section on running records. I am still very confused on that and it seems like a lot of work if you are working with more than one student. One of my favorite things in this chapter was the book logs. I think it is important for students to understand what they really like, not just what they think they like; a book log can help them do that! I think it would be a great tool as a teacher, or even for a parent, to use to help understand their student’s preferences and personalities.
I was really glad to read chapter thirteen this week! It has helped me understand the tutoring process and will be a great resource throughout the semester. I even tabbed a few pages so that I know exactly where to go if I need some help. The text kept mentioning that tutoring sessions should be thirty to forty-five minutes in length, and with ours being an hour I hope I can keep my tutees engaged and excited to be there. Mrs. Stoppel and chapter thirteen have stressed the importance of being prepared with materials and proper lesson plans, as well as a routine or structured sequence for each session. With these items, I should have nothing to worry about in regards to keeping my students attention and focus! One of the most interesting things in this chapter was the study over videoconference tutoring. I had thought about this when we first talked about finding tutees, because I know my niece could really use some additional help. However, she lives about a thousand miles from me and the only way to do it would be to use Skype. I’m not exactly sure how it would work, but it has proven to be successful. And if we can earn a whole degree online over the course of several years, why wouldn’t a student benefit from a few online tutoring sessions? It’s very intriguing to me. I was also thrilled with the appendix A and suggestions throughout the text for good literature to use. I am always looking for new ideas and want to make sure that I am choosing worthwhile texts, so I hope this helps point me in the right direction.
Abbie- I think, at least for me, reading Chapter 13 has not only better prepared me for what lies ahead when tutoring, but it also gave me the information as to why it is so important and why it needs to be done correctly. I am also one that highlights and places tabs in my books for quick future reference. The DeVries text is one I will definitely keep close by not only for tutoring, but also when I get into my own classroom!
I also liked the time schedules and descriptions given in Chapter 13. I think we will have a little longer to spend on the different areas. I am a bit the opposite of you and am afraid of not having enough time! This chapter helped me feel a little more prepared for my tutoring sessions. One of my students is really excited to begin!
It is really funny because even though I have worked as a Para educator for the past 6 years there were some both informal and formal assessments that I had not remembered, or even seen before. I really feel like I learned a lot by reading both of these chapters. In the school where I work they do IDL's, which is basically a lesson with up to three schools on a subject. Last week third grade did "Spiders". During this lesson the teacher that is giving the lesson can communicate and see the other schools. I absolutely love when they have IDL learning because it is a technology that the students really get into. I thought of this when you mentioned tutoring your niece and how you wish there was a way you could do that. Charelle
Hi Charelle, The IDL's sound very neat and interesting! I have never heard of that before and I wonder how many other schools/ districts take part in something like this? I can really see kids getting into it and how it would be new and exciting, probably a needed break from the norm! Can all the students see each other and communicate with one another as well?
Charelle, We would love some more info on the IDL's as they sound very neat. I take it from you post that there is lots of technology integrated into an IDL. Do you think that the lessons could stand alone or are they dependent on the use of technology? I love using technology in my lessons but in my opinion it needs to add to the lesson but not control the lesson. By that I mean that you should be able to teach the lesson with our technology and then find ways of introducing it to help make the lesson more adaptable and fun for the kids. Just my 2 cents:)
Our elementary school has their IDL's set out of the home base school that has two different IDL teachers. The classroom teacher sets up different lessons in advance and if other schools have that same date then all of the schools join together. We have a webcam that makes it to where we can hear all of the schools, but we can only see the IDL teacher. They do it mostly for Science and Social Studies. The IDL teacher always has really neat hands on activities to teach the students about the chosen topic. I will visit with the teacher that is in charge of setting up the dates and times for the IDL's and e-mail you the information, just in case it is something you would want to look into in the future for your classroom. The student's absolutely love it!
Chapter 3 was great for learning how to use and administer miscue analysis and how to score them. It also gave a brief description of how to keep running records, how to make a cloze tests, a maze test and how to keep anecdotal records, checklists, rubrics and portfolios. It also included interest surveys and attitude surveys. In chapter 13 DeVries mentions research found that children who are not reading by third grade have higher chances of dropping out before graduating from high school (p343). This is exactly why it is so important to get help for struggling readers. DeVries also mentions that college students are the most effective tutors. I appreciated the listing of the four components that should be in a tutoring session on page 345. Reflection is very important so that adjustments can be made to the instruction for the next session. The last part of the chapter serves as a guide for each session as well as ELL students. I do not have any questions now. I am more comfortable after reading these two chapters. I am excited to get started, but a little nervous at the same time. The parents returned the enrollment forms today and after looking them over, it makes me a little nervous. The parents have very specific items they would like to see improvement in with their child. I hope I do not disappoint. It will be a great learning experience for all of the students and for me. I wish I were a little more confident, but it is a learning experience.
Patti- I too found Chapter 13 full of useful information for us as we prepare to begin tutoring. I am more excited now with reading this chapter and preparing our tri-folds. I feel more comfortable, like you said, now that we have gone over the miscue analysis more thoroughly. I actually read Chapter 13 first and then did the records where we practiced doing the miscue analysis and found that reading about it first really prepared me for actually doing it.
I agree with everyone that chapter three was very comfortable to me since it was covered in both of my previous methods courses and in curriculum and assessment. I think that we cover so much on assessment because it can be you biggest asset in your tool box if you know how to use it appropriately. There are many different types of assessment, as we saw in chapter 3 of the DeVries text, and each one of them has a place in our new classrooms. There will be no “ultimate assessment tool” that will fit all children and situations. Formal as well as informal assessments will play a huge role in how we are all analyzing our affectedness. We must remember that assessments aren’t just for seeing what the student has learned but also how affective our teaching strategies were and what we need to tweak next time. Chapter 13 was much more alien to me the chapter 3 but I still felt comfortable with the teachings in this chapter. As I’ve said before my son is severely dyslexic (Poor kid ties his shoes backwards I have been tutoring him since 1st grade and since 3rd grade using a multi-sensory system that uses tiles to incorporate muscle memory and kinesthetics in learning to read. I also tutor my 1st grader using this same system. She was asked to use blank tiles to spell cat using only her phonemic awareness, then we added the phonics with lettered tiles and then she drew a picture of the word and finally she spelled the word by writing it. We follow this same pattern in each new step. My sons is much more complicated at the 4th grade level but started out the same and ends in reading a 1 page story using only words that he has learned the rules for. This has helped greatly with his fluency.
I agree with you that no one assessment tool will fit every child and all situations. I also felt that chapter three helped me to review assessments material that had been previously reviewed in other classes. It does help me to re-read the information. I am so glad you provided what strategies you use with you children; the activities are ones that can be used during out tutoring sessions. Thank you for sharing this information!
After reading chapter three I feel I have a better understanding of what assessments are and how they can be used to determine the needs of the student. For me it was helpful to read the chapter after watching the recorded instructional sessions as I felt I understood the material and could relate it to what was discussed in the recordings. I found the section on miscue analysis informative; it helped me to read more about how to assess miscue analysis. I did notice some differences in what conventions were used from the text book and the recording. One question I would have is can first grade students understand after listening to their recorded readings what errors they may have had. If a first grade student is not familiar with the word will they understand that they stated it incorrectly? The maze test gave me an idea for an activity regarding what word to use in a sentence; this could be created into a game in relation to the book the students will read during the tutoring session. In my own experience I have observed the DIBELS assessment and this will be helpful when I am the one administering the assessment. After reading chapter thirteen I realized that I knew little about the different kinds of tutors and what training a tutor may have prior to working with a child. I found the computer assisted tutoring helpful, especially with the time constraints faced by teachers. I found the information on Reading Recovery informative; I had hear of Reading Recovery but knew little about the program. It is sad to think of how this program is effective but is expensive for schools who are already strapped financially. It seems there should be some financial assistance for schools if improvement is needed in reading. I did find difference between the time frame of our tutoring sessions and those mentioned in the text book. Over all this chapter helped me to see the importance of a tutor and how much planning is needed prior to each tutoring session.
Honestly, before reading Chapter 3 in our DeVries this week I had NO IDEA there were so many different types of assessments! I thought this week's Chapter 3 tied in so perfectly to what we have been learning and hearing about as we prepare to begin tutoring our students. It was nice to see and be able to compare the BEAR and the DIBELS assessments. I am not sure what type of assessments we use in my county in Maryland, but really feel that this chapter has given me a greater background on these two. I do know in my county that we do Running Record assessments. I never knew what it entailed, but Chapter 3 describe it perfectly for me. I loved all the information on Miscue Analysis. Between reading about it, the example chart in Figure 3.11, and what Ms. Stoppel has been teaching us all came together for me. Seriously though there was so much information on assessments in this chapter I was overwhelmed by the time I started reading about Maze Tests, Cloze Tests, and Anecdotal Records. My favorite part though this week was the reading over Tutoring in Chapter 13. I found it interesting the difference in a literacy coach, reading intervention teacher, a reading supervisor/coordinator, and a reading specialist! Who would have known there were so many different reading specialists with different responsibilities. I have to say that the computer-assisted tutoring was something new to me that I hadn't heard of before. For me, the most important information was the breakdown of the lesson plan for the tutoring sessions. One of THE BEST pieces of information I learned this week was on page 354 and was Figure 13.7. As a future teacher, as well as delivering tutoring session to my two students, I found the information on how to help your tutees tackle challenging words to be so valuable! I will be going over this again and again remembering how to help my students when they come upon a word they don't know. As Dr. Walizer told us in RLA....NEVER give them the word! We had to even take an "oath". *giggle* There are so many strategies to give your students to help them get that word they are stuck on...unless of course you are doing a time diagnostic.
I enjoyed these chapters too, LeAnn. I agree there was a lot of information. I had trouble with the cloze and maze tests but I think if I were to just sit down and focus on them alone one day I would understand them more. I found chapter 13 to be very informative. I was curious what all the reading titles meant as well, and thought they did a great job bringing it to layman's terms. You and I have some of the same things that we talked about, like the lesson plans. I found them to be amazing help! Oh my goodness how funny I even talked about the oath(too funny). Great minds think alike! Have a great week and good luck.
I was so excited to read chapter 13 this week. As I have said already, I have started a new job in Title One Reading and this chapter has really clarified a lot of my questions. I have found that I enjoy giving assessments and also reading/analyzing the data to better understand the areas they need help in and those that they have mastered. I am glad they take 3 different assessments and make a decision from the three to place Title One Reading or Math students. We use DIBELS at our school as one of our assessments. I had never heard of BEAR before I read this chapter. Have any of you ever used BEAR or seen it used? I like that it has a Language Arts section. When I did the DIBELS assessment last week I did not write out the sounding-out of words. We did not practice that when I was being trained. I do like the idea of recording it because it is difficult to score the assessments during the time they are reading it if they are fast readers. I liked the figure 3.11 on page 54 that is very helpful in breaking down what areas the student needs help in. I have not seen or administered cloze tests or maze tests; they seem confusing to me but I am sure if I dug deeper I would understand them. This year our principal is requiring that each classroom teacher start growth portfolios. They are focusing on growth more than they ever have in the past. I also like the best-work portfolios. I know that the fourth grade teachers have always used self-assessments for the class but I think this year a few more are going to add that to the growth portfolios to help with setting personal goals. At the beginning of chapter 3 Mr. Leu is choosing an assessment to administer but I think that it would be better as a whole school assessment. This would be beneficial in that it allows you to look at past assessments and compare growth, but if all the teachers are doing different things then how could you compare? Plus, I feel that if a child is familiar with how an assessment works they will perform better. I enjoyed chapter 13 as well and learned a lot. I would love to research more on computer assisted tutoring. The lesson plan example on page 349 was amazing as well as the other ones! It had everything right down to the minute and I thought the reflections were perfect. I feel after reading this chapter I have a better idea of how a tutoring session is supposed to go. The introduction ideas were great. I am nervous about one of my students I have to admit, he hates reading his mother said. So I feel a little pressure about her thinking I am going to change him. When I was reading the section on helping tutees tackle challenging words, I thought about the oath I took with Dr. Walizer last spring, do you remember the oath? I wished I could read this whole book before next week, it has been amazing help for my new job, making lesson plans, and preparing me for tutoring.
I love the idea of growth portfolios! As a parent I would enjoy seeing my children's growth during the year. I actually have done this with my son for his arts and crafts. I have also put some of his school work in it to. I am now starting one for my daughter as well! She is in preschool and I bet by the end of the year her progress will be exciting to see! As a teacher I would love to do this with my students when I become a teacher. I am thinking about doing this for my tutoring students this semester!
Chapter 3 was about assessments. It discussed the two types of assessments. These are formal and informal assessments. This chapter also went over the different types of tests. These include achievement test and diagnostic tests. Chapter 13 was about tutoring. This chapter went over different types of tutors, programs to help students and tutoring lesson plans. Also, it provided some examples of tutoring lesson plans and logs. After reading these two chapters I didn't have any questions concerning the information. Chapter 3 made me look differently at testing. I have never been a fan of testing at all. When I take test I get nervous and sometimes I end up doing poorly because of it. I think diagnostic tests are important to administer to students because they show students weaknesses and strengths. Another type of test that chapter 3 went over was cloze tests. Cloze tests have fill in the blanks that they students must figure out to make sure it makes sense. After reading these two chapters I couldn't help but reminiscence when I was in grade school and had to take standardized tests. I only remember that they were BORING, and I was so tired after taking them. When I was in third grade the test seemed to have taken all afternoon. While working at an elementary school I had the privilege to help proctor the state testing. It looks a lot different now, then what I remember from when I was little and it didn't take near as long. Also, the state test was on the computer, which is an added bonus!
I think that most people get nervous about testing. I have not met many people who have said that they enjoy taking tests. I think that is why it is so important to do the informal assessments on a regular basis. By doing this you are able to see how well a student is learning, and it is done in a way in which the student does not feel pressured as much as they might feel when taking a formal assessment.
Chapter 3 was an informative over assessments, both formal and informal. There were many examples of both types of tests that were given as a visula. I like the way the chapter did that because it helped me to see first hand the types of tests that were being discussed. I have worked as a Para for 6 years and many of these tests I have seen in our classroom, or thoughout the school. I have even administered a majority of them. I know every year for the formative tests the Para's are given a training on all of the do's and dont's when it comes to administering the test. In my role it is important that I am informed of the individual needs of a student. For example, in a Reading formative I may be able to read little Jimmy the question and answer choices, but not be able to do that with Sally Sue. My question is, in reference to administering informal classroom tests are they chosen only by the classroom teacher, or are there certain ones that the school chooses to use and the teacher must abide by those ones? Since we are administering tests to the students that we are tutoring I am very glad to have read this chapter. It really goes into detail about what assessments are, the differences between formative and informative, and provides examples of the different tests that are explained. My favorite part of this chapter reading was learning about miscue analysis, and the types of miscues. I think that is really important information. There were some things, like skipping a word, where I wouldn't have know whether to count that as a mistake or not. I am glad that figure 3.10 provides an example of how to administer a miscue analysis. Chapter 13 was provided valuable information in regards to tutoring and what is expected from us throughout this internship and our tutoring sessions. I could relate to the information on Paraprofessionals and was interested in the expectations of the role that they carry out. I thought it was interesting that the IRA requires two years of college with an amphasis on human development and educational processes. It left me wondering if a school can hire a Paraprofessional without these requirements? The reason I am wondering is because I am not so sure that a vast majority of the Para's that work for our school district meet these requirements. I am so glad there wasinformation about successful reading programs. I will definitely use this information and apply it to my tutoring sessions. I will be working with a pair of ESL twins during my tutoring this semester. I have worked with these students at the school where I am employed. My question with them is, because they are 4th graders I will be giving them an on level DIBELS assessment, but if they struggle with phonemic awareness and phonics will the results provide me with that information? In other words, if this is the skills that they need help in, will the results tell me just that? My most favorite part of this chapter was learning about successful reading programs that will guide me through this semester and also the visual examples of lesson plans.
Charelle, I agree with you the pictures that they provided in the text were very helpful. It has been my experience that while in the classroom the teacher is allowed to use any type of informal assessment that they want. Then again times are a changing. Ricky
Chapter 3 of the Literacy and assessment book discussed the many types of assessment that can be used in the classroom. Between the two different types of Formal consisting of the more "sit-down testing" type. With these formal tests one might think about year end testing that occurs or a summative test at the end of a unit. Then the informal tests which there are quite a few. These tests can be used at anytime throughout instruction. I have always looked at informal assessment as a way for a teacher to keep quick easy track of a students progress. Using informal tests is a great way to make a very consistent portfoliio for the student that shows how they did in many activities. There are many many different kinds of informal tests that can be used. Just some examples are the cloze test where the student must fill in the correct word into a paragraph with blank words. Another way to keep informal information is using checklist with specific task. Also using note cards or sheets of paper with the students name at top. When these things are kept on a clipboard for quick access it is always helpful.
Chapter 13 discussed the different types of tutors there are and then the different activities that can be done with tutors and tutees. Some of the most common types of tutors are paras and certified teachers. The text pointed out how the first couple of sessions may look between a tutor and a tutee giving ideas of activities. I enjoyed the section on the planning for a session. This is probably because I go get somewhat nervous the days leading up to an event where I have to do something new. With strong planning and being well prepared by the day of the event I always feel much better. These ideas may be something that I return to in the future for some ideas and just being more prepared. Ricky
I agree with you about feeling anxious when approaching a lesson or tutoring activity! If I have remained well-organized and have all of my materials organized and handy, that really puts my mind at ease. We began a new program at school next week, and I felt extremely unprepared because someone else had put my materials together. Good luck with your tutoring sessions!
Chapter 3 discusses assessments. There are two types of assessments that teachers use, which are formal and informal assessments. Formal assessments are standardized tests that have to be given under certain conditions, whereas informal assessments can be done through observation at any given time. Students will need to be given formative assessments in order to find out what the student knows and the areas the student needs to improve on. Summative assessments are given to students at the end of a lesson to see how well a student has improved since the formative assessment. I really liked that this chapter went through and describes many different ways in which to do informal assessments on your students. Informal assessments are a great way to find out if a student has any reading difficulties, find out what level of reading a student is at, find out how well a student likes or dislikes reading, monitoring progress of students, and help you plan your lessons. Chapter 13 discussed tutoring and was full of very helpful information. The one thing that really stuck out to me in this chapter was the need for us to make sure that as a teacher you are catering to the needs and interests of the students. This is important because when you find out what interests them you are more likely to be able to plan activities that they will enjoy, and motivate the student to want to read. The section in this chapter about planning and conducting the tutoring session was also very helpful. It discussed some activities you can do with your students to get a better understanding of their interests, as well as get to know one another better.
After reading the two chapters for this week, I feel even more ready to begin tutoring the students. Chapter 3 was a bit on the longer side, but had a lot of graphic visual aids to provide more detail about the assessments and how to grade them. I have actually been doing some miscue analysis already for my job as a para, so I have loved learning the right procedure for doing that. My special education teacher had me doing things slightly different, so now I feel comfortable trying some things that this chapter suggested. I think this chapter will come in handy when we begin our diagnostic testing next week.
Chapter 13 was an another great chapter to read, as it gave good tips on working with our group of students. I love the idea of the interest inventory so that I can help cater my lessons and activities to things that they can get excited about. I already know all of my students, as I was around them last year, but I still have so much more to learn about them. Also, I have seen the importance of getting to know students interests, as one of the 4th graders I am a para for gets so much more excited about reading when it's something that he enjoys. I have found a lot of pleasure in helping him find books about farming, animals, tractors, etc. Looking forward to putting this knowledge to work next week and the weeks to follow!
Carissa, I think that your experience as a para will be a great tool for you to rely on when you become a teacher. It's great to know that you've already had the experience with testing and that you're open to learning different ways to administer the tests. AS for chapter 13 I agree with you one hundred percent that it gives amazing tips on how to work with our group of students we'll be tutoring.
I envy your feeling of being ready. I feel very anxious about it. I have this feeling of dread knowing that the two boys I will be working with need so much assistance this semester. Because they have spent so much of their life moving from place to place they were able to slip through far too many cracks. They need a lot of assistance to get them from the 2nd to 5th grade level. They are both very smart and I hope that I can turn my nervousness into the excitement that you have.
re: interests I agree with you. I asked the boys what they were reading when I met them and they are working on their 1st chapter books but when they read comics they are at a higher level. I am going to try and work this in to the lessons I do.
Do you have any other tips as a para? I bet you have a lot you can share with those of us who do not have the classroom experience you have.
Chapter 3 in our text was really overwhelming to me as a future educator simply because it points out and gives details to the unlimited number of assessments that children will be taking. I'm thankful for the fact that it gave us a good understanding of the assessments as well as how to grade them and then what you do with the data because in my opinion we give students tests every year and then the data collected from the testing is just filed away and not used to benefit the student. I really enjoyed all the examples of the test and how teachers collect their data. As a future educator I will be revisiting this chapter for that reason.
Chapter 13 was short sweet and to the point which was great! Again, what a helpful chapter as we start into our tutoring sesisons in a couple weeks. I was thankful for the spelled out portion on lesson plans because one hour doesn't seem like a lot of time when you have three students to work with for tutoring. I think that this will really test our creativity on how we can keep students engaged and learning for the whole hour. I also really appriciated the sequence of the lesson which I plan to use for my sessions however I'll have to extend the time frame. I also really liked the sample lesson plans because it really helps seeing other peoples ideas to get my own creative juices flowing.
I was a little overwhelmed as well! I had no idea that there were so many different options when assessing your students. I agree that chapter 13 was helpful and gave so much useful information. Good luck in your sessions!
These two chapters were very interesting and informative. Chapter 3 was over Assessment and Chapter 13 is over Tutoring. I enjoyed reading through Chapter 3 because I was not aware of all the different kinds of assessment. I was particularly interested in reading Chapter 13 because I had a lot of questions about tutoring. It listed all the benefits of tutoring and the different types. I was not aware of all the types of tutoring until reading through the text. I never had any tutoring when I was growing up but during my RLA and Math internships last year the school had a special tutoring program so I was able to see some of what goes on there.
You are very fortunate to see how a tutoring program was ran! I have not had that luxury, so I am extremely new to this. I feel like I am ready and I am really excited to start. However, I really do wish I had experience so I had a better picture of how things work. I am thankful for all of the support from others and definitely our textbook!
Chapter 3 and 13 were both good chapters to read as part of out preparation for tutoring. Chapter 3 focuses on some of the assessments we will use as future educators. There were many that were reviewed in Reading and Language Arts Methods. This was a partial relief for me because it made the chapter not so overwhelming. It made much of the material seem less like a cold read and seemed to flush out many of my memories of last semesters methods course.
Chapter 13 was the one that let me with a cold sense of fear at the beginning. I do not have fear of working with my students, fear that I will not make a positive impact, or even fear that I will be unable to do the job. My fear lies in the unknown, the what if's and the what if I forget something thoughts. There is simply so much to do and this is all so new to me that I am scared that I will not be able to do my job to the best of my ability or desire.
I found that one of the things that was helpful for me were the lesson plans for tutoring and the step by step instructions. I liked that it broke lessons down into different sessions and encouraged reflection after the lesson. I feel this will be something that I might overdo but it was a good reminder.
My of my questions about these chapters are in the unknown. I do not know what it will be like working with my students after reading this section but I know where I want to head and how I want to shape my lesson sessions. I guess that is better than were I started.
You are not the only one that has that fear, trust me! I always think to myself about all of the things that I might not remember or something that I could have done better. Then, I have to remind myself that I think those things because I care so much. And, if you care that much, I think you will be awesome! Just remember to believe in yourself and your abilities. Also, we need to learn from our mistakes. Even long-term teachers reflect on themselves and find ways to get better. Good luck!
I thought that these two chapters were full of important information before we begin our tutoring. Chapter three was over assessment, which is important because that is what we are going to be doing. The first thing the reading did was make me think of all the ways that students can be assessed. There are many times teachers think the only way to access children are through standard pencil and paper tests. That is not the case, as our book and other courses have noted. I was new to quite a few things presented in the reading, but the one that I liked was the students “best-work portfolios.” I had never heard of this. I really like the idea of having these in my classroom. Also, I think it is important for the student to determine the information that goes in this portfolio. I really think that this would motivate students and it would maximize their potential. Chapter 13 made me think a lot, because I will be tutoring my students soon. It gave me a good insight on what I can do to help my students and help them achieve their maximum potential. One thing that semi-worries me is the book mentioned that tutors should be well trained before they begin tutoring and receive continual training throughout the year. I am not worried that I will do a bad job, but I have never tutored before like this. One thing I look at differently is the professionalism that goes into tutoring. I always thought that basically anyone could tutor another person as long as they were well-educated in the subject. The book pointed out that there are qualifications to becoming a “reading specialists tutor.” One thing I really think will help e that the book mentioned is that I will have experience working with teachers to improve my practice. Also, I have instructors and the rest of the class. The last thing I want to touch on is web-based tutoring. Does anyone know of any free web-based tutoring? Most of the sites I have ever come across asked for a credit card so they could charge for their services. I think it would be a great idea to have many sites present for students of all ages to reach out to.
"Best-work portfolios" were new to me also. It is always important and beneficial to both the teacher and student when the student takes part in looking at and comparing assignments after they have completed them and been graded on them. I think too often in our classrooms today, students complete an assignment, look at their overall grade, and then move on without really seeing their mistakes and what they need to correct. I think this portfolio is a good way for them to self correct and build on their skills for the next assignments.
Chapter 3: Right off the bat, chapter 3 caught my attention and gave me an activity that I would like to use. It describes using Photo Booth to allow students to record themselves then self analyze their read aloud. I think this is a great way to have students take an interest in their own reading levels. Many times, I feel that students don’t truly know what they sound like. This also allows students to monitor their own progress and hear their own corrections. I am very much a visual learner. Figure 3.1 provides good chart of the categories of assessments as well as many other figures in the chapter 3 and 13. I started reading this chapter with questions about the types of miscue analysis and how to mark these. After listening to the lecture, reading about the miscue types, and then seeing the visual of 3.10, I feel like I understand what we are looking for. After reading chapter 3 on Wednesday, I observed for the second day for my social studies class on Thursday. Figure 3.19 gives an example of Mr. Jackson’s anecdotal record and in this, it gives an example of a student that had to follow along with their finger as each word was read. I saw this first hand in my class with several students. It made me wonder if this is always shows a reading disability or if it could simply be a stage? This showed me first hand how different students make sure they are following along and helped me link the chapter content to the classroom.
Chapter 13: I really enjoyed this chapter. It helped me feel more comfortable with the tutoring sessions that are coming up. I worked as a paraprofessional and then also worked in a computer-assisted tutoring program within the school district. It was interesting to read these and made me think back to these experiences. They were valuable experiences and ones that I learned a lot from. While I worked with high school students, some of the students possessed really low reading levels. It was difficult to see them struggle and not know very many activities that could help them. The computer-assisted tutoring helped with this but after learning about the different activities that are out there, I can’t wait to try them out. I feel that the level that students are engaged will be dramatically different doing an activity compared to sitting in front of a computer screen. Technology can be great but only when used correctly. While the lesson plans in Figure 13.4 and Figure 13.6 are in a different format than we use, I enjoyed seeing the different activities and the time management that went along with them. It is difficult to know how long some activities will take when we have not yet done them but this gave me rough idea of some of the time frames. The section over the sequence of the lesson also gave a break down of the lesson plans. Between this and the lecture over the lessons, I am starting to feel less stressed about working with the students and more excited to figure out activities that will help them learn.
Ch 3 interested me in the fact that with the state standards and common core, I feel that teachers are teaching to the tests and not from the heart. I gained confidence in miscue analysis and am more comfortable in using it with my students in the coming weeks. This chapter did a great job of encouraging me to evaluate informally on daily basis, assessing daily! I think I will carry around a small notepad to jot down notes and then record them at the end of the day. Ch 13 talking about “tutors” makes me think of all of the para educators that we allow to “tutor” our students daily, and the high school help that we have, and the parents that come into help with centers. This chapter stated that the certified teacher is the absolute best tutor possible for our students. The chapter did a good job of explaining that it is cheaper to hire para’s and use volunteers and I guess I would agree that a little help and support is better than none. I struggle with the fact that our district uses so many para’s, but the chapter reminded me that they are an important role in our education system. As a teacher, I will make a point to spend one on one time with my students so that they get to reap the benefits of my education and experience!
Chapter 3 and 13 were pretty good reads. Chapter 3 was based on assessments. Most of this we already read and learned about in many previous education courses. This chapter lists the type of assessments, formal, informal, formative, and summative. Then on page 44, there is a chart that provides a list of formal and informal assessments, which I thought was simple to look at and understand. This chapter even list tests that are available.
ReplyDeleteMiscue analysis is discussed on page 52 and 53. I have heard about this type of assessment from my mentor and my past instructors so I thought it was great that I could read more about this type of assessment as well as see examples. I do still wonder how teachers give these informal assessments to each child while keeping the rest of the class busy and learning at the same time. Especially miscue analysis and I think it would get confusing and hard to keep up with running records.
Then as I continued reading I came across MSV! This made me have a flash back to Reading and Language Arts Methods course! It is a great strategy to use though and I am happy to know more about it.
Chapter 13 is what I would call spot on. It is all about tutoring. There are 5 different types of tutors (which I did not know) each varying on the level of knowledge which makes sense. This chapter also talks about the benefits of tutoring, which I am pretty sure Mrs. Stoppel also basically said the same thing the book does in a previous meeting. The book states that the benefits of tutoring is the one-on-one instruction and designing lessons as needed for the skills that need more work.
On page 347, the chapter discusses reading recovery. I have just recently learned about this within the last week so I thought it was fabulous that this was included in the chapter for me to read. The goal of the reading recovery is to help struggling readers to read at their grade level as soon as possible. I think this would be a fabulous and very rewarding job and would actually like to know more about this. Sadly, it is very expensive so very few schools do have this program.
Then starting on page 348, the chapter talks about planning for the tutoring session, what should be done during each session, and so on. There is great information in these two chapters.
Danielle,
DeleteI am also confused as to how we can do these assessments all the time and still teach other students. I saw running records completed a couple of times at my internship last semester. The teacher did them during guided reading time, so many of the students were at centers, and the student being assessed was at the guided reading table. The students who were supposed to be at guided reading that day just went to centers. Some students only get guided reading once or twice a week at my school, so I feel skipping a session is detrimental to their learning. Our school has several people who come in to assess the children all the time. For example, the Title I teachers are constantly pulling students out into the hallway for assessment. Although this is helpful to the classroom teacher, it is also disruptive and pulls kids away from their learning experiences. I guess nothing is perfect and we will have to do the best we can!
Amy
I am with you on Chapter 3 being very familiar. It is nice to get a refresher of the many kids of assessments that are out there to use though. There is a large amount of them that we could use during tutoring it looks like. I was not aware of the 5 different tutors either and actually started my blog on Chapter 13 with that also. It is nice that you got the opportunity to learn about Reading Recovery. It seems like a great method if a school can afford to do it. I have actually never heard of any of these types of methods, but would like to know more. This chapter definitely had a lot of helpful information for us and broke lessons down simply for us to see.
DeleteDanielle,
DeleteI was also glad to read chapter 13. You also mention the Reading Recovery program. My son was part of the Reading Recovery program in our school and it is absolutely wonderful. Like the text says, they write their own short two or three sentence story. He would bring home his story and read it to me several times and then take it back. I really liked that the stories were about his life which is obviously more exciting for kids. Most of the stories were funny because he has a great sense of humor and is very adventurous. The program helped him tremendously. If you have the opportunity to teach Reading Recovery one day you should! I think it would be very rewarding to see so many students reach their grade level because of your efforts. :)
Reading recovery is great because the student gets to read to you what they wrote! This is a great help with fluency down the road in my opinion.
DeleteChapter 13
ReplyDeleteThis chapter was all about tutoring, and it made me feel both more confident and more nervous about our upcoming sessions. First, there are several different types of tutors: reading specialists, certified teachers, paras, computer-assisted, and web-based. To be a reading specialist you have to have a master’s degree in reading, and the job title incorporates many different responsibilities other than just working with struggling readers. Reading specialists may plan and deliver training for staff, coordinate assessment and intervention, serve as a school or district resource, and provide instruction. Learning a little bit more about reading specialists made me realize that, after completing my undergraduate degree in elementary education, I will not have all the answers to help struggling readers. I will have quite the tool belt, but my tools will not be as big or well used as a reading specialist’s. And that is all right!
I have also heard of a title called “reading interventionist,” which this chapter didn’t mention, but I believe is a certified teacher without a master’s degree that has been trained by a specialist. One thing I was surprised to learn is about “tutor fatigue.” Because tutors are always assessing and analyzing a struggling reader’s actions, they can become taxed quickly. Paras can also be trained to tutor. Computer-assisted tutoring is where the computer can be used as a tutor or tool in the sessions. I was interested in Reading CAT, a program that analyzes miscues and recommends strategies relevant to the student. It seems like it would make assessment quicker and easier for the tutor/teacher.
After reading the description of what a Reading Recovery session may look like, I believe it is the most similar to what we will be doing in our own sessions. The sample tutoring plan on p. 349 matches Reading Recovery quite well. It was comforting to look at the plan and realize that it is easy to follow and it will be simple to record reflections.
Chapter 3
I began reading this chapter with a big sigh. Assessment…again? Although I recognize the importance of assessment in the classroom, I am beginning to feel like that is ALL I will be doing. Who’s going to have time to teach with all the assessments going on? For example, look at figure 3.20 – Mr. Green’s anecdotal record. We ARE going to have more than one student in our classes, right??
I am definitely familiar with all the techniques and strategies discussed in this text, but I will admit I learned many things while reading this chapter, or at least made connections that I have not made before. For example, miscue analysis and running records are both informal assessments but different procedures with different goals. It seems they both can help determine a student’s instructional level when scores are used quantitatively. But when you look at those scores qualitatively, you begin to get a bigger picture. Miscue analysis evaluates a reader’s miscues and focuses on if and/or how they disrupt meaning of the material. Running records seek to determine what sort of cues (semantic, syntactic, or graphophonic) a student uses when making the errors and then allows a teacher to plan instruction based on this information.
I will admit that I still do not like Cloze tests. I tried to complete the one on p. 59 and was stumped by some of the possible answers. I was also a little confused as to how there could be such a small percentage range for instructional reading level. Both individual and frustration levels have a range of about 40% while instructional only has a 20% range. However, I do see how useful Cloze tests could be when working on context clues.
Amy,
DeleteI too can relate to the fact that after reading these chapters I am now excited and even more nervous than ever before. Realizing the variety of tutoring out there was new to me as well. I did not realize there was so much to know, understand, and roles a person can play to an individual, while tutoring them. I enjoyed reading your post and really related to much of your thoughts and personal feelings. Jennifer Willcott
I was familiar with a lot of the topics in Chapter 3. A good portion of it was in Curriculum & Assessment and Reading and Language Arts. Assessing is a key part of instruction though and know why it is in most all books. It gives teachers and tutors something to guide their instruction on, as the book stated. I did like getting to read and see figures of the different types of Informative Assessments that can be used, especially the Miscue Analysis since we are diving into that this week. All of them seem simple enough to conduct through out the year. They also seem to really help with finding what students struggle with. I really like the Cloze tests, I do feel that they can have multiple different answers on some parts which would make it a bit difficult, but I think students could learn a lot with Sight Words and current vocabulary through this type of test. The other section I enjoyed was of Portfolios since we will be using one of these in tutoring. I have never had the opportunity to use or see one so the section gave me some insight of how to use them while in session.
ReplyDeleteChapter 13 was a very informative chapter, for obvious reasons. I was not aware there were different types of tutoring. I am curious on if our tutoring is based on any of these methods. Breaking the lesson plans and the sessions down helped me understand what I am supposed to do during my sessions. One of my biggest concerns is how to make sure I'm getting everything in each session that's is supposed to be there. The chapter helps answer some of those questions. It will be a chapter I have to come back on from time to time I have a feeling. It does seem like we are starting our sessions differently, with testing, than what the book stated. Is this correct? All in all this was a great chapter that helped me gain some understanding of what is expected during my tutoring.
Hi Ryan,
DeleteI agree that it was nice to see the different assessments that are used, both formal and informal. I know that working as a Para educator for the past 6 years has really helped me to see first hand most of the assessments that were discussed. However, I also share the same concern as you in regards to tutoring. I am nervous about getting all of the right teaching tools in my sessions and also with not planning enough, or planning too much. I guess these are concerns that all new educators are faced with though. :)
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteChapter 3
ReplyDeleteThis chapter discussed the roles and uses of assessments. This included diagnostic tests such as oral reading and informal assessments. It is always important to remember that when doing assessments on students the person doing the assessment understands the types of miscue analysis such as: substitutions, mispronunciations, repetitions, omission etc. In figure 3.10 – it gives examples of each these miscue analysis. This chapter covered a great deal of assessment guidelines and expectations but as of right now I do not have any questions. I am a bit overwhelmed but I think once I am doing it and practice I will be able to understand it a lot better.
The reading allowed me to reflect back to when I was substitute teaching one time and I was helping with timed reading assessments. That experience really allowed me the opportunity to understand what is involved with reading assessments. Not only that but I was interning for English and Language Arts last Fall when students timed and assessed each other in reading passages. This was a great way to encourage students to see their improving scores and practice reading with their peers.
Chapter 13
It was until this class that I learned there was much more than a “tutor” than I ever imagined. Chapter 13 was just another example and benchmark into my own understanding of what exactly a tutor does, is, the credentials that they must have, and the abilities and knowledge that is expected of them. I also did not realize that tutors are: certified teachers, paraprofessionals, computer-assisted, web-based. Then there are the amazing tutoring sessions and the fact that it has “getting started” for the first few sessions was great to read and I will definitely utilize!
Question: Are you wanting us to keep a record of the books we read to the students as they have in figure 13.9?
I do not have much tutoring experience, but I have worked with children for seven years. I was tutored in math growing up but I do not ever remember having been tutored with guidelines, activities, and so forth as we have learned in this class and book. I think that the lesson plans will be great, allow the students to have a better organized and easy to follow structure and hopefully really make the difference in a students learning success!
Jennifer,
DeleteI agree this class has make me realize how important it is to be a successful tutor and that there is more to it than one though. I too do not remember the guidelines being used as stated in the text even with schools today. Most tutors are paras that have no education.
I really like how chapter 3 broke down all the assessments and told whether the assessments were formal or informal assessments. This chapter gave you a total breakdown of what is expected out of students when they are being assessed. It is very important to correctly assess the student as to give them the best possible chance at showing us their abilities. Diagnostic test, ones that we will do in our tutoring sessions, are tests that will tell the strengths and weakness of the student. This will allow the tutor to build upon the weaknesses and strive with the strengths. One of the benefits of knowing the student’s weaknesses is that maybe the one thing standing in their way of becoming an independent reader. In chapter 13, two things really stuck with me. The text says that tutoring has two benefits the first being that each session is based on individual needs of the student and the second being the reader gets instant feedback. Tutoring can really help someone overcome their struggles and become a confident reader. I am excited to start tutoring and hope that I can help. The successful of our tutoring can change someone life. The one thing that scares me is that throughout this chapter it has said that tutors should be qualified and trained by reading specialists. I am not sure that I am quite there yet. Both of these chapters gave a detail instruction on how to properly assess and tutor your students. Most of the information was repeated from other class but it was good to have a brief overview before tutoring begins.
ReplyDeleteI totally agree with you as you are talking about the benefits of tutoring. I am also excited! At first I was feeling a little bit worried, but after reading this chapter I felt that there is a huge benefit for both the reader and the tutor. The tutor gains experience and the reader will gain instant feedback and help. As for being qualified to tutor, I am sure we are more than ready. I tutored one student when I only had an associates degree and no teacher education courses!
DeleteHowever, I do think these chapters did give us information (although it was repeated) to rely on, especially chapter 3 with the assessment information.
Hanna,
DeleteGreat post. I also think that the assessment process is very important because it tells where students’ are and their level. It is so important for classroom teachers to know where their students are at. I don't think that there are enough teachers that know their students’ weaknesses and strengths think that this chapter was very helpful since there is probably a lot of us that have not tutored students before and need help knowing how to go about it.
Hanna,
DeleteI enjoyed reading your post. It was nice to hear someone else enjoyed how well the text laid out the information. I found it to be a great read. I also completely agree with your thoughts on how performing assessments correctly is highly important and how it directly affects the student. Just like you I am very excited to start tutoring myself.
1.Analysis of the reading/issue.
ReplyDeleteChapter three of the textbook Literacy Assessment &Intervention by B. Devries first discussed a variety assessment tests and how they differ from one another. There is a variety of assessment test that can be used and teachers must understand how the tests are used and which is best for a certain situation. There are some tests that will compare one student to another student and there are also tests that will determine the students level including how much they improved and what they may need to work on. This chapter of the textbook also explains how to score these tests so that they are useful. Since working with English learners is different than working with students that already understand the language the textbook also gives these details as well. The textbook also explains how students can also take an active role on keeping track of their progress.
2. Questions and/or contradictions about the reading/issue.
How do other people feel about students keeping track of their own progress? I have seen students sometimes say they have read a book but really never completed it.
I also wanted to discuss the “anecdotal record” with the class. This seems to be a very difficult process because the teacher has to be constantly taking notes on the students it seems like and if you have a class that has between 25 and 30 students this seems impossible, unless you record the students in small groups.
3. How did the reading reflect you or allow you to look at an issue differently?
This chapter had a lot of useful information in it. This seems like there is a lot of assessments that I will have to be familiar with and know which assessment fits where. I am really nervous about doing assessments with my class because they are so important and there seems to be so many steps. After reading this chapter I could see more of the process of the assessments and the figures really helped me to visualize it.
4. Connecting the reading to you. Examples of your own experience.
I really like the idea of having portfolios for students to keep. When I was younger I was always so proud of how much I achieved during the school. I was able to teach summer school this year and used this self progress report system. I would have the students take a timed test everyday (the same one) and the students would graph their score so that they could have a visual for their improvement or is they may need more practice.
1.Analysis of the reading/issue.
Chapter thirteen of the textbook Literacy Assessment &Intervention by B. discussed the tutoring process. As described in the textbook there are a variety of tutors including, reading specialists, certified teachers, paraprofessionals, computer assisted tutoring and web-based tutoring (Devries, 343-347). This chapter also described some tutoring programs that benefit students. This chapter of the textbook also went over how to start a tutoring session and what the lesson plans could look like.
2. Questions and/or contradictions about the reading/issue.
I do not have any question or contradictions for this chapter
3. How did the reading reflect you or allow you to look at an issue differently?
This chapter of the textbook made me start thinking about different activities that I can include in my tutoring sessions. It also made me think that the tutoring sessions needs to be a gradual process. I can do a review at the beginning and something to bring the lesson all together at the end.
4. Connecting the reading to you. Examples of your own experience.
This chapter of the textbook made me think of activities that I can bring into my tutoring sessions. I will be starting off with a review at the beginning (vocab), then we will review what the students know about the subject we are learning about, we will then do a activity and then have read aloud at the end.
Chapter 3 and 13 of DeVries was very helpful at this point of the course. Chapter 3 was a great refresher of available assessments out there for educators. Chapter 3 did a positive job of discussing assessment in a clear and understandable manor. I have read several texts regarding assessments and they have made the topic confusing for me. I also enjoyed the examples provided within this chapter over miscue analysis. Figure 3.10 was very helpful in providing a visual as well as definitions for each piece of miscue analysis. I now have a clear picture of how to document and label data collected while performing a miscue analysis with a student. Chapter 3 assisted me with connecting the dots of assessments and more specifically miscue analysis. I had heard this form of assessment discussed but did not have a clear picture of the assessment.
ReplyDeleteIn Chapter 13 I found great tips as a tutor in the area of literacy. I enjoyed reading how to plan and conduct a tutoring session. Just like in Chapter 3 I found the information provided to be clear and easy to comprehend. It was helpful to read chapter 13 prior to engaging in tutoring myself this semester. The lesson plan in figure 13.4 was helpful and provided a great visual for me to access when formatting my own lesson plans. The session two lesson plan was also very helpful in figure 13.6. One interesting fact I gathered from this reading assignment is the amount of money tutoring costs schools. I did not stop to think of the cost of a certified teacher conducting small tutoring sessions within the school day. I see how this could be costly for schools. However I see how not implementing these tutoring sessions can be costly for the students.
Jade, I was also very pleased with the section in chapter three over miscue analysis. I think you said it right, that it "connects the dots" and makes it easy to understand as well as use as a resource during our tutoring sessions. I think chapter thirteen will be used a lot this semester! It was so helpful and will be a great tool for lesson plans. I never stopped to realize that tutoring could cost so much money, either. But you are right, it is very worth it and a necessity to get students the help the deserve.
DeleteChapter three was all about assessment. The different types of assessments were discussed, such as formal and informal, and then they broke it down into smaller categories from there. A lot of this chapter was review for me but there was a bunch of new information as well. At first thought, I tend to think negatively about standardized testing. However, this chapter reminded me of all the advantages that standardized tests can have. They can tell us whether or not an individual student needs additional testing, as it may not have been recognized before. Reliability and validity are also an advantage of these formal assessments. This chapter did leave me a little overwhelmed, I think due to the fact that there was so much information. But I did appreciate all the figures throughout the chapter that broke down individual tests and made it easy to see a quick view of what certain tests contain, or do for us. I also liked the broken down directions on how to prepare and administer certain tests. I thought there were great directions for the miscue analysis and I appreciated the refresher over the types of miscues and what exactly to look for and how to mark them, as noted in figure 3.10. I think I need to go back through and reread the section on running records. I am still very confused on that and it seems like a lot of work if you are working with more than one student. One of my favorite things in this chapter was the book logs. I think it is important for students to understand what they really like, not just what they think they like; a book log can help them do that! I think it would be a great tool as a teacher, or even for a parent, to use to help understand their student’s preferences and personalities.
ReplyDeleteI was really glad to read chapter thirteen this week! It has helped me understand the tutoring process and will be a great resource throughout the semester. I even tabbed a few pages so that I know exactly where to go if I need some help. The text kept mentioning that tutoring sessions should be thirty to forty-five minutes in length, and with ours being an hour I hope I can keep my tutees engaged and excited to be there. Mrs. Stoppel and chapter thirteen have stressed the importance of being prepared with materials and proper lesson plans, as well as a routine or structured sequence for each session. With these items, I should have nothing to worry about in regards to keeping my students attention and focus! One of the most interesting things in this chapter was the study over videoconference tutoring. I had thought about this when we first talked about finding tutees, because I know my niece could really use some additional help. However, she lives about a thousand miles from me and the only way to do it would be to use Skype. I’m not exactly sure how it would work, but it has proven to be successful. And if we can earn a whole degree online over the course of several years, why wouldn’t a student benefit from a few online tutoring sessions? It’s very intriguing to me. I was also thrilled with the appendix A and suggestions throughout the text for good literature to use. I am always looking for new ideas and want to make sure that I am choosing worthwhile texts, so I hope this helps point me in the right direction.
Abbie- I think, at least for me, reading Chapter 13 has not only better prepared me for what lies ahead when tutoring, but it also gave me the information as to why it is so important and why it needs to be done correctly. I am also one that highlights and places tabs in my books for quick future reference. The DeVries text is one I will definitely keep close by not only for tutoring, but also when I get into my own classroom!
DeleteI also liked the time schedules and descriptions given in Chapter 13. I think we will have a little longer to spend on the different areas. I am a bit the opposite of you and am afraid of not having enough time! This chapter helped me feel a little more prepared for my tutoring sessions. One of my students is really excited to begin!
DeleteHi Abbie,
ReplyDeleteIt is really funny because even though I have worked as a Para educator for the past 6 years there were some both informal and formal assessments that I had not remembered, or even seen before. I really feel like I learned a lot by reading both of these chapters. In the school where I work they do IDL's, which is basically a lesson with up to three schools on a subject. Last week third grade did "Spiders". During this lesson the teacher that is giving the lesson can communicate and see the other schools. I absolutely love when they have IDL learning because it is a technology that the students really get into. I thought of this when you mentioned tutoring your niece and how you wish there was a way you could do that.
Charelle
Hi Charelle, The IDL's sound very neat and interesting! I have never heard of that before and I wonder how many other schools/ districts take part in something like this? I can really see kids getting into it and how it would be new and exciting, probably a needed break from the norm! Can all the students see each other and communicate with one another as well?
DeleteCharelle,
DeleteWe would love some more info on the IDL's as they sound very neat. I take it from you post that there is lots of technology integrated into an IDL. Do you think that the lessons could stand alone or are they dependent on the use of technology? I love using technology in my lessons but in my opinion it needs to add to the lesson but not control the lesson. By that I mean that you should be able to teach the lesson with our technology and then find ways of introducing it to help make the lesson more adaptable and fun for the kids. Just my 2 cents:)
Hi Cathryn,
DeleteOur elementary school has their IDL's set out of the home base school that has two different IDL teachers. The classroom teacher sets up different lessons in advance and if other schools have that same date then all of the schools join together. We have a webcam that makes it to where we can hear all of the schools, but we can only see the IDL teacher. They do it mostly for Science and Social Studies. The IDL teacher always has really neat hands on activities to teach the students about the chosen topic. I will visit with the teacher that is in charge of setting up the dates and times for the IDL's and e-mail you the information, just in case it is something you would want to look into in the future for your classroom. The student's absolutely love it!
Chapter 3 was great for learning how to use and administer miscue analysis and how to score them. It also gave a brief description of how to keep running records, how to make a cloze tests, a maze test and how to keep anecdotal records, checklists, rubrics and portfolios. It also included interest surveys and attitude surveys.
ReplyDeleteIn chapter 13 DeVries mentions research found that children who are not reading by third grade have higher chances of dropping out before graduating from high school (p343). This is exactly why it is so important to get help for struggling readers. DeVries also mentions that college students are the most effective tutors. I appreciated the listing of the four components that should be in a tutoring session on page 345. Reflection is very important so that adjustments can be made to the instruction for the next session. The last part of the chapter serves as a guide for each session as well as ELL students.
I do not have any questions now. I am more comfortable after reading these two chapters. I am excited to get started, but a little nervous at the same time. The parents returned the enrollment forms today and after looking them over, it makes me a little nervous. The parents have very specific items they would like to see improvement in with their child. I hope I do not disappoint. It will be a great learning experience for all of the students and for me. I wish I were a little more confident, but it is a learning experience.
Patti- I too found Chapter 13 full of useful information for us as we prepare to begin tutoring. I am more excited now with reading this chapter and preparing our tri-folds. I feel more comfortable, like you said, now that we have gone over the miscue analysis more thoroughly. I actually read Chapter 13 first and then did the records where we practiced doing the miscue analysis and found that reading about it first really prepared me for actually doing it.
DeleteI agree with everyone that chapter three was very comfortable to me since it was covered in both of my previous methods courses and in curriculum and assessment. I think that we cover so much on assessment because it can be you biggest asset in your tool box if you know how to use it appropriately. There are many different types of assessment, as we saw in chapter 3 of the DeVries text, and each one of them has a place in our new classrooms. There will be no “ultimate assessment tool” that will fit all children and situations. Formal as well as informal assessments will play a huge role in how we are all analyzing our affectedness. We must remember that assessments aren’t just for seeing what the student has learned but also how affective our teaching strategies were and what we need to tweak next time.
ReplyDeleteChapter 13 was much more alien to me the chapter 3 but I still felt comfortable with the teachings in this chapter. As I’ve said before my son is severely dyslexic (Poor kid ties his shoes backwards I have been tutoring him since 1st grade and since 3rd grade using a multi-sensory system that uses tiles to incorporate muscle memory and kinesthetics in learning to read. I also tutor my 1st grader using this same system. She was asked to use blank tiles to spell cat using only her phonemic awareness, then we added the phonics with lettered tiles and then she drew a picture of the word and finally she spelled the word by writing it. We follow this same pattern in each new step. My sons is much more complicated at the 4th grade level but started out the same and ends in reading a 1 page story using only words that he has learned the rules for. This has helped greatly with his fluency.
I agree with you that no one assessment tool will fit every child and all situations. I also felt that chapter three helped me to review assessments material that had been previously reviewed in other classes. It does help me to re-read the information. I am so glad you provided what strategies you use with you children; the activities are ones that can be used during out tutoring sessions. Thank you for sharing this information!
DeleteBlog Ch. 3 and 13
ReplyDeleteZoë Greenemeyer
After reading chapter three I feel I have a better understanding of what assessments are and how they can be used to determine the needs of the student. For me it was helpful to read the chapter after watching the recorded instructional sessions as I felt I understood the material and could relate it to what was discussed in the recordings. I found the section on miscue analysis informative; it helped me to read more about how to assess miscue analysis. I did notice some differences in what conventions were used from the text book and the recording. One question I would have is can first grade students understand after listening to their recorded readings what errors they may have had. If a first grade student is not familiar with the word will they understand that they stated it incorrectly? The maze test gave me an idea for an activity regarding what word to use in a sentence; this could be created into a game in relation to the book the students will read during the tutoring session. In my own experience I have observed the DIBELS assessment and this will be helpful when I am the one administering the assessment.
After reading chapter thirteen I realized that I knew little about the different kinds of tutors and what training a tutor may have prior to working with a child. I found the computer assisted tutoring helpful, especially with the time constraints faced by teachers. I found the information on Reading Recovery informative; I had hear of Reading Recovery but knew little about the program. It is sad to think of how this program is effective but is expensive for schools who are already strapped financially. It seems there should be some financial assistance for schools if improvement is needed in reading. I did find difference between the time frame of our tutoring sessions and those mentioned in the text book. Over all this chapter helped me to see the importance of a tutor and how much planning is needed prior to each tutoring session.
Honestly, before reading Chapter 3 in our DeVries this week I had NO IDEA there were so many different types of assessments! I thought this week's Chapter 3 tied in so perfectly to what we have been learning and hearing about as we prepare to begin tutoring our students. It was nice to see and be able to compare the BEAR and the DIBELS assessments. I am not sure what type of assessments we use in my county in Maryland, but really feel that this chapter has given me a greater background on these two. I do know in my county that we do Running Record assessments. I never knew what it entailed, but Chapter 3 describe it perfectly for me. I loved all the information on Miscue Analysis. Between reading about it, the example chart in Figure 3.11, and what Ms. Stoppel has been teaching us all came together for me. Seriously though there was so much information on assessments in this chapter I was overwhelmed by the time I started reading about Maze Tests, Cloze Tests, and Anecdotal Records. My favorite part though this week was the reading over Tutoring in Chapter 13. I found it interesting the difference in a literacy coach, reading intervention teacher, a reading supervisor/coordinator, and a reading specialist! Who would have known there were so many different reading specialists with different responsibilities. I have to say that the computer-assisted tutoring was something new to me that I hadn't heard of before. For me, the most important information was the breakdown of the lesson plan for the tutoring sessions. One of THE BEST pieces of information I learned this week was on page 354 and was Figure 13.7. As a future teacher, as well as delivering tutoring session to my two students, I found the information on how to help your tutees tackle challenging words to be so valuable! I will be going over this again and again remembering how to help my students when they come upon a word they don't know. As Dr. Walizer told us in RLA....NEVER give them the word! We had to even take an "oath". *giggle* There are so many strategies to give your students to help them get that word they are stuck on...unless of course you are doing a time diagnostic.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
DeleteI enjoyed these chapters too, LeAnn. I agree there was a lot of information. I had trouble with the cloze and maze tests but I think if I were to just sit down and focus on them alone one day I would understand them more. I found chapter 13 to be very informative. I was curious what all the reading titles meant as well, and thought they did a great job bringing it to layman's terms. You and I have some of the same things that we talked about, like the lesson plans. I found them to be amazing help! Oh my goodness how funny I even talked about the oath(too funny). Great minds think alike! Have a great week and good luck.
DeleteI was so excited to read chapter 13 this week. As I have said already, I have started a new job in Title One Reading and this chapter has really clarified a lot of my questions. I have found that I enjoy giving assessments and also reading/analyzing the data to better understand the areas they need help in and those that they have mastered. I am glad they take 3 different assessments and make a decision from the three to place Title One Reading or Math students.
ReplyDeleteWe use DIBELS at our school as one of our assessments. I had never heard of BEAR before I read this chapter. Have any of you ever used BEAR or seen it used? I like that it has a Language Arts section. When I did the DIBELS assessment last week I did not write out the sounding-out of words. We did not practice that when I was being trained. I do like the idea of recording it because it is difficult to score the assessments during the time they are reading it if they are fast readers. I liked the figure 3.11 on page 54 that is very helpful in breaking down what areas the student needs help in. I have not seen or administered cloze tests or maze tests; they seem confusing to me but I am sure if I dug deeper I would understand them.
This year our principal is requiring that each classroom teacher start growth portfolios. They are focusing on growth more than they ever have in the past. I also like the best-work portfolios. I know that the fourth grade teachers have always used self-assessments for the class but I think this year a few more are going to add that to the growth portfolios to help with setting personal goals.
At the beginning of chapter 3 Mr. Leu is choosing an assessment to administer but I think that it would be better as a whole school assessment. This would be beneficial in that it allows you to look at past assessments and compare growth, but if all the teachers are doing different things then how could you compare? Plus, I feel that if a child is familiar with how an assessment works they will perform better.
I enjoyed chapter 13 as well and learned a lot. I would love to research more on computer assisted tutoring. The lesson plan example on page 349 was amazing as well as the other ones! It had everything right down to the minute and I thought the reflections were perfect. I feel after reading this chapter I have a better idea of how a tutoring session is supposed to go. The introduction ideas were great. I am nervous about one of my students I have to admit, he hates reading his mother said. So I feel a little pressure about her thinking I am going to change him. When I was reading the section on helping tutees tackle challenging words, I thought about the oath I took with Dr. Walizer last spring, do you remember the oath?
I wished I could read this whole book before next week, it has been amazing help for my new job, making lesson plans, and preparing me for tutoring.
I love the idea of growth portfolios! As a parent I would enjoy seeing my children's growth during the year. I actually have done this with my son for his arts and crafts. I have also put some of his school work in it to. I am now starting one for my daughter as well! She is in preschool and I bet by the end of the year her progress will be exciting to see!
DeleteAs a teacher I would love to do this with my students when I become a teacher. I am thinking about doing this for my tutoring students this semester!
Chapter 3 & 13 Blog
ReplyDeleteChapter 3 was about assessments. It discussed the two types of assessments. These are formal and informal assessments. This chapter also went over the different types of tests. These include achievement test and diagnostic tests. Chapter 13 was about tutoring. This chapter went over different types of tutors, programs to help students and tutoring lesson plans. Also, it provided some examples of tutoring lesson plans and logs.
After reading these two chapters I didn't have any questions concerning the information.
Chapter 3 made me look differently at testing. I have never been a fan of testing at all. When I take test I get nervous and sometimes I end up doing poorly because of it. I think diagnostic tests are important to administer to students because they show students weaknesses and strengths. Another type of test that chapter 3 went over was cloze tests. Cloze tests have fill in the blanks that they students must figure out to make sure it makes sense.
After reading these two chapters I couldn't help but reminiscence when I was in grade school and had to take standardized tests. I only remember that they were BORING, and I was so tired after taking them. When I was in third grade the test seemed to have taken all afternoon. While working at an elementary school I had the privilege to help proctor the state testing. It looks a lot different now, then what I remember from when I was little and it didn't take near as long. Also, the state test was on the computer, which is an added bonus!
I think that most people get nervous about testing. I have not met many people who have said that they enjoy taking tests. I think that is why it is so important to do the informal assessments on a regular basis. By doing this you are able to see how well a student is learning, and it is done in a way in which the student does not feel pressured as much as they might feel when taking a formal assessment.
DeleteChapter 3 was an informative over assessments, both formal and informal. There were many examples of both types of tests that were given as a visula. I like the way the chapter did that because it helped me to see first hand the types of tests that were being discussed. I have worked as a Para for 6 years and many of these tests I have seen in our classroom, or thoughout the school. I have even administered a majority of them. I know every year for the formative tests the Para's are given a training on all of the do's and dont's when it comes to administering the test. In my role it is important that I am informed of the individual needs of a student. For example, in a Reading formative I may be able to read little Jimmy the question and answer choices, but not be able to do that with Sally Sue. My question is, in reference to administering informal classroom tests are they chosen only by the classroom teacher, or are there certain ones that the school chooses to use and the teacher must abide by those ones? Since we are administering tests to the students that we are tutoring I am very glad to have read this chapter. It really goes into detail about what assessments are, the differences between formative and informative, and provides examples of the different tests that are explained. My favorite part of this chapter reading was learning about miscue analysis, and the types of miscues. I think that is really important information. There were some things, like skipping a word, where I wouldn't have know whether to count that as a mistake or not. I am glad that figure 3.10 provides an example of how to administer a miscue analysis.
ReplyDeleteChapter 13 was provided valuable information in regards to tutoring and what is expected from us throughout this internship and our tutoring sessions. I could relate to the information on Paraprofessionals and was interested in the expectations of the role that they carry out. I thought it was interesting that the IRA requires two years of college with an amphasis on human development and educational processes. It left me wondering if a school can hire a Paraprofessional without these requirements? The reason I am wondering is because I am not so sure that a vast majority of the Para's that work for our school district meet these requirements. I am so glad there wasinformation about successful reading programs. I will definitely use this information and apply it to my tutoring sessions. I will be working with a pair of ESL twins during my tutoring this semester. I have worked with these students at the school where I am employed. My question with them is, because they are 4th graders I will be giving them an on level DIBELS assessment, but if they struggle with phonemic awareness and phonics will the results provide me with that information? In other words, if this is the skills that they need help in, will the results tell me just that? My most favorite part of this chapter was learning about successful reading programs that will guide me through this semester and also the visual examples of lesson plans.
Charelle, I agree with you the pictures that they provided in the text were very helpful. It has been my experience that while in the classroom the teacher is allowed to use any type of informal assessment that they want. Then again times are a changing.
DeleteRicky
Literacy
ReplyDeleteChapters 3 and 13
Chapter 3 of the Literacy and assessment book discussed the many types of assessment that can be used in the classroom. Between the two different types of Formal consisting of the more "sit-down testing" type. With these formal tests one might think about year end testing that occurs or a summative test at the end of a unit. Then the informal tests which there are quite a few. These tests can be used at anytime throughout instruction. I have always looked at informal assessment as a way for a teacher to keep quick easy track of a students progress. Using informal tests is a great way to make a very consistent portfoliio for the student that shows how they did in many activities. There are many many different kinds of informal tests that can be used. Just some examples are the cloze test where the student must fill in the correct word into a paragraph with blank words. Another way to keep informal information is using checklist with specific task. Also using note cards or sheets of paper with the students name at top. When these things are kept on a clipboard for quick access it is always helpful.
Chapter 13 discussed the different types of tutors there are and then the different activities that can be done with tutors and tutees. Some of the most common types of tutors are paras and certified teachers. The text pointed out how the first couple of sessions may look between a tutor and a tutee giving ideas of activities. I enjoyed the section on the planning for a session. This is probably because I go get somewhat nervous the days leading up to an event where I have to do something new. With strong planning and being well prepared by the day of the event I always feel much better. These ideas may be something that I return to in the future for some ideas and just being more prepared.
Ricky
Ricky,
DeleteI agree with you about feeling anxious when approaching a lesson or tutoring activity! If I have remained well-organized and have all of my materials organized and handy, that really puts my mind at ease. We began a new program at school next week, and I felt extremely unprepared because someone else had put my materials together. Good luck with your tutoring sessions!
Carissa
Chapter 3 discusses assessments. There are two types of assessments that teachers use, which are formal and informal assessments. Formal assessments are standardized tests that have to be given under certain conditions, whereas informal assessments can be done through observation at any given time. Students will need to be given formative assessments in order to find out what the student knows and the areas the student needs to improve on. Summative assessments are given to students at the end of a lesson to see how well a student has improved since the formative assessment. I really liked that this chapter went through and describes many different ways in which to do informal assessments on your students. Informal assessments are a great way to find out if a student has any reading difficulties, find out what level of reading a student is at, find out how well a student likes or dislikes reading, monitoring progress of students, and help you plan your lessons.
ReplyDeleteChapter 13 discussed tutoring and was full of very helpful information. The one thing that really stuck out to me in this chapter was the need for us to make sure that as a teacher you are catering to the needs and interests of the students. This is important because when you find out what interests them you are more likely to be able to plan activities that they will enjoy, and motivate the student to want to read. The section in this chapter about planning and conducting the tutoring session was also very helpful. It discussed some activities you can do with your students to get a better understanding of their interests, as well as get to know one another better.
After reading the two chapters for this week, I feel even more ready to begin tutoring the students. Chapter 3 was a bit on the longer side, but had a lot of graphic visual aids to provide more detail about the assessments and how to grade them. I have actually been doing some miscue analysis already for my job as a para, so I have loved learning the right procedure for doing that. My special education teacher had me doing things slightly different, so now I feel comfortable trying some things that this chapter suggested. I think this chapter will come in handy when we begin our diagnostic testing next week.
ReplyDeleteChapter 13 was an another great chapter to read, as it gave good tips on working with our group of students. I love the idea of the interest inventory so that I can help cater my lessons and activities to things that they can get excited about. I already know all of my students, as I was around them last year, but I still have so much more to learn about them. Also, I have seen the importance of getting to know students interests, as one of the 4th graders I am a para for gets so much more excited about reading when it's something that he enjoys. I have found a lot of pleasure in helping him find books about farming, animals, tractors, etc. Looking forward to putting this knowledge to work next week and the weeks to follow!
Carissa, I think that your experience as a para will be a great tool for you to rely on when you become a teacher. It's great to know that you've already had the experience with testing and that you're open to learning different ways to administer the tests. AS for chapter 13 I agree with you one hundred percent that it gives amazing tips on how to work with our group of students we'll be tutoring.
DeleteI envy your feeling of being ready. I feel very anxious about it. I have this feeling of dread knowing that the two boys I will be working with need so much assistance this semester. Because they have spent so much of their life moving from place to place they were able to slip through far too many cracks. They need a lot of assistance to get them from the 2nd to 5th grade level. They are both very smart and I hope that I can turn my nervousness into the excitement that you have.
Deletere: interests I agree with you. I asked the boys what they were reading when I met them and they are working on their 1st chapter books but when they read comics they are at a higher level. I am going to try and work this in to the lessons I do.
Do you have any other tips as a para? I bet you have a lot you can share with those of us who do not have the classroom experience you have.
Chapter 3 in our text was really overwhelming to me as a future educator simply because it points out and gives details to the unlimited number of assessments that children will be taking. I'm thankful for the fact that it gave us a good understanding of the assessments as well as how to grade them and then what you do with the data because in my opinion we give students tests every year and then the data collected from the testing is just filed away and not used to benefit the student. I really enjoyed all the examples of the test and how teachers collect their data. As a future educator I will be revisiting this chapter for that reason.
ReplyDeleteChapter 13 was short sweet and to the point which was great! Again, what a helpful chapter as we start into our tutoring sesisons in a couple weeks. I was thankful for the spelled out portion on lesson plans because one hour doesn't seem like a lot of time when you have three students to work with for tutoring. I think that this will really test our creativity on how we can keep students engaged and learning for the whole hour. I also really appriciated the sequence of the lesson which I plan to use for my sessions however I'll have to extend the time frame. I also really liked the sample lesson plans because it really helps seeing other peoples ideas to get my own creative juices flowing.
I was a little overwhelmed as well! I had no idea that there were so many different options when assessing your students. I agree that chapter 13 was helpful and gave so much useful information. Good luck in your sessions!
DeleteThese two chapters were very interesting and informative. Chapter 3 was over Assessment and Chapter 13 is over Tutoring. I enjoyed reading through Chapter 3 because I was not aware of all the different kinds of assessment. I was particularly interested in reading Chapter 13 because I had a lot of questions about tutoring. It listed all the benefits of tutoring and the different types. I was not aware of all the types of tutoring until reading through the text. I never had any tutoring when I was growing up but during my RLA and Math internships last year the school had a special tutoring program so I was able to see some of what goes on there.
ReplyDeleteYou are very fortunate to see how a tutoring program was ran! I have not had that luxury, so I am extremely new to this. I feel like I am ready and I am really excited to start. However, I really do wish I had experience so I had a better picture of how things work. I am thankful for all of the support from others and definitely our textbook!
DeleteChapter 3 and 13 were both good chapters to read as part of out preparation for tutoring. Chapter 3 focuses on some of the assessments we will use as future educators. There were many that were reviewed in Reading and Language Arts Methods. This was a partial relief for me because it made the chapter not so overwhelming. It made much of the material seem less like a cold read and seemed to flush out many of my memories of last semesters methods course.
ReplyDeleteChapter 13 was the one that let me with a cold sense of fear at the beginning. I do not have fear of working with my students, fear that I will not make a positive impact, or even fear that I will be unable to do the job. My fear lies in the unknown, the what if's and the what if I forget something thoughts. There is simply so much to do and this is all so new to me that I am scared that I will not be able to do my job to the best of my ability or desire.
I found that one of the things that was helpful for me were the lesson plans for tutoring and the step by step instructions. I liked that it broke lessons down into different sessions and encouraged reflection after the lesson. I feel this will be something that I might overdo but it was a good reminder.
My of my questions about these chapters are in the unknown. I do not know what it will be like working with my students after reading this section but I know where I want to head and how I want to shape my lesson sessions. I guess that is better than were I started.
Jessica-
ReplyDeleteYou are not the only one that has that fear, trust me! I always think to myself about all of the things that I might not remember or something that I could have done better. Then, I have to remind myself that I think those things because I care so much. And, if you care that much, I think you will be awesome! Just remember to believe in yourself and your abilities. Also, we need to learn from our mistakes. Even long-term teachers reflect on themselves and find ways to get better. Good luck!
I thought that these two chapters were full of important information before we begin our tutoring. Chapter three was over assessment, which is important because that is what we are going to be doing. The first thing the reading did was make me think of all the ways that students can be assessed. There are many times teachers think the only way to access children are through standard pencil and paper tests. That is not the case, as our book and other courses have noted.
ReplyDeleteI was new to quite a few things presented in the reading, but the one that I liked was the students “best-work portfolios.” I had never heard of this. I really like the idea of having these in my classroom. Also, I think it is important for the student to determine the information that goes in this portfolio. I really think that this would motivate students and it would maximize their potential.
Chapter 13 made me think a lot, because I will be tutoring my students soon. It gave me a good insight on what I can do to help my students and help them achieve their maximum potential. One thing that semi-worries me is the book mentioned that tutors should be well trained before they begin tutoring and receive continual training throughout the year. I am not worried that I will do a bad job, but I have never tutored before like this.
One thing I look at differently is the professionalism that goes into tutoring. I always thought that basically anyone could tutor another person as long as they were well-educated in the subject. The book pointed out that there are qualifications to becoming a “reading specialists tutor.” One thing I really think will help e that the book mentioned is that I will have experience working with teachers to improve my practice. Also, I have instructors and the rest of the class.
The last thing I want to touch on is web-based tutoring. Does anyone know of any free web-based tutoring? Most of the sites I have ever come across asked for a credit card so they could charge for their services. I think it would be a great idea to have many sites present for students of all ages to reach out to.
"Best-work portfolios" were new to me also. It is always important and beneficial to both the teacher and student when the student takes part in looking at and comparing assignments after they have completed them and been graded on them. I think too often in our classrooms today, students complete an assignment, look at their overall grade, and then move on without really seeing their mistakes and what they need to correct. I think this portfolio is a good way for them to self correct and build on their skills for the next assignments.
DeleteChapter 3:
ReplyDeleteRight off the bat, chapter 3 caught my attention and gave me an activity that I would like to use. It describes using Photo Booth to allow students to record themselves then self analyze their read aloud. I think this is a great way to have students take an interest in their own reading levels. Many times, I feel that students don’t truly know what they sound like. This also allows students to monitor their own progress and hear their own corrections.
I am very much a visual learner. Figure 3.1 provides good chart of the categories of assessments as well as many other figures in the chapter 3 and 13. I started reading this chapter with questions about the types of miscue analysis and how to mark these. After listening to the lecture, reading about the miscue types, and then seeing the visual of 3.10, I feel like I understand what we are looking for.
After reading chapter 3 on Wednesday, I observed for the second day for my social studies class on Thursday. Figure 3.19 gives an example of Mr. Jackson’s anecdotal record and in this, it gives an example of a student that had to follow along with their finger as each word was read. I saw this first hand in my class with several students. It made me wonder if this is always shows a reading disability or if it could simply be a stage? This showed me first hand how different students make sure they are following along and helped me link the chapter content to the classroom.
Chapter 13:
I really enjoyed this chapter. It helped me feel more comfortable with the tutoring sessions that are coming up. I worked as a paraprofessional and then also worked in a computer-assisted tutoring program within the school district. It was interesting to read these and made me think back to these experiences. They were valuable experiences and ones that I learned a lot from. While I worked with high school students, some of the students possessed really low reading levels. It was difficult to see them struggle and not know very many activities that could help them. The computer-assisted tutoring helped with this but after learning about the different activities that are out there, I can’t wait to try them out. I feel that the level that students are engaged will be dramatically different doing an activity compared to sitting in front of a computer screen. Technology can be great but only when used correctly.
While the lesson plans in Figure 13.4 and Figure 13.6 are in a different format than we use, I enjoyed seeing the different activities and the time management that went along with them. It is difficult to know how long some activities will take when we have not yet done them but this gave me rough idea of some of the time frames. The section over the sequence of the lesson also gave a break down of the lesson plans. Between this and the lecture over the lessons, I am starting to feel less stressed about working with the students and more excited to figure out activities that will help them learn.
I also appreciate the different resources, that were offered in chapter 13. It is always nice to see how others do it!
DeleteCh 3 interested me in the fact that with the state standards and common core, I feel that teachers are teaching to the tests and not from the heart. I gained confidence in miscue analysis and am more comfortable in using it with my students in the coming weeks. This chapter did a great job of encouraging me to evaluate informally on daily basis, assessing daily! I think I will carry around a small notepad to jot down notes and then record them at the end of the day.
ReplyDeleteCh 13 talking about “tutors” makes me think of all of the para educators that we allow to “tutor” our students daily, and the high school help that we have, and the parents that come into help with centers. This chapter stated that the certified teacher is the absolute best tutor possible for our students. The chapter did a good job of explaining that it is cheaper to hire para’s and use volunteers and I guess I would agree that a little help and support is better than none. I struggle with the fact that our district uses so many para’s, but the chapter reminded me that they are an important role in our education system. As a teacher, I will make a point to spend one on one time with my students so that they get to reap the benefits of my education and experience!
Thank you all for your responses and posts!!
ReplyDeleteAs always, do not forget the format in which you are to be posting your chapter 'reviews'. :)
Christa