Structured Literacy - Check for Understanding

Checking for understanding is a critical part of effective phonics instruction. This page highlights how teachers can use both informal and formal assessment tools to monitor student learning and guide next steps. From daily activities like dictation and decodable text reading to formal assessments provided in HMH Into Reading, these practices help identify student needs, track progress, and support targeted instruction. Use the strategies and resources on this page to ensure all students are mastering foundational reading skills and moving forward with confidence.

The Structured Literacy Module Inventory is a one-on-one assessment used to monitor the progress of select students in foundational reading skills taught within each HMH Into Reading module. It’s not a universal screener or required for all students, but can be used flexibly based on teacher observations. Teachers may choose to assess certain students at the end of a module or only specific sections of the inventory. The tool helps inform instruction and track skill development over time, and it can be administered by staff other than the classroom teacher using the provided scripts and scoring sheet.

Informal Notes

A tracking seating chart is a simple, effective tool for observing student responses during Structured Literacy instruction. As you teach, use the chart to quickly note which students are consistently demonstrating skills like accurate blending, correct letter formation, or proper sound-symbol correspondence. You can mark successes, errors, or areas of confusion in real time, helping you identify patterns and determine who may need additional support or reteaching. It’s a quick way to gather informal data.

Dictation

Dictation is a quick and effective way to check for understanding during phonics instruction. It allows teachers to see if students can apply the phonics skills they've learned by writing words and sentences using the focus sound-spelling pattern. This not only reinforces encoding and handwriting skills, but also provides immediate insight into which students have mastered the skill and who may need additional support. You can collect the daily dictation for review or do an end of week assessment.

HMH. (n.d.). What is the purpose of checking for understanding? Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. https://www.hmhco.com/blog/purpose-of-checking-for-understanding

This HMH article explains the purpose and importance of checking for understanding in the classroom. It emphasizes how ongoing, informal assessment helps teachers gauge student learning in real time, adjust instruction as needed, and ensure that all students are on track toward mastering key concepts.

Lemov, D. (2015). Teach like a champion 2.0: 62 techniques that put students on the path to college (pp. 149–151). Jossey-Bass.

Teach Like a Champion 2.0 by Doug Lemov is a practical guide for educators, featuring 62 evidence-based teaching techniques designed to improve classroom instruction, student engagement, and academic success.