Assessment
"To other high schools thinking about offering classes like this one? I would say do it. Do it right now.
I'll never forget how [my teacher] helped me. This class has made all the difference."
~ 12th grade Structured Literacy Class graduate
Our 5 Essential Assessment Tools for Structured Literacy
Our students have already been tested and are in the lowest percentiles of struggling readers. Often at or even below the first percentiles in tests of basic reading and reading comprehension. What we want to know is their facility with the foundational skills of reading to inform our instruction. We assess phonemic awareness, phonics (decoding and encoding), fluency, and vocabulary and comprehension.
We keep additional assessment to a minimum.
Our Structured Literacy classes are interventions for word-level reading and fluency. For the majority of our students, it is in addition to their "regular" English. They are also enrolled in history, math, science, etc. Structured Literacy is designed to teach them foundational skills, not replace their English class. No one, no one, is saying foundational skills are all our students need. Or all that good instruction entails.
Phonemic Awareness
Phonological Awareness: Three times a year with the Phonological Awareness Screening Test (PAST)
The website has directions, multiple forms, a developmental chart, and an Appendix of teaching strategies. We assess 3 times a year and use the data to inform our instruction. See our data and template below.
Data Collection Template for the PAST Assessment
Adapted by Julie Brown from Clement (n.d.)
Phonic Knowledge: Decoding and Encoding
Phonic Knowledge: On-going with curriculum-embedded material
Our phonics program has an embedded system of assessment. We progress monitor continuously (as in, throughout every lesson) and chart progress with word-level reading every one to two weeks.
Phonic Knowledge: Twice a year with the Word Identification and Spelling Test (WIST)
The WIST includes tests of sound/symbol knowledge, spelling, and word identification.
We administer the WIST at the beginning and end of the year to have a nationally-normed measurement of growth. This tells us if our work is working and informs program placement/graduation decisions.
Fluency
Fluency: On-going with Rasinski's Multi-dimensional Fluency Rubric or Quick and Easy High School Reading Assessments
We know that the foundation for fluency is accuracy and automaticity with word-level reading. “First, foremost, and forever, accuracy is the foundation of fluency" (Hasbrouck, 2021).
Our students are working mightily to master accuracy with word-level reading. Measuring fluency as words correct per minute (WCPM) often gives them the wrong impression of what our goals are. Instead, we measure reading fluency with the Multi-dimensional Fluency Rubric. Students enjoy reflecting on their fluency progress with this tool. It also allows us to focus on one component of fluency at a time. Assessing Reading Fluency (Rasinski, 2004) explains how to use this rubric to assess fluency.
If a WCPM assessment is needed, we use Rasinski's Quick and Easy High School Reading Assessments or DIBELS 8th Edition for Grades 7-8.
Vocabulary and Reading Comprehension
Vocabulary and Reading Comprehension: Three times a year with STAR Reading
STAR Reading is our district's universal screener for comprehension. Administered three times a year, it tracks progress in a variety of ELA measures including text complexity, integration of knowledge and ideas, and language acquisition and use (vocabulary). It provides an overall measure of reading comprehension.