Assessing+reading+and+writing

__**Assessing reading, writing and comprehension**__
Assessing comprehension can be done in several ways. The teacher may ask questions that could be either, literal, meaning to recall literal information that is in the text, Interpretative, where children are asked to interpret information from the text, or Inferential, which are questions that ask the reader to think outside the text and give creative responses. Retelling is “another effective comprehension assessment tool” (Hill, 2006, pp 195), where children retell what occurred in the text so therefore they recall and remember the most relevant information from what they read.

There are several methods used to assess children’s writing development. Some assessment methods include informal assessment, formal assessment, student self evaluation. In informal assessment teachers observe students writing behaviour’s, strategies and abilities in the classroom and take notes on their development. Formal assessment involves orderly observation and analysis using tools such as the spelling analysis guide which “provides teachers with a detailed diagnosis of a student’s ability to record words. Teachers may use a student’s own writing as text for analysis or use a dictation passage,” (Bradbury, 1997, pp 55). A student’s spelling is then either labelled correct, plausible, invented or random. In self evaluation students are able to assess their own development and reflect on what they know. Student’s may self assess using a ‘”Things I know about writing,” (Bradbury, 1997, pp 57), chart where students record their achievements and abilities.

Assessing readers is essential in order to ensure students are reading at the correct level and in order to moni tor their progress. Informal observation involves “hearing students read, discussing text types with students and working with them in small group teaching sessions enables teachers to monitor students’ effective reading strategies and assess the impact of the classroom teaching program on their progress,” (Bradbury, 1997, pp 10). Formal assessment involves the use of systematic observations and analysis. Formal assessment may be in the form of running records where teachers listen to a child read one-on-one, making notes of their reading abilities and mistakes made. Or in the form of something like a reading journal where children create entries in response to questions, ideas and reflections on texts they have read. Below is an example of a running record sheet.

Running record sheet - [| http://www.readinga-z.com/newfiles/levels/runrecord/runrec.gif]