Informal Reading Assessment Rationale

Context

The Informal Reading Assessment was completed in a sixth grade classroom.  The reading assessment was assigned at Appalachian State University under the advisement of Dr. Robin Groce, Elementary Education Block II instructor, and under the advisement of Teresa Wiles, a sixth grade teacher at Mountain View Elementary School, Jefferson, North Carolina.  I completed this assignment as a requirement for RE- 4030, Development of Literacy for Learning.

The assessment allowed me to determine the levels of reading material that a particular sixth grade student can read both with and without teacher assistance.  The student’s independent level, the level at which a person can read with understanding and ease without assistance, was primer. His instructional level, the level at which a person can read with understanding with the teacher’s assistance, was level three. His frustration level, the level at which a person is unable to function adequately because the reading material is too difficult, was level four. 

Impact

With the knowledge of the student’s reading levels, the teacher can provide reading material and activities that will promote higher reading skills.  To improve the student’s reading abilities the teacher needs to collaborate with the reading specialist and retrieve reading material on the upper third and lower fourth grade reading level that provided or could generate comprehension questions. 

Alignment

          This informal reading assessment aligns with the following program standards:

Standard 1: Elementary teachers have a broad knowledge and understanding of the major concepts in English Language Arts and Literacy.

v     Indicator 5: I met this standard because through the reading assessment I was able to determine the student’s existing knowledge, information suggested by the written language, and the context of the reading situation.  The assignment informed me of the student’s independent level and the instructional reading level.

v     Indicator 6: I met this indicator because I understand the importance of literacy for personal and social growth.  The reading assessment determined the student's reading levels for the teacher to encourage and improveto expand his personal and social growth.

v     Indicator 7: I met this indicator because I understand that the English language continually changes.  Students can progress throughout the school year, learning new terms and meanings.  Students also can hear a new form of the English language and through this assessment I would be able adapt to the change in the reading of the material provided for the student to read.  

v     Indicator 8: I met this indicator because I understand the phonemic, morphemic, semantic, syntactic, and pragmatic systems of language and their relation to the reading and writing process.  I understand the student who I assessed relied on these systems of language while reading the material used in the informal reading assessment.