Context:

I completed the Reading Assessment Assignment for RE3030 under the advisement of Dr. Janet W. Bloodgood in the spring of 2007. This assessment included an evaluation of students' word knowledge using the Qualitative Inventory of Word Knowledge (Schlagal, 2003). I gave this class assessment to all the students in a fifth grade classroom at Moravian Falls Elementary school. I also conducted the Early Reading Screening Inventory (Morris, 2003) to a first grade student at Moravian Falls Elementary school.

Impact:

These assessments are tools that provide teachers with useful information about students' reading abilities. The Qualitative Inventory of Word Knowledge provides teachers with a knowledge about their students' understandings of English words. This assessment provides data that teachers can use when implementing a word study unit. It also gives teachers a better understanding of their student's reading ability. For example, teachers have the opportunity to take the results of this test in order to help their child read on a correct reading level that suits their abilities. Also, teachers can use the data to help them select appropriate texts for their students to read. The Early Reading Screening Inventory provides teachers with information about students' reading readiness-knowledge that they will need in order to learn how to read. It informs educators what letters the child can recognize and write, what sight words they are able to read, whether children understand what the concept of a word is by looking to see if they are finger-pointing to the correct words, and the child's ability to identify high-frequency words. Teacher can use these results as a basis for instruction. By using the data gained from this assessment, teacher can find instruction that will help meet the needs of that particular child. I hope to use these assessments in my student teaching and future classroom in order help fulfill all of my students' needs.

Alignment:

Through these assessments I have met the following North Carolina Department of Public Instruction Standards for Elementary Education:

Standard 1, Indicator 1: Teachers know the developmental stages of language acquisition. 

    --This artifact proves that I know the developmental stages of language acquisition. The Early Reading Screening Inventory gave me information about early developmental stages and the ASU Word Recognition Inventory gave me information about reading stages in elementary school readers.

Standard 1, Indicator 4: Teachers understand the elementary school child's social, cultural, linguistic, cognitive, and effective backgrounds as they relate to the ability to develop effective communication processes (listening, speaking, reading, and writing).

    --Through this artifact, I have shown that I understand that a child's backgrounds relate to their ability of communicating effectively. These assessments also match this standard by providing data about children's linguistics and cognitive knowledge that will influence their ability to learn new information.

Standard 1, Indicator 8: Teachers know and understand written and oral composition processes.

    --In this artifact, I know and understand written and oral composition processes. I have met this through using my knowledge of invented spelling in order to interpret this assessment. By analyzing this data, I have revealed a students' awareness of the systems of language and how these impact reading and writing.

Standard 7, Indicator 3: Teachers promote new learning by using students' prior knowledge, misconceptions, and interests when designing lessons.

      --With this artifact, I have promoted new learning by using student's prior knowledge, misconceptions, and interests when designing lessons. I can take the data that I have received through this assessment and apply it to my instruction. Through this, I will promote student learning. I will also by able to use further instruction to accommodate the needs of all students.

Standard 7, Indicator 6: Teachers modify instruction and assessments to meet the needs of individual students.

      --In this artifact, I have modified instruction and assessments to meet the needs of individual students. I have chosen materials and lessons that will help match the student's ability in reading.

Standard 7, Indicator 7: Teachers develop and use a variety of formal and alternative assessment strategies as an integral part of instruction and learning appropriate for assessing individual, peer, team, and collaborative skills.

      --Through this artifact, I have used a variety of assessment strategies. With these strategies I have appropriately assessed an individual. I will use these tools to gather information about what students know before designing further instruction.

Standard 8, Indicator 1: Teachers teach children to read with a balanced instructional program that includes an emphasis on the use of letter/sound relationships (phonics), context (semantic and syntactic), and text that has meaning for students.

      --In this artifact, I have showed that I can teach children to read with a program that includes letter/sound relationships, context, and text that has meaning. The assessments I used are tools in a balanced program. I have measured many aspects of the reading process such as letter/sound relationships, context, and meaning.

Standard 8, Indicator 6: Teachers model standard English.

      --With this artifact, I have modeled standard English. In the summary I have attached about the experience of giving the reading assessments, I have shown that I can model standard English.