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What an inexpensive way to get great books with built-in assessment tools. And the benchmark books give a quick, easy way to assess individual reading levels for students.
Marylou Bridgewater; retired
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I use your books and assessments in my classroom daily. In September, I
assessed my students using your running record forms and benchmarks. My class
was approximately 34.7 percent proficient in reading at that time. I assessed
them again in January using the same criteria and found that we'd moved to 60.8
percent proficiency.
Ms. W.
Woodworth; Chatfield Elementary School; Grand Junction, CO |
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Reading A-Z Assessment Program
Assessment is a necessary component to instruction. Assessment tools are used to determine what is working and what should be taught. Reading A-Z provides a collection of easy-to-use assessment tools in several key areas of reading--alphabet, phonological awareness, phonics, high-frequency words, fluency, and comprehension. These tools are designed to help diagnose a student's instructional needs and the effectiveness of the instruction delivered. Reading A-Z also provides a collection of benchmark books with accompanying running record forms to help determine a student's reading instruction level. In addition to the assessment tools offered in this section of the website, there is a Comprehension Quick Check to accompany each leveled reader. These quizzes are on the landing page of each leveled reader.
Alphabet Assessment Forms
There are four alphabet assessments. Three forms assess recognition of uppercase and lowercase letters. The fourth is a matching exercise where children match uppercase letters with lowercase letters.
The Lowercase and Uppercase Letter Naming assessment includes a graph for plotting the number of letters read correctly by the student. The graph is an excellent resource to track student progress, as well as to build student motivation and self-confidence as gains are made. After each completed assessment, use the alphabet flashcards to provide student practice with identifying alphabet letters before repeating the assessment. The flashcards are provided in both D'Nealian and Zaner-Bloser formats.
Assessing with Benchmark Books
Running Records and Benchmark Quick Check comprehension quizzes accompany Benchmark Books and are used to assess students' reading skills with instructionally appropriate texts. Use Running Records to record reading behavior. Use Quick Checks as oral assessments to determine students' comprehension. Quick Checks include text-based, inferential, and critical response questions. Reward students' progress with our Benchmark WOWzers.
Comprehension Quick Checks
The comprehension Quick Check is a fast, easy way to assess how well students are absorbing their reading. The Quick Check is a multiple-choice and essay quiz that tests how well students remember and understand the book. Multiple-choice questions cover facts, inferences, and essential comprehension skills such as sequencing and identifying main ideas. Essay questions encourage critical and inferential thinking and often allow students to make personal connections with the text. The Quick Checks will accompany every leveled reader from Level C to Level Z and the Monsters and the Hoppers serial books.
High-Frequency Word Assessment Forms
There are two high-frequency word assessments. Both assess a child's ability to recognize and read high-frequency words. The first assessment targets the top 32 high-frequency words, and the second assessment targets high-frequency words 33 through 69.
An accompanying graph is included for use with both high-frequency assessments. The graph is used to plot the number of high-frequency words read correctly. It is an excellent resource to track student progress, as well as build student motivation and self-confidence as gains are made. After each completed assessment, use the flashcards accompanying each form to provide students with extra practice before repeating the assessment.
Fluency Assessment Forms
There are two types of fluency assessments. The first type has a child perform a timed reading of a series of sentences and then answer true/false statements about the sentences. There are three of these assessments, each with more difficult sentences than the preceding one. The second type of fluency assessment is a one-minute timed reading of a passage to measure the number and accuracy of words read. There is a fluency passage for each level, F through Z.
Phonics Assessment Forms
There are two types of phonics assessments offered. The first type assesses a child's ability to associate a sound with a given symbol, and the second type assesses a child's ability to decode nonsense words. The nonsense word assessments progress from decoding common sounds to less common sounds. For example, the first assessments cover decoding simple CVC words. The later assessments cover blends, long vowels, digraphs, and diphthongs.
Phonological Awareness Assessment Forms
There are several phonological awareness assessments in which children listen for, identify, discriminate, and produce sounds. The assessments cover the following phonological awareness skills:
Other Assessment Tips
In addition to the assessment forms above, Reading A-Z offers the following techniques for assessment:
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