8+-+Early+Learning+Assessment

Early Literacy Assessment ** READING When assessing a students ability to read a text and at what level book they are at, teachers use the record of reading behaviour assessment. “Records of reading behaviour are written on a transcript of the text, providing the teacher with a clear indication of the words that the child has read” (Hill, 2006, p.159). The teacher can look on their sheet and mark the student according to their ability. “The record of reading behaviour is taken by: selecting the book at the child’s learning level that the child has not yet read, asking the child to the ook and carefully marking the child’s correct responses and miscues on a transcript of the same text” (Hill, 2006, p.159).



These are pictures of a reading record sheet and how a teacher would go about assessing a child’s reading. (Source: Hill, 2006, p.162 and 163)

COMPREHENSION

Teachers can monitor student’s comprehension skills by asking them questions relating to the tasks. These questions can be simple through to complex. There are three types of comprehension questions; literal, interpretive and inferential. The literal (on the line) questions “prompt the reader to recall literal information that is written in the text” (Hill, 2006, p.193). Interpretive (between the lines) questions get the “children to interpret the information and make inferences by reading between the lines” (Hill, 2006, p.193). While inferential (beyond the lines) questions “prompt the children to think beyond the text to synthesise information and then provide a critical or a creative response. The reader has to link the meaning of the text to their own experiences and then evaluate or makes judgments about the text” (Hill, 2006, p.193). Students need to comprehend the text to gain meaning from what they are reading.

SPELLING

Teachers observe the student’s spelling patterns and look for errors. From this they make spelling programs to help the students improve. “Children’s writing provides a window into their thinking and problem solving”. (Hill, 2006, p.288) When children write they express what they are thinking and feeling. “There are three main elements to look for when assessing the very beginnings of writing: written language, ideas and text conventions.” (Hill, 2006, p.289) When children use these all together they are writing effectively. There are two types of writing assessment; emergent and early writing and more complex writing.

This sheet is used when the child’s writing is at the emergent or early writing stage. (Source: Hill, 2006, p.290) When a child’s writing is more complex, there is a more complex way of scoring it. This sheet is used when the writing is at the transitional stage and beyond. (Source: Hill, 2006, p.292)