Reading Assessments:  Best Practices for Teachers            

Online  3 Graduate Credit Hours

Instructor:  Kelly Moran, Ed.D. 

Cell Phone: (440) 376-0673                                     

Email:  kellyannteacher@gmail.com

Office hours:  anytime, simply send an email.  I will respond within 24-48 hours.        

INTRODUCTION
This course is thoughtfully crafted to enhance the proficiency of educators in administering and interpreting reading assessments.  This course is designed for paraprofessionals, teachers, administrators, and district leaders seeking the best practices in reading assessment informed by research.   Participants will actively engage in intellectual and reflective exercises aimed at expanding their understanding of effective strategies for implementing sound reading assessment practices. 

Throughout the course, participants will explore assessment techniques that contribute to the development of robust diagnostic reading instruction and development.   The focus will extend beyond a narrow view of assessing overall reading comprehension to encompass diagnostic strategies applicable to collecting data in the following areas:  phonemic awareness, phonics, vocabulary, fluency, and comprehension.  Emphasis will be placed on how to assess, where to find assessments, and why the development of a reading profile is suggested.  

This course is geared towards empowering educators to adeptly incorporate evidence-based practices into their assessment methodologies and systems. By delving into national and state data as well as a range of assessment approaches, participants will be equipped to foster a culture of diagnostic and aligned assessment schedules contributing to the prescriptive reading instruction necessary for gains in academic success.
 

Ohio’s Plan to Raise Literacy Achievement serves as a guide to evidence-based language and literacy teaching and learning for all learners from birth through grade 12 with the aim to improve overall reading comprehension for Ohio students. The plan articulates a state literacy framework aimed at promoting proficiency in reading, writing and communication for all learners. Educators in the state of Ohio are responsible for delivering content to students that is often presented in written text in which students are required to read and comprehend.  If students are inefficient readers they will not be able to acquire all of the knowledge and skills contained in the academic content standards. Educators need to rely on reading assessments to determine where deficits exist to better inform intervention based instruction.  

This course aligns with the five vision action statements in the state’s plan as it affords teachers and  leaders the skills, content, and research necessary to grow and refine their capacity for implementing evidence based literacy instruction and intervention to lift students to higher levels of overall reading ability..  Additionally, the course aligns to these vision statements by providing participants a structured road map for increasing their instructional effectiveness in assessing literacy skills  and growing their support networks for continued professional growth. 

The five vision action statements of Ohio’s Plan to Raise Literacy Achievement are:
1. Using the Simple View of Reading (Gough & Tunmer,1986) to drive all literacy content, conversation, development and organization of resources necessary to support the state’s comprehensive plan.
2. Ensuring all learners are represented and supported throughout the language and literacy development continuum, which includes emergent, early, conventional and adolescent literacy.
3. Providing specific recommendations for learners having difficulty reading or writing.
4. Enhancing partnerships and collaboration among general education and special education practitioners and stakeholders.
5. Enhancing the state’s infrastructure supports to build implementation capacity at the state and regional levels. 

Ohio’s Strategic Plan for Education, ODE’s Each Child, Our Future, includes 10 priority strategies that support accessible and quality learning experiences for children.  Of the ten strategies, two apply specifically to early learning and literacy.   This course aligns with the Early Learning and LIteracy strategies in the state’s plan as it affords teacher leaders the skills, content, and experiences necessary in growing and refining their analytical and instructional capacity to use diagnostic literacy assessment practices in a school-wide content reading model.  Understanding how best to assess reading yields higher levels of overall student comprehension.

The following are the Early Learning and Literacy Strategies referenced in ODE’s strategic plan:

Strategy 8: Promote the importance of early learning and expand access to quality early learning experiences.

Strategy 9: Develop literacy skills across all ages, grades and subjects.

COURSE DESCRIPTION
Unlock the keys to effective reading assessment in this dynamic and comprehensive course designed for educators and instructional leaders at all levels. This class is tailored for teachers of all grade levels and content areas, paraprofessionals, administrators, and district leaders seeking to deepen their expertise in helping to identify where struggling readers have deficits. This engaging course takes a multifaceted approach to elevate participants' abilities to assess literacy skills.  Through a blend of research insights, evidence based strategies, and application activities, educators will gain valuable tools to create an assessment protocol that fosters a deep understanding of a student’s reading profile.

This is a 100% online asynchronous class and no face to face meetings are required to complete this course. 

INSTRUCTOR’S STATEMENT

This syllabus may be modified at any time by the instructor.  The class will be informed of any changes, but it is the responsibility of the students to make themselves aware of these changes. Please contact me in case of any confusion, concern or question. 

REQUIRED TEXTS

All required readings are linked in this week-by-week assignment document.

Recommended readings (not required) include: 

Assessment for Reading Instruction by Michael C. McKenna and Katherine A. Dougherty Stahl

Kilpatrick, D. A. (2015). Essentials of assessing, preventing, and overcoming reading difficulties. Wiley.

Core Multiple Measures Assessing Reading

 

COURSE OBJECTIVES

National and State Standards	Knowledge Objectives	Learning Tasks	Assessment Tasks
Standard Alignment (OSTP, ILA)	Evidence that demonstrates competence includes the ability to:	Course objectives are  introduced & explored through:	Course objectives are assessed through:
OSTP 1 ILA 1.1 ILA 4.2	Define the different types of and purposes of assessments	Video Lecture Article Readings Discussion Posts	Assigned Readings Discussion Posts Lesson Quizzes Graphic Organizers Written Reflections
OSTP 2             ILA 2.3	Restate a minimum of three assessment tools that can be used to help pinpoint specific areas of literacy ineffectiveness to inform instruction	Video Lecture Article Readings Discussion Posts	Assigned Readings Discussion Posts Lesson Quizzes Graphic Organizers Written Reflections
OSTP 2 ILA 2.3	Differentiate between assessments used for word recognition and those used for language comprehension (both sides of The Simple View of Reading)).	Video Lecture Article Readings Discussion Posts	Assigned Readings Discussion Posts Lesson Quizzes Graphic Organizers Written Reflections
OSTP 2 ILA 2.3	Disprove widely held myths that reading should be assessed through answering comprehension questions after finishing a reading passage.	Video Lecture Article Readings Discussion Posts	Assigned Readings Discussion Posts Lesson Quizzes Graphic Organizers Written Reflections
OSTP 1 ILA 2.2	Implement and interpret formal assessments, including fundamental measurement, concepts and characteristics of valid assessments.	Video Lecture Article Readings Discussion Posts	Assigned Readings Discussion Posts Lesson Quizzes Graphic Organizers Written Reflections
OSTP 2,4,5 ILA 2.2   ILA 4.3	Use and analyze informal and formative assessments to identify key interventions and support for learners.	Video Lecture Article Readings Discussion Posts	Assigned Readings Discussion Posts Lesson Quizzes Graphic Organizers Written Reflections
OSTP 1,2,4 ILA 1.1	Demonstrate a variety of ways of assessing the strengths and weaknesses of all readers and writers.	Video Lecture Article Readings Discussion Posts	Assigned Readings Discussion Posts Lesson Quizzes Graphic Organizers Written Reflections
OSTP 2, 4       ILA 2.3	Use information from norm-referenced tests, criterion-referenced tests, formal and informal inventories, constructed response measures, student self-evaluation methods, observations, portfolios, and other indicators of student progress to inform instruction and learning	Video Lecture Article Readings Discussion Posts	Assigned Readings Discussion Posts Lesson Quizzes Graphic Organizers Written Reflections

CLASS PARTICIPATION

Students are expected to actively engage in online class discussions, article readings, online tasks, and individual assignments.  Students are also encouraged to ask questions and use analytical reflection and conceptual skills to develop their own thoughts and conclusions on how to apply learned concepts to their respective work environments. 

Class participation rubric:  PD Participation Rubric

ASSIGNMENTS    For almost every week in the course there will be five assignments.  

➤Assignment one (read) - a weekly reading assignment.

➤Assignment two (lecture) - an assignment in which you will watch a short recorded lecture by the professor.

➤Assignment three (watch) - a viewing assignment in which you will watch a posted video.

➤Assignment four (create)- a weekly artifact posting assignment.  You  will be required to post an artifact you create related to a given prompt or participate in a discussion post with classmates.

➤Assignment five (listen)- a weekly listening activity (usually a link to a podcast episode)

 

GRADING - ASSIGNMENT POINTS

Participation	30  points
Artifact Assignments (12 total)	12 points each / 144 points total
Final Project	80 points
	Total course points available - 254

  GRADING SCALE 

 

A 93 to 100  A- 90 to 92.99

B+ 87 to 89.99 B 83 to 86.99  B- 80 to 82.99

C+ 77 to 79.99  C 73 to 76.99  C- 70 to 72.99

D+ 67 to 69.99  D 63 to 66.99  D- 60 to 62.99

F 0 to 59.99

ASSIGNMENT DESCRIPTIONS: 

A week-by-week glance and description of all assignments can be found here. 

I suggest that you make a copy of this document so that you can check off completed assignments as you go along.  In addition, you will then have a repository at your disposal moving forward of helpful and useful wellness resources. 

Please note:  All assignments are due at 11:55 p.m. on the date listed. 

Late Work: Overdue work will only be accepted within five days of the original due date. Remember that your final grade is calculated according to the above percentile weights.  If you have questions about assignment grades, those concerns must be discussed personally with the professor within one week of receiving the corrected work from the professor. No overdue work will be accepted after the last regularly scheduled class meeting.  Please note: no late assignments accepted for the final project.

Course Type	Unit Value	Lecture Hours Per Week	Lecture Hours per semester	Lab / Hybrid hours per week	Homework hours per week
Lecture	1 SH	1	16	NA	32
Lecture	2 SH	2	32	NA	64
Lecture	3 SH	3	48	NA	96

References:

Assessment for Reading Instruction by Michael C. McKenna and Katherine A. Dougherty Stahl

Reading Assessment and Instruction for All Learners by Jeanne Shay Schumm

Understanding, Assessing, and Teaching Reading: A Diagnostic Approach by Michael F. Opitz and James Erekson

Kilpatrick, D. A. (2015). Essentials of assessing, preventing, and overcoming reading difficulties. Wiley.

Progress Monitoring and Response to Intervention: American Institutes for Research by Lynn S. Fuchs and Douglas Fuchs

Screening for Reading Problems in Grades 1 Through 3: An Overview of Select Measures by Barbara R. Foorman, Jack M. Fletcher, and David J. Francis

Formative Assessment for Literacy, Grades K-6: Building Reading and Academic Language Skills Across the Curriculum by Alison L. Bailey and Margaret Heritage

Online Resources:

1. Institute of Education Sciences, https://ies.ed.gov/ncee/wwc/PracticeGuides
2. Center on Response to Intervention at American Institutes for Research, https://www.air.org/centers/center-multi-tiered-system-supports-mtss-center