IDENTIFYING NEEDS - The key to a successful reading programme
If our reading programmes are going to make a difference, we must have a clear picture of what our students can do and what the next learning steps are.
Our Informal Prose Inventory procedure not only provides a comprehensive check on the all-important decoding strategies that our readers are using, but MOST IMPORTANTLY exposes those readers who are reading fluently but not actively processing the text. These readers need to be shown how to unpack sentences, the meta linguistics of comprehension (SharpReading Stage 3) and introduced to important comprehension strategies (SharpReading Stage 4).
KEY FEATURES
Part 1: The Running Record component allows you to do an all important check on decoding fluency. Sometimes there are gaps in our more able reader's word attack strategy that could use a bit of polishing.
Part 2: Retell and Questions - a measure of the reader's ability to construct the literal meaning of text. Sometimes we rush into critical thinking about text too quickly and leave out this important foundational skill. The retell looks at the students' ability to accurately process the information they are reading and hold onto it. That is, can they construct an accurate 'Situation Model' of what is going on in the sentences. This only occurs when the student has habitualised active reading skills and strategies.
Comprehension - should we be measuring critical thinking?
Well, to be perfectly honest, we don't think the 'formal' testing scenario is the place to try an analyse a student's critical thinking ability. I have worked with other tests that try to measure this and found that it is actually possible to answer many of the questions without reading the text. That seems to be a disconnect as far as I am concerned. We think that our SharpReading instructional reading sessions provide a much more authentic opportunity to measure critical thinking.
CLICK HERE for more information about the development of these resources.
A combined total of 54 test passages
Covers reading ages 6-15 years
Divided into 9 age levels - 6 tests at each age level
Measures reading accuracy, retelling, and comprehension
Genre: Fiction and Non Fiction
18 NARRATIVE test passages
Covers reading ages 6-15 years
Divided into 9 age levels - two tests at each level
Measures reading accuracy, retelling, and comprehension.
Genre: Fiction
18 NARRATIVE test passages
Covers reading ages 6-15 years
Divided into 9 age levels - two tests at each level
Measures reading accuracy, retelling, and comprehension.
Genre: Fiction
18 NARRATIVE test passages
Covers reading ages 6-15 years
Divided into 9 age levels - two tests at each level
Measures reading accuracy, retelling, and comprehension.
Genre: Non Fiction
It helps to see it in action!
Click on the link below for a series of videos explaining the full implementation of the test procedure and some training examples to help you get the data recording right.
This testing procedure can be used for two different purposes
1. Creating Benchmarks to measure progress
The IPI testing procedure provides valuable information about the learning needs of the reader. To pass a reading level a student should meet the 3 criteria at that level. The instructional reading age is defined as a level where one of the criteria has not been met. One way you can use the data is to establish what we call an 'Instructional Reading Age' which indicates a level of text difficulty that is appropriate for instructional lessons for this student. That means the text will provide some challenges but will not overwhelm the student.
You can come back later and retest the student at that level to see whether the reader's skill set has now improved to the point where you can select text at a higher level.
Administering the testing procedure is one thing. Analysing the data you have collected will help you to identify your next teaching steps.
Here are some examples which will help you determine the next steps for the readers you have tested.
EXAMPLES: Student tested on Level 5: Reading age 10-11 years.
Accuracy 99% Retell 80% Comp 95% - Passed all 3 criteria well. Retest at level 6 - may pass that as well.
Accuracy 98% Retell 52% Comp 78% - Passed all 3 criteria.
As some of the passes are marginal the Instructional Level could be taken as Level 6, but be careful with this as some students may continue to pass at the next levels.
Retest at Level 6 if time allows to confirm.
Accuracy 98% Retell 47% Comp 75% - Failed the retell.
Instructional Level is Level 5
Accuracy 98% Retell 55% Comp 68% - Failed the comp.
Instructional level is Level 5
Accuracy 98% Retell 40% Comp 68% - Failed the retell and comp (but not badly).
Instructional level is Level 5
Accuracy 98% Retell 18% Comp 68% - Failed the retell (below 20%) and comp.
Instructional level is Level 5
Accuracy 98% Retell 45% Comp 25% - Failed the retell and comp (below 30%).
Instructional level is Level 5
No need to retest. Just need to strengthen comprehension at level 5.
Accuracy 98% Retell 18% Comp 29% - Where both the Retell is below 20% and the Comp below 30%.
Instructional level should drop down to Level 4. No need to retest. The decoding is strong enough. Slightly easier text (lesser concept loading) will take the pressure off while comprehension skills and strategies are strengthened.
THE WEAK COMPREHENDER
All of the above analysis is aimed at identifying students who have successfully habituated the code (they are developing automatic word-recognition) but the data shows that they are not actively processing the information and holding onto it.
THE WEAKER DECODER
Accuracy 96% Retell 75% Comp 85% - Failed the decoding.
Instructional Level = Level 5 with a focus on identified decoding issues. Where accuracy drops below 97% there usually is enough data to identify something to work on.
Accuracy 96% Retell 55% Comp 75% - Failed Accuracy
Instructional Level = Level 5
Accuracy 93% Retell 55% Comp 75% - Failed Accuracy
Instructional Level 4
As soon as the Accuracy drops below 94% regardless of the comprehension scores, the instructional level moves down and the decoding issues become the focus of instruction.
The value of the IPI testing procedure is that it clearly identifies the good decoders who are weak comprehenders. The issue for many of these students is that fluent decoding (once the code has been mastered) can become a very mechanical process with very little engagement of the brain. They therefore need to be taught and given the opportunity to habitualise mental strategies that force them to actively process text.
CLICK HERE for Stage 3 ONLiNE PREVIEW
(See what the ONLiNE training actually looks like)