The Developmental Reading Assessment By Emily Tower

The Developmental

Reading AssessmentBy Emily Tower

What is the DRA?

A tool to observe, record, and evaluate changes in student performance in order to provide teachers with information to help determine student’s independent reading level and what the student needs to learn next.

An Independent Reader

The DRA defines an independent level as one in which the reader is able to decode the text with an accuracy of 94% or higher, read with a moderate rate of fluency, and construct meaning before, during, and after reading.

DRA Word Analysis

Intended for emerging readers in kindergarten and beginning first grade to identify their level of phonological awareness and basic knowledge of phoneme/grapheme relationships.

Can also be used for struggling readers in the latter part of first grade through third grade, who are reading below grade level due to ineffective word-solving skills and strategies, or fourth and fifth grade students whose independent DRA text level is 38 or below.

There are 40 word analysis tasks which are divided into 5 strands to assess a student’s level of control :

1. Phonological awareness2. Metalanguage (language used to talk about printed language concepts)3. Letter/high frequency word

recognition4. Phonics5. Structural analysis and syllabication

Preparing for Assessment1. Check to see that you have the books and forms you

need to conduct the assessments.

2. Make copies of the assessment forms you plan to use for each student. Assemble assessment materials.

3. Review how to take and analyze a running record or a record of oral reading.

4. Read all the Benchmark Assessment Books that you will be using.

5. Prepare an assessment timeline and activities for the other students.

6. Prepare students for DRA2. Select and prepare a place for the assessment conference.

7. Have a range of levels easily available.

Completing an Assessment

The Forms

Reading Engagement

At higher levels these are done independently and have a special form.

Oral Reading Fluency

Oral Readin

g Record Symbol

s

Record of Oral Reading

Counting Errors—Special Things to Remember

Every substitution counts as an error. Even if someone makes the same error repeatedly it counts as a separate error each time.

Repetitions don’t count as errors. Self corrections don’t count as errors. Substitution of a proper name repeatedly

counts as an error only the first time.

Oral Reading Record Continued

Percent of Accuracy

Stop if in shaded areas and select lower level text.

Comprehension Section

Prediction

Retelling

Interpretation

Reflection

Teacher Analysis

DRA2 Continuum

The DRA2 Continuum

3 Sections

Meet within your school to create consistency amongst the team.

Focus for Instruction

How can you help your students?

DRA2 to Rigby Reading Program

• Correlate DRA2 score with the Rigby Reading Level by using the charts provided in the Reading Section of the QSI Curriculum.

• Note that these are guideline expectations and that expectations change over the year. The chart also can be used with the reading continuum that is also included in the Reading Section of the Curriculum.

Note that there are different forms for second and third term expectations.

IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS

Please email me at cheri-carpenter@shk.qsi.org