DRA2 Stamford Public Schools Parent Workshop Created by the Stamford Elementary Reading Teachers

DRA2DRA2

Stamford Public Stamford Public SchoolsSchools

Parent WorkshopParent Workshop

Created by the Stamford Elementary Reading Teachers

What is the Developmental What is the Developmental Reading Assessment Reading Assessment (DRA)?(DRA)? • SPS is required by the State Department SPS is required by the State Department

to administer the DRAto administer the DRA• Administered in the fall, winter, and Administered in the fall, winter, and

springspring• Identifies substantially deficient studentsIdentifies substantially deficient students• Assesses a student’s reading progress Assesses a student’s reading progress

over timeover time• Scores are given for comprehension, Scores are given for comprehension,

fluency, and accuracyfluency, and accuracy

How is the DRA used?How is the DRA used?

• Informs parents and teachers of a Informs parents and teachers of a student’s current independent student’s current independent reading levelreading level

• Identifies strengths and weaknessesIdentifies strengths and weaknesses

• Identifies a student’s instructional Identifies a student’s instructional needsneeds

• Helps teachers plan for small group Helps teachers plan for small group reading instruction and interventionreading instruction and intervention

How has the DRA How has the DRA changed?changed?

DRA Classic DRA 2 Rationale for Change

Untimed oral reading Timed oral reading at levels 14-40

Testing stops if words per minute rate is not met

Slow reading rate effects comprehension.

Oral student responses

Written student responses have been added at levels 28-40

To align with CMT objectives.

Fictional Stories Nonfiction selections at levels 16, 28, and 38

CMT reading selections are nonfiction

DRA2 Benchmarks for First DRA2 Benchmarks for First GradeGrade

SeptemberSeptember JanuaryJanuary MayMay

44 1212 1818•One to three lines One to three lines of text per pageof text per page

•Predictable Predictable language structureslanguage structures

•Familiar Familiar characters and characters and experiencesexperiences

•Brown Bear, Brown Bear, Brown BearBrown Bear by Bill by Bill MartinMartin

•Illustrations give Illustrations give moderate supportmoderate support

•Number of high Number of high frequency words frequency words are expandedare expanded

•Two to six lines of Two to six lines of text per pagetext per page

•TitchTitch by Pat by Pat HutchinsHutchins

•Characters have Characters have problemsproblems

•Illustrations Illustrations provide moderate provide moderate supportsupport

•Some description Some description of characters and of characters and settingsetting

•Little BearLittle Bear by Else by Else Holmelund Minarik Holmelund Minarik

DRA2 BenchmarksDRA2 BenchmarksGradeGrade JanuaryJanuary MayMay

SecondSecond 2424 28 (non-28 (non-fiction)fiction)

•Illustrations Illustrations provide minimum provide minimum supportsupport

•May be a full page May be a full page of textof text

•Nate the GreatNate the Great by by Marjorie Weinman Marjorie Weinman Sharmat Sharmat

•Non-fiction bookNon-fiction book

•Two to seven lines Two to seven lines of text above or of text above or below photographs below photographs or graphicsor graphics

•Topics and Topics and vocabulary are vocabulary are familiarfamiliar

•On the FarmOn the Farm (iOpeners)(iOpeners)

DRA2 BenchmarksDRA2 BenchmarksGradeGrade JanuaryJanuary MayMay

ThirdThird 3434 38 (non-38 (non-fiction)fiction)

•Text size is slightly Text size is slightly smaller than in smaller than in previous text levelsprevious text levels

•Sentence length and Sentence length and vocabulary are more vocabulary are more complex than in complex than in previous text levelsprevious text levels

•There is less picture There is less picture supportsupport

•Little Critter JournalLittle Critter Journal (Little Celebrations)(Little Celebrations)

•Four to twelve lines Four to twelve lines of text below or of text below or above photographs, above photographs, illustrations, or illustrations, or graphicsgraphics

•Text size is slightly Text size is slightly smaller and fills or smaller and fills or partially fills pagepartially fills page

•Specialized Specialized vocabulary may not vocabulary may not be familiarbe familiar

•All About BikesAll About Bikes (iOpeners)(iOpeners)

Supporting Reading at Supporting Reading at HomeHome

Emergent Emergent DRA2 Levels A-3DRA2 Levels A-3Reading Engagement •Holds a book and turns the pages

•Looks at the illustrations/ photographs in books•Identifies and talks about a favorite book or story

Oral Reading Fluency •Using text, child moves finger from left to right

Comprehension •Names familiar objects in the illustrations/ photographs

How do I support my How do I support my Emergent Reader?Emergent Reader?

DRA2 DRA2

Levels A-3Levels A-3

Before we read…Before we read…

Look at the cover and talk Look at the cover and talk about what you think will about what you think will

happen in this story.happen in this story.

Look at the pictures and tell Look at the pictures and tell me what you think is me what you think is

happening in the story.happening in the story.

While we read…While we read…

We use the pictures to We use the pictures to figure out unknown words.figure out unknown words.

Then we use beginning letter Then we use beginning letter sounds to figure out unknown sounds to figure out unknown

words.words.

Talk about your favorite Talk about your favorite part of the story.part of the story.

After we read…After we read…

Why did you like that part Why did you like that part of the story?of the story?

EarlyEarly DRA2 Levels 4-12DRA2 Levels 4-12

Reading EngagementReading Engagement •Picks out books to read Picks out books to read independentlyindependently

•Reads familiar books independently Reads familiar books independently for a short period of timefor a short period of time

•Tells about a favorite book Tells about a favorite book

Oral Reading FluencyOral Reading Fluency •Consistently matches one-to-oneConsistently matches one-to-one

•Quickly recognizes high-frequency Quickly recognizes high-frequency words (e.g. words (e.g. the, I, in, hethe, I, in, he))

•Begins to use letter/sound Begins to use letter/sound relationship strategies to problem relationship strategies to problem solve words solve words

ComprehensionComprehension •Can talk about print (word, letter, Can talk about print (word, letter, begin, end, first, last, sound, and so begin, end, first, last, sound, and so on)on)

•Talks about what is happening in the Talks about what is happening in the illustrations or photographsillustrations or photographs

•Recalls some events in a storyRecalls some events in a story

•Talks about a favorite part of the Talks about a favorite part of the book or story book or story

How do I Support My Early How do I Support My Early Reader?Reader?

(also use strategies from Emergent Level (also use strategies from Emergent Level A-3)A-3)

DRA2 DRA2

Levels 4-12Levels 4-12


Look at the front and back Look at the front and back cover. cover.

Use clues to determine what Use clues to determine what might happen in the story.might happen in the story.

While we read…While we read…Look at the pictures and tell Look at the pictures and tell me what is happening in the me what is happening in the

story.story.Stop and re-read when the Stop and re-read when the

reading doesn’t make reading doesn’t make sense.sense.


We retell the story. Start at the We retell the story. Start at the beginning of the story and tell me beginning of the story and tell me what happened.what happened.

Your child should:Your child should:

• use the names of the charactersuse the names of the characters

• tell the story in ordertell the story in order

• tell how the story endedtell how the story ended

TransitionalTransitionalDRA2 Levels 14-24DRA2 Levels 14-24Reading Engagement •Selects a book that can be read independently

(“Just Right” book)•Sustains independent reading for a short period of time•Tells about a favorite book and why it’s his/her favorite

Oral Reading Fluency •Reads in 2-3 word phrases•Uses multiple strategies to determine if the words make sense, sound right, and look right•Uses familiar word families to read words (e.g., -at, -an, -ig, -it)•Decodes one syllable words

Comprehension •Previews the text and makes predictions using illustrations or photographs•Orally retells the story or information•Identifies a favorite part of a story and tells why•Makes text-to-self connections that enhance understanding of the story

How Do I Support My How Do I Support My Transitional Reader?Transitional Reader?

DRA 2DRA 2


Continue to read aloud Continue to read aloud along with your child in along with your child in

fiction and fiction and nonfiction texts. nonfiction texts.

Children should be reading nonfiction Children should be reading nonfiction andand

identifying text features such as:identifying text features such as:

• Table of contentsTable of contents

• HeadingHeading

• Maps, charts, and graphsMaps, charts, and graphs

• IndexIndex

• Glossary Glossary

Nonfiction Books

Look at the title and cover. Look at the title and cover. What kind of book is this? What kind of book is this?

What do you think this book What do you think this book is going to be about? Why? is going to be about? Why?

What do you think you are What do you think you are going to learn from reading going to learn from reading

the book? the book?



Stop to look at pictures, Stop to look at pictures, charts, maps, subtitles, charts, maps, subtitles,

etc. to see what they tell etc. to see what they tell you.you.

After we read… After we read…

What did the author say What did the author say about…about…

Your child should include:Your child should include:

FactsFacts

Details Details

VocabularyVocabulary

(Retelling Nonfiction)(Retelling Nonfiction)

Ask your child… Ask your child…

What is the most important What is the most important idea you learned from this idea you learned from this

book? book?

Why do you think it is Why do you think it is important?important?

ExtendingExtendingDRA2 Levels 28-38DRA2 Levels 28-38

Reading EngagementReading Engagement •Selects a book that can be read Selects a book that can be read independently independently

•Reads independently for a longer period Reads independently for a longer period of timeof time

•Reads a beginning chapter book over timeReads a beginning chapter book over time

•Reads different genres (e.g. biographies, Reads different genres (e.g. biographies, mysteries, poetry)mysteries, poetry)

Oral Reading FluencyOral Reading Fluency •Uses strategies to determine if the words Uses strategies to determine if the words make sense, sound right, and look rightmake sense, sound right, and look right

•Takes words apart (word families, Takes words apart (word families, endings, contractions, compound words) to endings, contractions, compound words) to decode wordsdecode words

•Uses spelling patterns to decode words Uses spelling patterns to decode words (e.g., (e.g., out, shoutout, shout))

•Quickly self-corrects mistakesQuickly self-corrects mistakes

•Reads in longer phrasesReads in longer phrases

•Reads with expression, paying attention Reads with expression, paying attention to punctuationto punctuation

How Do I Support My How Do I Support My Extending Reader?Extending Reader?

DRA2DRA2


Before we read…Before we read…Look at the title and cover Look at the title and cover

and think about the and think about the illustrations or photographs illustrations or photographs

you see.you see.What do you think this story What do you think this story

is about ? is about ? What do you think you are What do you think you are going to learn after reading going to learn after reading

the book?the book?


Readers ask questions about what they read.

Is there something in the story that reminds you of an experience you have had? How does your experience help you understand the story better?


What do you think the author is What do you think the author is trying to tell you in the story?trying to tell you in the story?

Why do you think this is Why do you think this is important?important?

Summarize the story in 3-5 Summarize the story in 3-5 sentences.sentences.

Just-Right BooksJust-Right Books

www.booknutsreadingclub.cowww.booknutsreadingclub.comm

Choosing a “Just-Right” Choosing a “Just-Right” BookBook

• First choose the book you think you would like to read.First choose the book you think you would like to read.

• Find a page of text with lots of text (words) and few or no pictures near the middle Find a page of text with lots of text (words) and few or no pictures near the middle of the book. of the book.

• Read the page aloud or in a whisper voice if possible while doing the test so you can Read the page aloud or in a whisper voice if possible while doing the test so you can hear the places where you have difficulty.hear the places where you have difficulty.

• Each time you come to a word you don't know, hold one finger up.Each time you come to a word you don't know, hold one finger up.

• If you have all five fingers up before you get to the end of the page, wave the book If you have all five fingers up before you get to the end of the page, wave the book "good-by." It is probably too difficult for you right now. Try it again later in the year."good-by." It is probably too difficult for you right now. Try it again later in the year.

• If you do not have any fingers up when you finish the page, then the book may be If you do not have any fingers up when you finish the page, then the book may be an easy read for you. an easy read for you.

• If you have less than five fingers but more than one or two fingers up when you If you have less than five fingers but more than one or two fingers up when you finish reading the page, the book may be just what you need to grow as a reader. finish reading the page, the book may be just what you need to grow as a reader. Use this Use this Goldilocks' method as you read to see if the book is a "just right" book. as you read to see if the book is a "just right" book. Enjoy! Enjoy!

http://www.booknutsreadingclub.com/goldilocksrule.html

How long should my child practice How long should my child practice reading his/her “just right” book reading his/her “just right” book each day?each day?

• Emergent – 15 minutesEmergent – 15 minutes

• Early Readers – 20 minutesEarly Readers – 20 minutes

• Transitional Readers – 25 minutesTransitional Readers – 25 minutes

• Extending Readers – 30 minutesExtending Readers – 30 minutes

Documents

DRA2 Stamford Public Schools Parent Workshop Created by the Stamford Elementary Reading Teachers