Getting Started: Assessment

Effective teaching cannot begin until you understand what children already know about words and what they are ready to

learn.

WTW p. 25

Effective Teaching

Informal Observations

Let’s look at Jake’s Writing Sample

Many words are spelled correctly Others are close What does Jake know? What does he need

to know? What does he use but confuse? Based on this sample, what stage might he

be in?

Jake’s Writing

Reading/spelling are related but reading can be supported by contextual clues and pictures.

Within-Word Pattern spellers may read: shopping and bottle, but spell them: shoping and bottel.

If students can spell a word, then we know they can read it, it seldom works the other way around, except in the very early stages.

How does what we know about reading help?

Consist of lists of words that represent a variety of spelling features or patterns at increasing levels of difficulty.

Designed to assess knowledge of key spelling features that relate to the different spelling stages.

Lists include the orthographic features that help identify the stage and instruction.

Take it as you would a spelling test

Analyze results to obtain a general picture of their development.

Qualitative Spelling Inventory

Quick and easy to administer and score

Reliable and valid measures of what students know about words

Four basic steps: Select an inventory based on grade/achievement level Analyze spelling using a feature guide Organize groups using a classroom composite to help plan

instruction Monitor progress by using inventory several times a year

Use of Inventories

Grade level: Primary Spelling Inventory (PSI): K-3 Elementary Spelling Inventory (ESI): 1-6 Upper Level Spelling Inventory (USI): 5-12

Pay attention to whether list is too hard/easySet aside 20-30 minutesHave them number the paper (for little ones, set it up ahead)Be direct in your explanation: SEE PAGE 31Split into small groups if necessaryPronounce words naturallySay each word twice and use in a sentence

Select and Administer

Move around the room and monitor: Look for words you can’t read due to handwriting and have

child tell you the letters Note who is misspelling too many or not misspelling any Make sure no one is getting frustrated or anxious With younger, you can stop after 5 if they’ve spelled them

all incorrectly With older they may want to “save face” and keep going

Select/Administer Cont.

Jake’s Spelling Inventory

Each word has a number of features that are scored separately

The feature guides will help you score in this manner This analysis provides information regarding what students

know and what they are ready to learn

Establish a Power Score:Go through Jake’s and mark words right and wrongWrite the correct spelling next to each misspelled wordPut a power score on the test: # correct/ total # of words

See Table 2-2 on page 34 for Estimated Stage

Score and Analyze

Feature guides help analyze student errors and confirm the stages suggested by the Power Score

The feature guides are included in Appendix A

Scoring a Feature Guide

Look across from left to right Instruction should begin where student first

makes two or more errors on a feature What does Jake know? What is he using but confusing? Where do we start instruction? Which chapter in WTW would we find activities for

Jake?

Jake’s Completed Feature Guide

Spelling Inventory results should be compared to what we learn about students’ orthographic knowledge in terms of reading/writing.

We see similar strengths and weaknesses

Jake has mastered short vowels and attempts long-vowel and other-vowel patterns—this is what we would expect in Middle to Late Within-Word Pattern Spelling Stage

When Jake reads, he may confuse words like through and thought

These all offer evidence that we have identified his developmental stage and the features that need attention.

Compare to Jake’s Writing