Phonics Assessments
Phonics is one of the most important blocks in my Kindergarten classroom. During this block, students learn letter names, sounds, sight words, blends, decoding, and encoding strategies to develop into fervent readers. The content provided in this block is aligned to the end of year reading goal, STEP 4, and supports lifelong skills students need to be readers and writers. During phonics, I use whole group and small group instruction. The lesson begins with whole group flashcard practice of letter names and sounds. Students are each given one or more opportunity to say the letter and the sound. Then, we transition to warm up with phonemic awareness skills, such as identifying rhyming words, segmenting beginning and end sounds, and counting syllables. After, I explicitly teach the letter or blend of the day. Students segment and recognize those sounds in words by using their arms to "break apart" the word. I model how to write words using the blend or sound of the day and students get their own practice on their individual white boards. Next, we partake in a shared reading exercise. During this time, students get direct instruction of the sight words of the day, how to blend sounds, and echo read. Finally, I assess mastery by having students practice spelling on white boards. For student who wrote all three words correctly, they are released to do independent reading. Students who wrote 0-2 words correctly stay with me for another mini-lesson to review the blend of the day and get additional "at-bats" of spelling words. This spelling practice is crucial for students because at the end of each week we take a spelling test to check the mastery level of students blends and sounds they learned throughout the week.
Although only one part of the lesson is called "assessing mastery," I am still collecting data throughout the entire lesson with a targeted teaching template to record anecdotal notes on specific misconceptions students are having or what students have already mastered.
Below, examples and data assessment points are organized into formative, summative, and data-driven buckets.
Although only one part of the lesson is called "assessing mastery," I am still collecting data throughout the entire lesson with a targeted teaching template to record anecdotal notes on specific misconceptions students are having or what students have already mastered.
Below, examples and data assessment points are organized into formative, summative, and data-driven buckets.
Formative Data Collection
White Boards
Student get multiple opportunities to practice writing blends and letter sounds of the day. Students use their encoding skills to listen for each sound and write the sounds they hear to make words. During this time, I am circulating and collecting data on misconceptions and which students have mastered the sound or blend. |
Sample Spelling Words from Lesson Plans
![Picture](/uploads/1/1/2/2/112223317/lp-words_orig.png)
This lesson plan samples shows the focus blends of this lesson were sn, st, sp.
If students did not get 3/3 words correct, they stay with me for an immediate corrective instruction mini-lesson. For students who did master the blends, they are released for independent reading. During this time, students show their blending and segmenting directly in their copy of their text.
Independent Student Work Examples
During the independent work time students have printed copies of texts that have the focus sound of the day. Students are expected to "show their reading" by using their pencil to segment the sounds in the words. After "showing their reading" students go back and blend the sounds to read the words. I can measure the mastery by checking their texts for correct segmenting and having them read aloud.
Click on the images to enlarge.
During the independent work time students have printed copies of texts that have the focus sound of the day. Students are expected to "show their reading" by using their pencil to segment the sounds in the words. After "showing their reading" students go back and blend the sounds to read the words. I can measure the mastery by checking their texts for correct segmenting and having them read aloud.
Click on the images to enlarge.
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Data Tracking Template
Throughout the lesson, I am annotating what students have mastered and what sight words, sounds, or spelling patterns they need to improve on. I am able to note which block I can target these misconceptions, typically guided reading or spelling, and exactly what their misconception is. I note sight words students have not mastered and am able to incorporate this practice into homework. Additionally, this data collection is great to communicate with parents so they know what students need improvement on and what they have already mastered. I save these data tracking templates to share in conferences and daily conversations.
Click on the images below to enlarge.
Throughout the lesson, I am annotating what students have mastered and what sight words, sounds, or spelling patterns they need to improve on. I am able to note which block I can target these misconceptions, typically guided reading or spelling, and exactly what their misconception is. I note sight words students have not mastered and am able to incorporate this practice into homework. Additionally, this data collection is great to communicate with parents so they know what students need improvement on and what they have already mastered. I save these data tracking templates to share in conferences and daily conversations.
Click on the images below to enlarge.
Summative Data Collection
Weekly Spelling Test
At the end of each week students take a spelling test to show their level of mastery on the blends and sounds that were taught that week. Students are given a blank spelling test page and I then say the word, a sentence with the word, then the word again. Students segment the word then write down the word that they hear. The test is ten words and targets all the sounds we learned that week. At the end of the day, I grade and input the assessment data into Illuminate, an online data analysis site, to measure student growth week to week. I am also able to identify specific sounds students need to work on to incorporate them into future lesson plans and small group instruction.
The tests below show student samples from proficient, basic, and below basic students. With this data, I will target medial vowels sounds (specifically i and e) and stamp the ending sounds. I will incorporate this practice into spelling and the phonemic awareness portion of phonics lessons. When segmenting words, I will ask students what vowel sound they hear in the middle and what end sound they hear. Students will be able to identify all the sounds in a word and write the sounds they hear.
Click on the images below to enlarge.
At the end of each week students take a spelling test to show their level of mastery on the blends and sounds that were taught that week. Students are given a blank spelling test page and I then say the word, a sentence with the word, then the word again. Students segment the word then write down the word that they hear. The test is ten words and targets all the sounds we learned that week. At the end of the day, I grade and input the assessment data into Illuminate, an online data analysis site, to measure student growth week to week. I am also able to identify specific sounds students need to work on to incorporate them into future lesson plans and small group instruction.
The tests below show student samples from proficient, basic, and below basic students. With this data, I will target medial vowels sounds (specifically i and e) and stamp the ending sounds. I will incorporate this practice into spelling and the phonemic awareness portion of phonics lessons. When segmenting words, I will ask students what vowel sound they hear in the middle and what end sound they hear. Students will be able to identify all the sounds in a word and write the sounds they hear.
Click on the images below to enlarge.
Data-Driven Instruction
My school prides itself on continuously collecting data to improve and direct instruction. Continuous data collection starts in the classroom. From the beginning of the year to the end of the year, I am collecting data. In the beginning of the year, I continuously test students on their letter names and sounds. Students are expected to know 100% of their letters and sounds by the end of October. To ensure this goal is met by all students, I collect weekly data on their progress. I am able to see what letters and sounds they have mastered and what they need practice on. I incorporate this data in small group instruction during guided reading and only target the letters students do not know. In addition, I send home this data after I have recorded it so parents and students are aware of the letters and sounds they still need to work on or what they have already mastered. I record this information in two ways, one way is on paper by highlighting each letter and sound they know and next through an online running record document. In the document, red coded letters are letters students do not know and white coded letters are what they already know. Below, are examples of the two ways I track all letter names and sounds to ensure students are meeting their goal by end of October and what letter they need to know.