Sprig Learning covers all the intricacies of early literacy assessments in its blog, providing valuable insights for educators. 

Previous articles demystify the distinctions between formal and informal assessments, offering a valuable resource for teachers seeking a balanced approach in their classrooms. 

They venture into the future of assessments, embracing a holistic perspective that considers various facets of a child’s learning experience. 

They further delve into the nuanced parameters involved in assessment design.

Sprig is passionate about assessments and their profound impact on a young learner’s educational journey. With the same dedication, this article explores the indispensable role of diagnostic assessments in shaping evidence-based literacy instruction.

This is part of a two-part series on the qualities of diagnostic assessments. 

Diagnostic assessments are typically administered at the outset of a school year, term, semester, or teaching unit. Serving as essential tools for teachers, these assessments play a crucial role in planning instruction and establishing precise learning goals. 

They offer valuable insights, empowering both teachers and students to assess existing knowledge and skills related to overall and specific expectations.

Diagnostic assessments embody five powerful qualities that make them powerful drivers of evidence-based early literacy instruction, meeting the pressing needs of teachers in today’s educational landscape.

 

They Are As Follows: 

 

1. Greatly Supplements Screeners

Timely screening and early diagnosis are recognized as pivotal factors in shaping early literacy outcomes, standing out among the six key strategies for making a difference in early literacy. Screening tools play a crucial role in swiftly identifying students requiring additional support. However, the effectiveness of tier 1 instruction raises a compelling question: do these students, after exposure to robust classroom teaching, still require the same level of assistance? 

Or what about those students that the screener did not identify as needing support but who are bound to fall through the cracks due to lack of engagement in the classroom or an inability to absorb the required learning concepts.

This is where diagnostic assessments step in, offering invaluable insights to determine the ongoing needs of students and ensuring that intervention aligns precisely with their evolving requirements.

 

2. Reduces Dependence on Others

Teachers frequently turn to literacy coaches and other specialists for assessment guidance. Diagnostic assessments streamline this process as they are designed to be specific in evaluating targeted skills, aligning closely with the curriculum in use. 

While collaboration among teachers and early literacy specialists remains essential, the beauty of diagnostic assessments lies in their ability to empower teachers to assess their students without unnecessary barriers.

In fact, insights 15 to 20 from 40 Science of Reading Insights deal with leadership practices that significantly raise the percentage of students’ reading at-grade level by Grade 2. What stands out in particular is “empowering teachers to own and lead interventions” and “sharing granular data with students”.

By fostering a culture of diagnostic assessments, teachers undergo training to consistently diagnose their students on highly specific skills, such as the foundational reading skills. This empowers them to be deliberate in their teaching practices, encompassing instruction, assessment, and intervention with precision.

 

3. Measures The Right Things

Diagnostic assessments adopt the right perspective on academic return on investment. Like any investment, the return should ideally enhance student learning and teacher effectiveness.

These assessments diagnose specific units of learning, validated by extensive research to contribute significantly to reading proficiency. This proficiency can be viewed as a substantial output or return for any school system aiming to address the learning needs of its students!

 

4. Helps Classroom to Be Assessment Centric

Barring progress monitoring assessments, diagnostic assessments are the most frequently employed in classrooms. This emphasis on assessment-centric classrooms aligns with one of the four ideal classroom characteristics identified by The University of Pennsylvania’s Penn Literacy Network, based on meta-research supporting early literacy best practices that lead to enhanced student achievement.

Indeed, this quality of being assessment-centric plays a pivotal role in reinforcing all other essential classroom characteristics—student-centricity, knowledge-centricity, and reflection-centricity. 

Especially when it comes to knowledge-centricity, it entails grasping the significance of reading and establishing connections between acquired knowledge and its application in reading. 

Diagnostic assessments, along with subsequent progress monitoring assessments, facilitate this by offering ongoing tracking of all the subskills measured at specific intervals.

 

5. Offers Design Flexibility

Designing effective assessments in early childhood education involves careful consideration of both content and structure. The content of assessments focuses on what is being measured, while the structure deals with how that content is assessed and the manner in which information is stored. 

In the context of diagnostic assessments, teachers can gather information by assigning tasks to students, maintaining individual portfolios that document developmental progress, and utilizing rubrics to assess and evaluate students’ comprehension of taught concepts. 

This flexibility and teacher autonomy afforded by diagnostic assessments empower educators to tailor the educational experience to best suit the needs of their students.

 

Use Diagnostic Assessments to Drive Evidence-based Instruction

The regular assessment of learning is listed as one of the major uses of the Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Fund . It’s concerning that about 70% of U.S. educators lack access to high-quality, standards-aligned curriculum. 

It underscores the importance of ensuring curricula align with state academic standards and incorporate embedded assessments for monitoring progress. 

This dual need emphasizes the requirement for both top-notch instructional materials and a systematic assessment process to measure and monitor student learning.

Navigating the assessment landscape involves various considerations, including the formality of assessments, the exploration of holistic formative assessments, and efforts to reduce bias. Each of these topics is covered in separate articles written by Sprig, linked above.

However, in the current era, marked by a focus on evidence-based literacy mandates and the adoption of strategies for effective implementation, assessments must align with the measurement of explicitly and systematically taught foundational reading skills. 

Sprig aims for the drivers outlined in this article to serve as compelling reasons for including diagnostic assessments in your assessment toolbox.

Stay tuned for part 2 of this article, which will uncover more intriguing insights about diagnostic assessments.

Assessing early literacy skills is an essential part of ensuring that all young learners develop the foundational skills needed for reading success. 

A wide range of assessments are available to school leaders and educators, each serving specific purposes in identifying, monitoring and supporting a child’s literacy development. 

In this article, Sprig Learning explores the various types of early literacy assessments and provides guidance on choosing the right assessment tool based on your specific needs. 

The format consists of a series of 11 questions, as asking questions is integral at any phase of gathering information when deciding what is the right early literacy assessment for your school and students at this time.

 

1. What Is The Purpose of The Early Literacy Assessment?

There are various types of assessments in early literacy, each with their own purpose.  It is important to understand the early literacy assessment landscape when choosing the best tool for your school and students.

The primary types of early literacy assessments are listed below, with their respective purposes and examples mentioned.

 

Types of Early Literacy Assessments

Screeners

Purpose: To quickly identify students at risk of reading difficulties early in the school year. Includes standardized tests and brief assessments of key literacy skills.

Examples: DIBELS, AIMSWeb, FastBridge.

 

Diagnostic Assessments

Purpose: To identify specific areas of literacy that require intervention. Includes running records of in-depth assessments targeting a comprehensive reading skill inventory such as phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension skills.

Examples: Acadiece, Sprig Reading, i-Ready.

 

Progress Monitoring Assessments

Purpose: To track a student’s growth over time and evaluate the effectiveness of early interventions. Often includes regular and ongoing assessments throughout the school year to measure progress and adjust instruction accordingly.

Examples: Sprig Reading, CORE Phonics Survey, CKLA.

 

Formative Assessments

Purpose: To inform instruction by providing real-time feedback on student learning. Often  includes teacher observations, classroom quizzes and anecdotal records.

Examples: GOLD, Sprig Reading, Core5.

 

Summative Assessments

Purpose: To evaluate a student’s overall literacy performance at a specific point in time. Includes state standardized tests and end-of-year reading assessments.

Examples: Ontario’s EQAO, Texas’ STAAR, North Carolina’s BOG3.

 

Choosing the Right Assessment Based on Purpose

Selecting the appropriate assessment tool depends on the specific needs of the school and/or school district.

If the goal is to quickly identify students at risk, screeners are the assessment of choice. 

For a more in-depth understanding of a student’s literacy profile, diagnostic assessments provide valuable insights.

When it comes to tracking literacy growth over time and evaluating the effectiveness of interventions, progress monitoring assessments are essential. 

For real-time feedback on student learning and instructional planning, formative assessments are very handy. They are very similar to progress monitoring assessments, and can also include diagnostic assessments as a part of its wider definition. 

Lastly, if the aim is to evaluate a student’s overall literacy performance at a specific point in time, summative assessments come into play. 

In practice, many schools and school districts employ a combination of these assessment types, creating a comprehensive and well-rounded approach to address various objectives. 

The key is to align the choice of assessments with the specific goals and requirements of the educational context, allowing for a tailored and effective approach to enhancing early literacy outcomes.

 

2. How Often Should Assessments Occur?

It’s important to decide how frequently assessments need to be conducted in your classrooms.

For ongoing monitoring of student learning, diagnostic assessments and progress monitoring assessments are ideal. 

For periodic evaluations, screeners and summative assessments are better suited.

 

3. What Resources Will Be Required to Deploy the Assessments?

Assess the available resources, including time and personnel, for administering any assessment.

Some assessments, like formative assessments conducted by teachers, require minimal resources, while others, such as summative state standardized tests, can involve significant logistical planning and training.

But even within each assessment type, there are variations in the utilization of resources. 

For example, both diagnostic assessments and progress monitoring assessments can be considered a part of formative assessments. 

But the diagnostic assessments typically require more intensive teacher involvement. Teachers administer these assessments, analyze the results, and use them to develop individualized intervention plans. 

Progress monitoring tools are generally less time-consuming for teachers. They involve regular, brief assessments conducted at intervals, for eg. weekly or monthly, to gauge a student’s progress. They often include digital tools and technology that support the ongoing tracking of outcomes.

Regardless of the degree of teacher involvement and resources needed, it helps to have documentation and support available that guides teachers on how to implement an assessment tool effectively.

Professional development measures are required to be put in place that provide the relevant training and support for teachers on how to assess students consistently and effectively. 

 

4. How Individualized Should Assessments Be?

Consider the unique learning strengths, gifts and needs of each student. 

Formative assessments allow for individualized analysis through running records and note taking. In both diagnostic assessments and progress monitoring assessments, many details of each student can be recorded.

For summative assessments like standardized tests, achieving such a detailed understanding is not feasible. 

However, these assessments serve the valuable purpose of evaluating both individual and group-level learning outcomes, which is a distinct advantage.

 

5. What is the Relationship Between the Assessment and Curriculum?

Ensure that the assessment you choose aligns with the curriculum and literacy goals you have. Assessments should reflect what students are expected to learn and achieve.

If the assessment focuses on one major learning outcome such as a reading level or reading proficiency, it’s a summative assessment. 

If it aims to gauge students’ pre-existing knowledge to determine their readiness and understanding of the curriculum’s concepts, it’s a screener.

If the assessment covers multiple skill sets essential for achieving a major goal in an evidence-based curriculum, it’s a diagnostic assessment. 

If it focuses on measuring finer details, like a subskill within a skill set, over time, it leans toward being a progress monitoring assessment.

 

6. What Type of Students Are The Assessments For?

Questioning who the assessments are for addresses accessibility. 

Evaluate the accessibility of the assessment tool, including whether it’s suitable for students with diverse learning needs and backgrounds.

Ensuring assessment validity and proven to mitigate  bias is critical, given the increased diversity in classrooms today, both in terms of learning skills and background. 

Bias is one of the featured terms that are essential to know in the cause for early literacy equity. 

There is implicit and explicit bias, and assessments must be both inclusive and culturally responsive to tackle such biases head on.

 

7. Who Will Be Doing The Assessment?

There can be multiple roles involved in assessment beyond just teachers. Sometimes there is collaboration between teachers and other specialist roles in the assessment process.

For example, reading specialists often assess students’s reading abilities and develop intervention plans. They work closely with classroom teachers to support student progress. 

Speech language pathologists assess oral language skills and phonological awareness. 

 

8. Are Assessments Easy to Administer?

The rigidity or lack of flexibility when it comes to the administration of assessments may pose a hindrance to some early literacy school teams. But some assessments are more intuitive and easy to use than others.

However, it’s important not to mistake an evidence-based teaching framework for lack of flexibility. Teachers must still customize instruction for diverse student needs, hence there will always be scope for flexibility.

Formative assessments play a crucial role in enabling such personalized instruction, allowing regular tracking of student understanding of foundational reading skills to inform instruction.

Teachers will always maintain autonomy with assessments, because while it’s imperative to follow the evidence and teach all the foundational literacy skill sets to every student, assessments will determine if 1) students are ready to learn 2) if they are learning new concepts 3) if they are retaining the knowledge required to advance. 

Given their pivotal role and the demands for classroom teachers, it’s important  that assessments are easy to administer.

 

9. When Should the Assessments Occur?

 

Timing (During the Academic Journey)

Assessments should be introduced as early as possible in a child’s life, because prioritization of early childhood education is critical. It is a powerful driver of literacy equity and there are strong ties between high-quality Pre-K education and primary education student performance.

The case for early literacy intervention is undeniable, and it is only made possible by use of early assessments, preferably starting at preschool, and not any later than Grade 3.

 

Timing (During the School Day)

A teacher can assess students at any time of the day depending on their daily schedule.

Here are some contexts in which assessment may occur:

 

Morning Routine

Some teachers incorporate brief literacy assessments as part of their morning routine. 

This can involve short activities like sight word recognition, letter naming, or phonemic awareness exercises to gauge students’ readiness for the day’s lessons.

 

Small Group Instruction

During small group literacy instruction, teachers may assess students individually or in small groups. 

This allows for more targeted assessment and immediate feedback, particularly for skills like reading comprehension, fluency, or phonics.

 

Literacy Centers

Many classrooms have literacy centers where students rotate through different small-group literacy activities. 

Teachers can use this time to assess specific skills related to the center’s focus, such as vocabulary development, phonics, or reading comprehension.

 

One-on-One Assessment

Some assessments, especially diagnostic assessments or more in-depth evaluations, may require one-on-one sessions between the teacher and the student. 

These assessments may occur at various times during the day, depending on the teacher’s schedule.

 

End of Lesson

Teachers often use the end of a literacy lesson to assess students’ understanding and progress related to the lesson’s objectives. This can involve quick checks for understanding of the taught concepts.

 

Scheduled Assessment Periods

In some cases, teachers may have dedicated assessment periods built into the weekly schedule. 

These periods can be used for more formal assessments, progress monitoring, or data collection.

 

10. Should the Assessments Have One or More Features?

Assessments could have other features that either add value to the assessment or complement it.

Small group instruction is one of the featured trends in a list of evidence based early literacy trends. Many schools have adopted high-dosage and high-impact tutoring in small groups. But with such efforts, ongoing diagnostic assessments are key. 

Assessment is needed on the journey from emergent literacy to reading mastery. In laying and building on a strong reading foundation, there is a need for individualized instruction which can only be administered on the basis of ongoing assessments that monitor progress. 

So then, it would make sense for assessment tools to have other features as well, such as differentiated instruction capabilities.

Also, to enhance reading instruction in the classroom, it’s recommended to make assessments fun and engaging. Thus, assessments could have recommendations as a feature, which suggest how to best incorporate it into play-based learning. 

There could be more of such value-adds and complements. The school’s early literacy team could consider assessment tools with multiple features to align with the diverse objectives of the early literacy team.

 

11. How Many Assessments Are Needed?

It can be beneficial to rely on more than one source of assessments. Especially, if there are multiple assessment goals the school or school division has.

Rather than one tool with multiple features, the school can consider multiple assessment tools each specializing in one thing. 

For example, specifically designing strategies for struggling students is a recommendation for improving reading instruction in schools. A school may have a large body of students who need extra support. 

These numbers will skew reading performance, and so it’s important to know this information. Thus in this case, addressing the root issue with an assessment such as a screener is important.

For improving early literacy achievement, stories of using multiple types of assessments are trending, where there are screeners, diagnostics, progress monitors, and standardized assessments.

For example, the Upper Grand District School Board Director of Education, Peter Sovran, assures that besides the EQAO assessments data, the district also has report card data and teacher assessments data to understand student progress.

 

Select The Right Assessment(s) For Your School

Early literacy assessments play a crucial role in helping educators support young learners on their journey to becoming proficient readers. 

By understanding the various types of assessments and their purposes, school leaders, administrators and educators can make informed decisions about which tools to use. 

Whether it’s identifying at-risk students, tailoring interventions, monitoring progress, or evaluating overall literacy performance, there’s an assessment method suited to every need. 

Implementing ongoing progress monitoring was featured as a major takeaway in a prior article featuring some brilliant case studies on improving student achievement. It’s important that a school’s early literacy team is on board with the decision of what assessment to use. 

In that particular case, Chicago public schools administrators and educators set grade level teams to set growth targets in reading, math and attendance and would regularly meet in both grade-level and vertical-planning teams. 

Ultimately, the key to effective literacy assessment lies in using the right tool at the right time for the right purpose. Sprig hopes to guide you toward selecting the appropriate assessment through the questions presented in this article.

This article is the second installment in a two-part series aimed at assisting education leaders  in refining and enhancing existing reading strategies and programs for the upcoming school year. If you missed part 1, Starting Strong: How Educational Leaders Can Transform Reading in Their School, be sure to give it a read, as it offers valuable insights into how to lay the foundation for future reading achievement by addressing all aspects within the system.

This article delves deeper into what to watch for and how to continually enhance the implementation and sustenance of a reading strategy once it has been set into motion.

 

Steps to Uncover Hidden Challenges and Boost Reading Program Performance

Enforcing comprehensive change in response to the increasing number of laws advocating for evidence-based reading practices necessitates a strategic, multi-step approach. 

Here are four amazingly practical steps for school and district leaders implementing evidence-based reading strategies, picked from a report published on Reading League, a national education nonprofit led by educators and reading experts. The author is Dena Mortenesen, Elementary Reading and Language Arts Supervisor for Waterbury Public Schools in Connecticut. 

 

1. Analyze and Adjust Assessments

Collaborating with educators and literacy coaches to assess the value of classroom assessments is essential. 

It’s crucial to monitor whether existing assessments are consuming more instructional time, as seen from Dena Mortensen’s experience of over two decades.

Evaluate if there’s a universal screener to identify at-risk readers and a curriculum-based measure to track progress. 

Remember that school district requirements are only a part of the assessment plan; teachers should also employ diagnostic assessments as necessary to customize lessons for individual students.

 

2. Analyze Curriculum and Secure Resources

Leaders must ensure alignment between their expectations for teachers and the resources they provide to enable them to meet those expectations. 

Empower teachers for success by equipping them adequately. Waterbury Public Schools used their newfound knowledge to establish criteria and make informed choices regarding the provision of materials and human resources. 

Dena’s team had invested in a foundational skills program for K3 and also a core reading program for K-5. They had also hired more literacy facilitators.

To kick start the process, start by evaluating the curriculum. Is it aligned with the principles of the science of teaching reading? Verify that teachers have access to research-based materials. 

Scrutinize the staffing structure to ensure you have the required personnel to teach the core curriculum and cater to the needs of students who may require additional support. If needed, reassess your staffing model and contemplate hiring extra assistance.

Provide evidence-based rationale to support change in areas where there is a need for overhauling the old way of doing things. 

Both educators and administrators become accustomed to the current curriculum and resources. There must be a compelling reason to encourage active participation in adopting new processes.

 

3. Redesign Schedules

The district implemented schedules that allowed for a total of three and a half hours to be dedicated to core instruction and intervention. Specifically, each school assigned 90-120 minutes to both whole group and small group Tier 1 instruction in reading and language arts. 

Additionally, 30-45 minutes were allocated for foundational skills, including phonemic awareness, phonics, spelling, and handwriting or cursive (for grades K-3). 

An additional 45-minute block was reserved for intervention or enrichment activities. This scheduling arrangement was designed to ensure that expert reading teachers and tutors could deliver Tier 3 intervention lessons seamlessly across all grade levels throughout the day, without any scheduling conflicts.

 

4. Provide Systematic and Ongoing Professional Learning

With a roster of more than 400 elementary classroom teachers, it proved impractical to conduct in-person training sessions with each one. 

Instead, a system was devised to facilitate scalable training. In this model, 20 literacy facilitators underwent initial training firsthand using a Training of Trainers (ToT) approach. 

These facilitators, in turn, conducted training sessions for the teachers. Teachers benefited from continual support through bi-weekly Instructional Data Team (IDT) meetings and coaching cycles.

Beyond teacher training, literacy facilitators themselves underwent specialized professional development to enhance their content knowledge and coaching skills. 

Maintaining up-to-date expertise is of utmost importance, with weekly meetings between the literacy facilitators and the concerned personnel to exchange new insights and address any queries. 

Additionally, literacy facilitators convene weekly with principals and vice-principals during Instructional Leadership Team (ILT) meetings to deliberate on literacy-related matters. 

This approach underscores the significance of continuous, embedded training and communication in achieving success.

 

Length and Breadth of a Successful Reading Program

Exploring the four steps mentioned earlier provides valuable insights from a teacher’s perspective, considering their pivotal role in early education. Yet, it’s equally essential to view the educational process through the student’s perspective. 

This entails assessing individual student learning, comparing to standards and learning expectations, and monitoring their academic journey throughout the primary grades, recognizing the critical importance of each year in this foundational learning phase.

These two themes are explored as follows: 

 

Implementing Research-based Practices across all Three Tiers 

Jocelyn Auger, Principal of the Bruce-Grey Catholic District School Board (BGCDSB), discusses the proactive measures her district implemented to enhance early reading proficiency among students. 

BGCDSB engaged its top educational and curriculum experts in researching evidence-based reading strategies. Drawing upon resources like Essential Practices of Literacy, Scarborough’s Reading Rope, as well as their internal Reading Continuum and Phonological Screener, they identified deficiencies in their instructional methods that had led to students lacking crucial components in their foundational literacy skills.

The school board began to offer relevant professional development opportunities to their primary team, and hire specialist roles such as instructional coaches and literacy consultants. It also implemented instructional changes in all tiers of interventions.

It also identified next steps such as: 

Delving deeper into the science of reading within their Primary Professional Learning Network (PLN). Transitioning to a school-wide PLN ensured that teachers across different grade levels had access to uniform learning resources.

Fostering professional collaboration to tailor interventions for individual students.

Establishing open and transparent communication channels with parents and guardians to discuss the specific strengths and needs of each student.

Embracing the evidence-based science of reading has proven to be a transformative experience within our institution. This literacy approach ensures that every student, irrespective of their background, entry-level, or prior school experience, undergoes systematic and thorough assessment and receives the necessary support.

 

Continuity In-between Grades

Utilizing assessments, standards, and a well-structured curriculum ensures educational continuity as students progress through the primary grade levels. 

Additionally, the abundance of student data offers valuable insights for schools, aiding teachers in effective class planning and decision-making. While kindergarten entry assessments can provide initial insights into incoming students’ academic abilities, it’s essential not to solely rely on them. 

A comprehensive approach, including ongoing assessments and observational measures, offers a more accurate understanding of individual student needs, guiding tailored instructional strategies.

Scheduling joint professional development sessions for preschool and kindergarten educators fosters collaboration and facilitates seamless transitions for young learners.

 

Specific Strategies for Coordinating, Monitoring, and Increasing Instruction Time

Regardless of the nature of challenges that are solved, whether they are teacher or student centric, a lot of it comes down to the actual quality of the instruction in the classroom. 

There is so much room for improvement when it comes to the coordination, monitoring, and the increment of instructional time, given the immense weight it holds in the success of reading strategies and programs.

According to Dr. Karen Carlson, former principal of Chicago Public Schools, the most effective elementary schools prioritize a reading-enriched curriculum for all students, commencing in the first grade with a robust emphasis on phonetics. 

Furthermore, this approach is reinforced through continuous monitoring to prevent any student from slipping through the cracks.

The following advice is extracted from a thorough two-year study conducted by the Academic Accountability Council, aimed at enhancing the coordination, monitoring, and maximization of instructional time.

 

Coordinated and Aligned Curriculum

• Implement a curriculum with vertical and horizontal coherence.
• Align school curriculum to local and state standards and assessments.

 

Monitor Both Students and Teachers

• Employ specific techniques for monitoring educators, such as collecting, reading, and commenting on teachers’ lesson plans on a weekly basis.
• It’s important to be visible and visit classrooms regularly. It’s good to meet regularly with teachers and grade-level teams to review student progress and solve problems that come up. 

 

Increase Time on Task

So much of reading success comes down to the actual spent time on providing instruction. 

• Implement smaller class sizes or offer tutoring to maximize students’ time-on-task during regular school hours.
• Create additional learning opportunities before and after school to extend overall learning time.
• Consider extending the school day and academic year for all students, utilizing available discretionary resources.

 

Focusing on The Right Areas

In the National Research Council’s seminal report Preventing Reading Difficulties in Young Children, the authors had identified three significant hurdles hindering the widespread adoption of effective reading instruction practices. 

 

1) The first challenge stems from a short-term approach to teaching, prioritizing easier-to-learn reading skills while neglecting vocabulary, conceptual knowledge, and reading comprehension strategies. 

 

2)The second obstacle relates to insufficient expertise among educators in effectively teaching these more complex reading skills. 

 

3) Lastly, the limited time within the school day and year presents difficulties in meeting high expectations for children’s learning. 

 

Throughout this article, the lack of research-based instructional strategies, lack of professional development to help understand and teach according to these strategies, and the lack of enough instruction time has been highlighted.

Hopefully, the advice given is helpful in overcoming some of these challenges and creating a roadmap for school administrators seeking to streamline their reading programs as the new school year begins. 

It’s the beginning of another school year. 

It’s a time where many schools are looking at optimizing their current reading programs, tools, approaches and resources in order to improve early literacy outcomes.

For others, it’s a time to evaluate existing early literacy resources already in place.

In both cases, the new school year presents itself as an opportunity to do things right. 

Starting strong is essential to early reading success. Not only for young learners, but for teachers and administrators as well, where they review what has worked and what can be improved, to create an action plan that will serve them well for the upcoming school year.

This article will help school leaders to optimize early reading resources, engage educators, and implement impactful changes to elevate literacy outcomes.

 

Knowledge, Application and System

Ensure All Three Are in Your School Improvement Plans

A successful reading program develops reading proficiency in every student and relies on proven practices. 

There are three essential elements that are vital for designing, executing, and maintaining effective reading instruction.

• Providing educators with comprehensive professional development.

• Utilizing instructional tools aligned with this knowledge.

• Establishing school systems that support and cultivate successful implementation.

 

So it’s important to ensure that all three elements are a part of your schoolwide strategy to improve reading outcomes. 

Ensuring the presence of all three ensures the sustainability of a well-functioning early reading program.

Educators must feel supported with adequate professional development at a time when there is a strong resurgence of evidence-based early literacy. 

Furthermore, there must be an outlet for this knowledge to translate into classroom practices. Educators need to be equipped with the right tools. 

Finally, the school culture must be ready to embrace and support the cause to improve early literacy. 

When all three components are present in the school’s early reading program, this effectively supports actual practices, beginning with teaching strategies. 

 

Tier 1 Instructional Strategy

 

Build a Strong Core

Before all else, is your tier 1 instruction sufficiently comprehensive? 

If not, it could be a stumbling block to early reading success for students. 

Researchers have found out that choosing and implementing a research-based core reading program is the key first step in a model that is designed to prevent reading supports for most students.

Studies have explored different methods of teaching reading on Title 1 student achievement. The findings suggest that programs employing explicit instruction on foundational skill sets result in higher achievement, particularly among students at risk of reading difficulties.

 

Audit of Assessment Practices

 

Standardized, Diagnostic and Ongoing— Need for All Three Types

Assessment is a vital component of any effective reading program. 

It should align with the reading curriculum, allowing for the tracking of student progress and helping teachers gauge the pace of instruction. 

In such programs, assessment informs instruction for both large groups and individuals, with various assessment tools serving distinct purposes.

Statewide achievement tests, for instance, provide insights into systemwide instructional effectiveness. 

Diagnostic tests aid classroom teachers in planning instruction and communicating student needs to parents. 

Ongoing assessments guide decisions on groupings, instructional speed, and the need for individual support.

It’s important to audit your existing assessment practices to ensure that all three of these types of assessments are present. 

 

Regarding Content of Assessment

In the early grades, assessing foundational skills and strategies crucial for long-term outcomes, is of utmost importance. 

Consequently, early-grade reading assessments should be frequent and skill-specific.

 

Developing Differentiated Instruction Capabilities

 

Strengthen Differentiated Instruction to Realize Full Value of  Ongoing Assessments

Studies have revealed that in highly effective schools, more time is devoted to small-group instruction, which is a powerful approach of differentiating instruction to individual and group needs. 

Frequent and ongoing assessments, coupled with early intervention, facilitate students moving reading levels, a characteristic of the most effective schools.

It allows for adaptable pacing and complexity adjustments according to the level of the students. 

But there is no question of intervening without the ability to group students, or isolate individual students.

Thus, ensuring ongoing assessments that measure the foundational reading skills is just one half of the equation. 

In order to truly enable early reading success, teachers need to be able to differentiate instruction for their diverse classrooms, both in terms of background and ability.

 

The Runway for Early Reading Success

Timing is really important. Some of the newer evidence-based literacy legislations that have been enacted will not fully come into effect until the 2024-2025 school year. 

Any forecasted academic improvements will take even more time to become visible. Amy Rhyne, Director of Early Literacy in North Carolina State Department of Public Instruction, says “Anything in education, it takes three to five years”

Transformation, as observed in North Carolina, is unfolding gradually, marked by disparities from one school to another, and sometimes even from teacher to teacher. 

It hinges on a delicate blend of encouragement, incentives, and teacher support. It is a challenging equilibrium given that many school systems and educators have long held the autonomy to determine what and how they teach.

A good way to plan for these legislative changes is to ask what is the change, how much is the change, and what can be done about it beginning today? 

The runway has to be adequately planned, so it’s a smooth ride before take off.

If a school’s reading program has already thought about professional development, its application into practice, the systems that will support it, and also how it plans to address tier 1 instruction, formative assessments, and differentiated instruction, it can then consider supporting teachers to be more deliberate about their teaching strategies. 

 

School Leaders Supporting Teachers

Teachers, even those with the most advanced knowledge and skills,cannot and should not be asked to carry the entire burden of improving reading outcomes for all learners. 

There is a need for system-level change. Distinguished early literacy researchers in the The American Federation of Teachers have listed 6 steps that teachers can implement in their classrooms now, which school leaders should start supporting immediately. 

 

1. Use academic learning time deliberately and purposefully to ensure students receive the maximum amount of evidence-based instruction. 

Academic engagement, often measured as “time on task”, serves as a strong predictor of academic success. Reflect upon the allocation of your teaching hours, ensuring a substantial focus on explicit instruction and high-priority skills linked to improved reading outcomes. Observations indicate that classrooms often underutilize instructional time for these critical skills. 

2. Consider the value of the one-minute lesson. 

Numerous students grappling with substantial reading challenges find immense value in concise one-minute lessons. These sessions offer a quick review of challenging tasks, the chance to practice word reading with immediate feedback, or the opportunity to showcase their understanding with feedback.

3. Offer customized instruction that reflects students’ learning needs. 

While some of your students may grasp reading effortlessly, others with reading difficulties, disabilities, or dyslexia demand personalized instruction tailored to their unique learning requirements. Start by scrutinizing their screening and progress monitoring data. Identify the key areas where they need supplementary instruction and practice. Then, strategize on integrating this work into daily individual mini-lessons or with small groups of students who share similar needs. 

4. Give struggling readers instruction in small groups, in pairs, or one on one. 

Numerous students facing reading challenges thrive when exposed to specialized instruction, which can be effectively delivered in small-group settings, paired sessions, or one-on-one interactions. These formats offer the flexibility to customize instruction to their specific needs, delivering the right balance of practice and precise, targeted feedback

5. Create many opportunities to read a range of text types and a range of text levels. 

Students encountering reading challenges find value in broadening their reading experiences to encompass diverse text genres, spanning digital, informational, and narrative texts. This diversity in text types shouldn’t be limited to older students; it can be integrated into the listening comprehension and text reading of younger learners, even those who are just beginning to read. With sufficient background knowledge, motivation from intriguing topics, and additional instructional support, students can engage with and comprehend more advanced texts.

6. Provide explicit instruction that incorporates clear feedback. 

Before teaching, clear expectations should be established for student actions and responses. It should be clearly communicated what they should know. Students must showcase their understanding of the taught concepts. Specific feedback must be provided that encourages the desired behavior while addressing any errors. 

 

Getting Teachers to Adopt The Above Techniques For The New School Year

Despite the involvement of three major agents of change—legislatures, researchers, and activist parents, persuading teachers to adopt new techniques remains a challenging endeavor.

Kymyona Burk, instrumental in driving Mississippi’s early literacy transformations and now a policy fellow at the think tank ExcelinEd, says “The hardest part was convincing others who had done things a certain way for such a long time that we needed to make a shift. We had to make a shift in our instructional practices; we had to make a shift in the curricula that we were purchasing; and also we had to just really come to terms with the fact that there were so many of our teachers who had come through our education-preparation programs who still were not equipped to teach children who struggle how to read.”

Mississippi initiated a comprehensive teacher retraining program, which involved a rigorous module that delves into the fundamentals of speech sounds, known as phonemic awareness. Several states have since adopted similar approaches. 

However, retraining educators with packed schedules is a time-consuming process and may not necessarily result in substantial changes to their classroom practices. As Timothy Shanahan,  former director of reading for Chicago schools and an early-literacy expert, points out, “There are tens of thousands of schools in the United States, and there’s limited oversight into their day-to-day operations.”

 

Need for Strong Leadership

School leaders have the great task of working with teachers to gradually implement instructional, assessment, and differentiation practices that align with the extensive body of research aimed at enhancing reading outcomes.

Effective leadership at the local policy and school levels holds substantial influence.States and local districts wield significant financial power when it comes to educational decisions. 

Numerous organizations who advocate for struggling students, emphasize the pivotal role of school-based leadership in successfully implementing top-tier reading instruction and professional development. 

Research highlights how capable leadership correlates with commitment to professional development and teacher adherence to literacy practices.

By following the guidance outlined in this article, administrators can confidently kickstart the school year on the right footing. They will be able to evaluate whether their existing infrastructure and resources are primed to support teachers in implementing the practices that lead early readers to proficiency!

In Part 2 of this series, we will delve into the next steps, including navigating this new approach, addressing associated challenges, and strategies for overcoming them throughout the academic year.

Building on this week’s article, 5 Emerging Themes in Improving Early Literacy, Sprig Learning is thrilled to present 5 more of such themes for success in early literacy.

Hopefully, this series has been useful in getting ideas and inspiration for taking on initiatives to improve the quality of early literacy programs in your classrooms and schools. 

There are more stories corroborating these themes, or exploring new themes that may be just as useful in rethinking existing literacy initiatives at your school.

Please subscribe to Root to Fruit, our twice-a-month newsletter on all things early learning, that thoroughly covers all such news items pertaining to early literacy improvement.

Without further ado, here are 5 more emerging themes in improving early literacy. Let’s nurture a generation of confident and enthusiastic readers together! 

 

Theme 1: Principal’s Role in Literacy Improvement

In early childhood education, the elementary school principal wields significant influence over school administration. Their guidance is pivotal in making informed decisions about early literacy, from implementing evidence-based instruction and assessments to adopting new curriculums and managing funds effectively. Hiring the right principal with ample experience is essential for success.

 

• Jill Bjorge is the new principal of Riverside Elementary School in Brainerd, Minnesota. Drawing experience from her background as a classroom teacher and literacy coach for many years in the school district, she wishes to provide every child a fun, safe and loving learning environment. Jill is a strong advocate of early childhood literacy, having previously developed a reading curriculum for Grade 3 that allowed her to meet the needs of a diverse classroom. 

 

• Hamilton-Wentworth District School Board will add a system-wide school principal to support principals with learning recovery initiatives at all schools. Additionally, a special assignment teacher will be added to provide system support to English language classes. Funding for this move will come from the $3 million that is left of the COVID-19 learning recovery fund. 

 

• For the past 5 years at Denver Public Schools (DPS), the percentage of K to 3 students scoring significantly below grade level has hovered around 22%. In 2021, DPS performed worse than all other big school districts in Colorado, whereas previously it fared at the top of this list. Inexperienced principals is cited as a major reason for this plummeting of scores. Henry Roman, president of the Denver Classroom Teachers Association, wants more hires with a “strong background in curriculum and instruction”.

 

• The Frank Defino Central Elementary School,of Marlboro K-8 School District in New Jersey, has been awarded a national Blue Ribbon award, in recognition of high student achievement for 2022. School principal David Stratuik cited the school’s Teacher Passion Projects as a highlight of the school and commended the staff’s efforts in going above and beyond for students and their families. 

 

• Last year, just 27.3% of Grade 3 students at Jefferson Township Schools in Ohio achieved reading proficiency. As an example of a response, Blairwood Elementary Principal Anne Watson said the district is using a state-recommended curriculum, assessing students multiple times a year to monitor progress, and intervening to help families of those students identified as needing more support. 

 

Theme 2: Curriculum Reforms

Schools are widely introducing new curriculums that align with the latest research, scientifically proven to enhance literacy and numeracy. Such a move was inevitable, and it set in motion the need  for effective professional development for the new content areas, seamless integration of new lessons, and their accurate assessments—all stemming from a well-crafted curriculum update.

 

• As Alberta prepares to introduce its new K to 3 language and math curriculum, schools are adopting varied measures to prepare. Wolf Creek Public Schools in Ponoka were able to get three full days of professional development ready for all elementary teachers. Edmonton Catholic Schools grew its contingent of curriculum consultants to get teachers ready. Teachers from Black Gold School Division in Leduc are engaging more in teacher-collaboration. 

 

• The Ministry of Education in Ontario will be investing $109 million in 2023-24 to improve young students’ reading skills, introducing new early reading screening requirements and a standardized screening tool for students in Year 2 of Kindergarten to Grade 2. The funding will support additional specialist teachers, nearly 700 educators, and an overhauled language curriculum with a focus on mastering basic literacy from an early age.

 

• Fort Worth Independent School District (FWISD) is using a new curriculum with a greater focus on phonics and professional development. It’s a departure from long-used leveled literacy interventions. Chief Academic Officer Marcey Sorensen says that the research shows “that leveling kids’ texts and not exposing them to grade-level text” can be harmful. FWISD is also partnering with organizations this summer that focus heavily on reading, but also address the whole child. 

 

• Spring results from K-12 comprehensive tests were released in the state of Washington. In a pattern noticed in most school districts,language and math scores increased compared to last fall, but are still lagging behind pre-pandemic levels. This is especially true for math scores, which faced a sharper decline compared to language proficiency scores in the last two years in the state. In response, Central Valley School District in Spokane, have begun implementing a new math curriculum this year. 

 

• Joshua Elementary School, in Lancaster, California, has adopted a new curriculum and is implementing more professional development for teachers to improve literacy scores for its students. After focusing on word recognition last year, as a part of its 3 year phonics program, the number of students not reading at grade level  dropped from 65% to 15%. In the current school year, the school has introduced a second new curriculum that focuses on language comprehension. 

 

Theme 3: Regular and Comprehensive Assessments

The demand for frequent and holistic assessments is evident across North American schools. With the increased diversity of students in classrooms, in both ability and cultural and linguistic backgrounds,  teachers require a deeper understanding of each student’s unique educational circumstances. Regular monitoring ensures their comprehension of taught concepts. 

 

• The Southern Berkshire Regional School District in Sheffield, Massachusetts, has seen a 38% increase in math skills for its Kindergarten to Grade 8 students. Superintendent Beth Regulbuto is happy with a new system of regular assessments that monitor student progress in real-time, instead of just assessing once a year. She attributes the improvement in math skills to the instant identification of skill gaps, which results in a greater individualized learning experience.

 

• The Algoma District School Board (ADSB) welcomed 68 multilingual students speaking 16 languages for the new school year. ADSB has a student registration process which includes a family interview. It allows them to get information about each child’s prior educational experiences, language profile and interests. As multilingual learners increase in enrollment, ADSB strives to provide a welcoming learning environment to all.

 

 

Theme 4: Small Group Instruction

There is overwhelming evidence that supports the idea of differentiated instruction. Small group instruction is efficient at improving learning outcomes, and also effective to administer for schools, because the same lesson can be delivered to more than one student. As such, the shift towards scheduled small group instruction models for things such as interventions and summer programs is widely observed.

 

• In Chelmsford Valley District Composite School’s daily practice, there are more than 40 small reading groups and multiple targeted reading interventions. Reading Stars are rewarded to recognize an increase in reading level and are used to celebrate both individual and school success. The Ontario-based school was recently selected to participate in the Indigo Love of Reading Foundation’s annual fundraising program. Donations will be used to purchase library books.

 

• The Huron-Superior Catholic District School Board ran their summer learning program in July. The program focused on students sustaining or making gains in literacy and numeracy skills. Students used engaging resources, games, and hands-on learning activities in small groups, to develop  effective strategies in reading, writing and math. They also had a chance to experience Indigenous stories, arts and songs. 

 

• Carson City School District’s literacy plan for K-3 students has been a success in improving early reading interventions. Cheryl Macy, director of equity in curriculum and instruction, says that “schools have scheduled time for differentiated instruction to target specific student needs.” But administrators believe that more professional development for teachers is needed to keep fourth and fifth-grade students on course to reading mastery.

 

 

Theme 5: Special Tools and Resources to Support Curriculum

Amidst curricular reforms, as stated in theme number 2, the need for supplementary and complementary tools has emerged. Trained personnel and proper oversight are crucial in introducing and managing these new curricula, but the right learning tools and resources are equally vital when it comes to addressing areas such as instruction, assessment and intervention. Schools are witnessing positive results by embracing these tools to enrich the new curricula.

 

• The Woodland Park School District in Colorado performed very well in the Colorado Department of Education’s (CDE) District and School Performance Framework. The CDE assesses district performance based on both student achievement and student growth. Tina Cassens, Director of Student Success, says that there was an “incredible gain in all scores” for kindergarten through Grade 3. One of the reasons stated for this is the implementation of the newly adopted K-5 literacy program.

 

• Brewbaker Primary School (BPS) in Montgomery Alabama raised their percentage of proficient readers at Grade 2 from 18% in 2019 to 62% in 2022. BPS has a 98% minority student population. Principal Jaclyn Brown believes that their school culture and adoption of a computer-based reading assistant were the two main drivers of this success. The latter is based on the Science of Reading. It listens to students read and applies customized interventions, saving teachers time spent on diagnostic work.

 

• New Chief Education Officer of Chicago Public Schools, Bogdana Chkoumbova, was asked about the post-pandemic academic status of students and the efforts which have yielded best results thus far. Acknowledging that there is a lot of catching up to do, she emphasized strong classroom instruction and student support as being two major difference makers. She praised the schools that were “looking for quality curriculum resources”.

 

Achieve Early Literacy Success with These Themes

In conclusion, these 5 themes offer valuable insights for achieving early literacy success. Consider how these ideas can inform your strategies and actions in your schools. If you found these themes helpful, don’t miss part 1 of this article that was mentioned in the intro. Also, do explore 46 Stories of Improving Early Literacy Achievement in Schools, which was the original article to create themes out of stories such as these.