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What to Do With Early Literacy Assessments? Easy Framework To Make The Right Decisions

Aug 29, 2024 | Differentiated Instruction, Early Literacy, Formative Assessment

Reading assessments are a big part of evidence-based literacy instruction. While foundational reading skills like phonics and phonological awareness often dominate discussions, the assessment of these skills do not get as much airtime.

Especially in the early years, assessing students’ reading development does not automatically equip educators to translate those results into effective instructional decisions.

As a matter of fact, schools often find it difficult to effectively use assessment and accurately interpret their results to enhance reading outcomes. 

Even with high-quality instruction, the absence of robust assessment planning can deepen inequities in access to effective reading instruction for students who need them most.

School-wide reading assessments are now more prevalent and a required component of multi-tiered systems of supports (MTSS). It’s high time that early literacy teams receive clear guidance about their usage.

This article guides early literacy teams in selecting the right assessments to meet learning goals and maximizing the impact of their assessments. 

In order to do this, it proposes the framework: Information. Action. Deliberation. 

Information.

Information

What Questions Are Early Literacy Teams Trying to Answer?

Interpreting assessment results without understanding their purpose can lead to misguided actions for students. 

Therefore, it’s crucial for literacy teams to first identify the key questions they need answered. 

To effectively use current tools or consider adopting new tools, teams must analyze the information needs thoroughly. 

Research on various assessment tools touch on the following information needs.

 

Information Needs

  • How many students at each grade are proficient in reading?

 

  • Which students need additional support to meet end-of-year expectations?

 

  • What specific reading skills do students need additional instruction in?

 

  • What specific supplemental instruction is required for students?

 

  • Are students making progress toward meeting research-based expectations?

 

  • Are students receiving appropriate interventions at the various tiers, making progress towards their learning goals?

 

Action

Action

What Decisions will Answering These Questions Allow Early Literacy Teams To Take? 

If an information needs analysis proves challenging, then the literacy team can think about the decisions that they are looking to make with the information. 

In other words, if formulating questions proves difficult, focus on how the answers to those questions benefit the early literacy team and their students.

This approach strengthens the information needs analysis, helping to choose the right assessment tools for specific purposes.

To demonstrate, the previous question examples have now been paired with their corresponding actions:

 

How many students at each grade are proficient in reading?

Answer helps to: Understand progress towards strategic objectives, evaluate current curriculum and classroom resources.

 

Which students need additional support to meet end-of-year expectations?

Answer helps to: Allocate resources and time for those students currently performing below standard.

 

What specific reading skills do students need additional instruction in?

Answer helps to: Identify targeted tier 2 and tier 3 classroom instruction, to ensure children are receiving the support they need, when they need it.  

 

What specific supplemental instruction is required for students?

Answer helps to: Provide teachers with evidence-based instructional practices that help provide personalized instruction for every student.  

 

Are students making progress toward meeting research-based expectations?

Answer helps to: Ensure students are on track with learning the foundational reading skills and support teachers to continue or intensify their existing instructional practices. 

 

Are students receiving appropriate interventions at the various tiers, making progress towards their learning goals?

Answer helps to: Identify the need to continue, intensify, fade or modify their existing intervention approach. 

_________________________________________________________________________

Note how certain answers help to decide binary actions, that is whether to do something or not, while others help to get clarity over making individual or group decisions for students. 

This is expected.

Actions vary, some target school-wide strategies, while others focus on specific classroom and/or student-level interventions.

These distinctions must be considered when deciding how to use early literacy assessments.

 

Deliberation.

Deliberation

Provide Assessment Types for The Decision To Be Made. 

Performing steps one and two, that is, determining the right questions to gather information and the actions based on those answers are crucial for selecting the appropriate assessment tool.

This is because these questions and answers are internal, directly addressing the school’s specific needs and goals.

Every  assessment tool in the market has its own purpose. They are external, unless developed organically by the school. 

By understanding what is required first, an early literacy team can easily pick the assessment tool/s that best suits their purpose.

Deliberation is the final step.

The right early literacy assessment strategy and tools must be carefully deliberated on, so they provide the precise information needed to drive effective actions.

 

How Can You Do This?

 

How many types of assessments do you need to meet all your objectives? Is one sufficient, or do you need multiple? Sprig Learning explores this topic in another blog. 

Recapping the major assessment categories’ description from 11 Key Questions for Selecting The Right Early Literacy Assessment(s) for Your School.

Universal Screening Assessments- Identifies students at risk. Helps to evaluate core instruction.

Diagnostic Assessments- Identifies strengths and areas of need. Helps to plan and implement instruction and intervention.

Progress Monitoring Assessments- Identifies if students are responding. Evaluates the extent to which students are on track to meet research-based targets.

 

  • Understand Which Data From Selected Assessment/s Will Provide Most Value.

Vendors provide multiple scores in their assessment solutions, so it’s important to pick the right one that will be suited to the purpose.

For measuring growth, scaled scores should be used instead of grade-level scores. 

The grade-level metrics only reflect differences in text complexity, not the actual growth in students’ reading abilities. They are helpful for making classroom assessments.

For individual students, schools should focus on interpreting the scaled score specific to each assessment.

 

  • Understand How to Set Decision Rules

For setting decision rules, there are two major components of determining if an intervention is required or if the current intervention is working. It can be at any tier of MTSS. 

  1. Set a predetermined goal.
  2. Establish criteria for evaluating whether the student/group/class is on track to meet the goal.

Decision rules must be set for every type of assessment. 

Let’s take progress monitoring as an example, as its high frequency of data collection provides a faster data-based decision cycle.

The Oregon Department of Education recommends the four point decision rule and the slope analysis. 

The former takes the four most recent data points to a pre-set research-backed goal line. If they are all below the goal line, the intervention is adjusted due to insufficient growth. If they are all above the goal line, the intervention is faded or a new line is set. If they are both above and below the line, the current intervention is continued.

There is also a slope-analysis where a linear trend is fit into existing data points to characterize the trend in their overall actual growth. The steepness of the student’s growth trend is compared to the slope of the goal line.

When setting decision rules, consider what’s needed to close a gap and realistically evaluate how much progress an intervention can achieve within a set timeframe. Goals for progress monitoring should account for both these factors.

 

  • Understand The Needs of the End User.

Administrators use screening scores for scheduling and resource decisions, like identifying students needing extra support. These scores offer a general view of reading development but lack the detailed information teachers need for lesson planning.

Since a single assessment suite generates various scores, it’s important to determine which scores are most useful for each group. 

Aligning on these needs can enhance collaboration and support better student literacy outcomes.

 

Information. Action. Deliberation.

Information. Action. Deliberation.

Apply It Today To Perfect Early Literacy Assessments Across All Tiers

The Reading League comments, if 85% of students are not proficient in foundational skills with a Tier 1 curriculum, the issue likely lies with the program or its implementation, not the students. 

But this is overwhelmingly the case for almost every school across the continent!

This is why many leading literacy organizations recommend in their curriculum evaluation guidelines that assessment data be used to differentiate instruction across a Multi-Tiered System of Supports based on student progress.

Core instruction and its assessment is just as important as any supplementary measures taken in any of the other tiers in MTSS.

So when deciding what to do with early literacy assessments, the framework outlined in this article of information, action and deliberation helps to gain an overall understanding of the needs of every student, and every end-user.

It resolves tension between the type of reading assessment scores that administrators and teachers find useful in their roles. 

It helps to methodologically think about all objectives that are in stake, and the information areas that are needed in order to meet them.

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Progress Monitoring Assessment and Benchmark Screeners in Early Literacy. Doing One or Both?

Aug 2, 2024 | Early Literacy, Formative Assessment

Assessment is a critical component of early literacy, providing teachers with valuable insights into student progress and guiding instruction. 

Two commonly used assessment methods to guide literacy instruction in the classroom are progress monitoring assessments and benchmark screeners.  

In this blog, both progress monitoring assessments and benchmark screeners are described as formative assessments, in that they are assessments “for learning”, to help guide instruction for continuous improvement. 

Progress monitoring has the unique distinction of being assessments “as learning” as well, meaning the assessment itself, because of its high frequency usage in the classroom can be used to help students in setting their own goals, and monitoring their progress towards those goals.  

These distinctions are covered in a prior blog, “How to Improve Formative Assessments for Early Literacy?”, a must-read if you are gathering information on best assessment practices or are interested in the subject.

This blog will explore progress monitoring assessments and benchmark screeners, discuss the strengths and challenges of each, and finally describe a strategy where both can be enhanced.

When discussing each type of assessment, the operating assumption will be that they are research-based, as this is the expected standard for early learning assessments, and it’s a commitment Sprig Learning upholds across all its solutions.

This means that these assessments focus on reading skills that are supported by the latest research into what drives reading success. They also separately assess the distinct skill sets required for reading. 

As a result, teachers are able to successfully obtain the data they need to manage the diverse needs of students in their classrooms.

 

What is a Progress Monitoring Assessment? 

Pros VS Cons

What is a Progress Monitoring Assessment? Pros VS Cons

A progress monitoring assessment can be a formal or informal formative assessment used to regularly evaluate a child’s reading expertise across multiple foundational reading skills throughout the school year.

This assessment method provides a real-time snapshot of where a student is on their reading journey.

 

Pros

  • Offers Immediate Feedback: Provide instant insights into a student’s reading performance and an indication of how regular classroom instruction can be tweaked to better serve the student. 
  • Generates Granular Level Data:  Monitor a students’ progress in multiple skills addressing their greatest needs to ensure that they are helped in the area that is inhibiting them from making progress. 

 

Cons

  • Needs to be consistently scheduled: Although this is what is required for progress monitoring, it can be challenging for teachers to fit this into their busy schedules and be consistent with the practice. 
  • Can Lead to Myopic Sight: Certain skills may be monitored regularly, especially those identified as needing more attention in more formal diagnostic assessments. But this leaves the door open for irregularity in practice of other reading skills, leading to slow progress of expertise in those areas. 

 

What is a Benchmark Screener?

Pros VS Cons

What is a Benchmark Screener? Pros VS Cons

A benchmark screener is a more formal assessment method that evaluates specific reading skills at designated intervals throughout the school year. Common practice is for students to receive a screening assessment two to three times a year.

Standardized tests are typically used to assess foundational reading skills. These tests measure individual performance against benchmarks for the knowledge expected at a certain point in time, guiding students toward reading mastery. They can also compare individual results with the classroom’s overall average, and a historical average if that data is available.

 

Pros

  • Ease of Comparison: Benchmark screeners provide a standardized measure, allowing for comparisons across grade levels and other students. It can indicate whether a student is on track to read successfully by Grade 3, while also showing how their reading performance compares to others in the class. This allows a teacher to understand how their entire class is responding to whole class/core instruction.
  • Insight into Specific Skills: The screener provides data to help with informing instruction and illuminates specific focus areas. Specific instruction can be planned from the screener for specific skills and students.  

 

Cons

  • Stressful for Students: Standardized tests can be intimidating and high-stakes, especially for young learners. This holds true for benchmark screeners as well. Though of course, this can always be mitigated by well-trained and experienced teachers. 
  • Difficult and Costly to Implement for Teachers: Benchmark screeners require significant setup time and extensive teacher training to implement effectively and consistently. 
  • Rigidity Causes Misalignment with Instruction and Student Individuality: Benchmarks are typically set and cannot be easily adjusted to instructional focus. This rigidity can lead to a disconnect between assessment outcomes and the evolving classroom needs of students. It simply is not flexible enough to capture ongoing changes in the classroom.

Additionally, benchmark screeners are not framed in  a strength-based approach and account for the diverse interests and sociocultural backgrounds of students.

 

How Can Teachers Make the Best Use of Each Assessment Type?

How Can Teachers Make the Best Use of Each Assessment Type

To maximize the benefits of progress monitoring assessments and benchmark screeners , teachers must use the data collected to inform classroom instruction. Some questions to consider while making the adjustments: 

  1. Have we given the student enough explicit instruction? 
  2. Have we given the student enough time to practice? 
  3. How can we personalize our instruction and group students based on similar skill needs?

To enhance benchmark screeners, one can introduce progress monitoring assessments consistently throughout the year. 

These regular “pulse checks” on reading help familiarize students with frequent progress checks, reducing intimidation on the day of more standardized assessments.

While progress monitoring helps to make informed instructional decisions and adjustments, benchmark screeners help to set initial goals in the planning process.

By creating a system where both progress monitoring assessments and benchmark assessments have a place together in the classroom, the student stands to benefit from such an assessment culture adopted by the school.

It is advisable to intersperse benchmark assessments with progress monitoring assessments throughout the school year to ensure a well-rounded understanding of each student’s literacy journey.

 

How Sprig Reading Enhances Screeners and Progress Monitoring 

How Sprig Reading Enhances Screeners and Progress Monitoring

Sprig Reading is an educator’s digital progress monitoring tool that enhances any evidence-based early literacy program, screener or classroom resource. 

It monitors student progress as well as enhances existing assessment tools like screeners and other progress monitoring systems.

In particular, it helps teachers track student progress through continuous assessments, integrating seamlessly with benchmark screeners to provide a complete picture of student literacy over time. 

Its intuitive mechanism enables teachers to assess students on a daily and weekly basis, which helps them customize both instruction and informal assessments tailored to the whole class and individual students. 

With Sprig Reading, teachers can:

Conduct Efficient Progress Monitoring Assessments: Use the platform to streamline reading skill progress monitoring for students, where their progress in relevant reading skills that need to be taught at their grade level are regularly checked and updated.

Generate Comprehensive Reports: Produce detailed reports for each student that tracks their progress over time in each skill, but also lets teachers know where a student is based on research-based expectations for each skill. 

Thus, as a progress monitoring tool, Sprig Reading enhances the use of benchmark screeners by allowing teachers to consistently assess, track and monitor all of the foundational reading skills. 

Regardless if a school or teacher implements one or both of these assessment types, it is advisable that they strengthen these approaches by finding complementary solutions, which will not interfere but rather will serve to optimize them!

Are you looking for one solution for doing both? Or separate solutions? Or perhaps in a large enough system, you are looking at multiple solutions for doing just one assessment type?

That will come down to a question of understanding what other capabilities you are looking for in your assessment tool. You may want to read “11 Key Questions for Selecting The Right Early Literacy Assessment(s) for Your School”.

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Best Early Literacy Activities for Teaching Foundational Reading Skills

Apr 5, 2024 | Differentiated Instruction, Early Literacy

Educators today are constantly seeking evidence-based activities that enhance student learning. But what distinguishes these activities, and how can they be effectively implemented in the classroom?

This article addresses these inquiries by elucidating the core practices that form the foundation of evidence-based literacy activities. It then explores their practical application in educational settings. 

Delving into three fundamental reading skill sets, it introduces and delineates evidence-based early literacy activities tailored to each skill. 

Whether you’re a seasoned educator or embarking on your teaching journey, this article advocates for the efficacy of evidence-based early literacy activities, whether through play-based learning or just explicit instruction in the classroom.

 

Evidence-based Early Literacy Activities. What Practices Are Used to Do them? 

Evidence-based Early Literacy Activities. What Practices Are Used to Do them?

Any teaching practice consists of many things that has to be done in the classroom, such as instructing, assessing, creating centers, etc.

The word activity can mean many different things. In the context of teaching early literacy, activities refer to teacher-designed and/or teacher-facilitated tasks aimed at student learning.

There are such activities in early literacy that are evidence-based. They have been validated to work using personal experience of teachers and research data from studies.

All of such activities involve one or more of these five early literacy practices: reading, writing,singing, talking and playing. 

These are the five broad categories of practices that lead to early literacy development. All evidence-based early literacy activities can be classified under one or more of these categories. 

 

How Should Literacy Activities be Used in The Classroom? Properties That Define Their Usage.

How Should Literacy Activities be Used in The Classroom? Properties That Define Their Usage.

While the five major types of literacy practices cover a lot of ground, in order for them to translate to student success, it’s good if they are specific and have a purpose.

Early literacy activities have these two properties– specificity and purpose.

Literacy activities should match the skills that are being taught in the classroom. 

So it begins with understanding what the foundational reading skill sets are in early literacy. 

Once these skill sets are identified, there are specific activities that have been used by educators which can be used to teach these skills. 

These activities are also backed by research, which is why so many teachers have adopted them in the classrooms. 

More on this in the next section, where it is stated what these activities entail (specificity), and which foundational reading skill sets they apply to. (purpose)

 

Evidence For The Most Effective Literacy Activity For Foundational Reading Skill Sets

Evidence For The Most Effective Literacy Activity For Foundational Reading Skill Sets.

 

Alongside using activities in the classroom for teaching purposes, the research consensus on evidence-based teaching recommends explicit instruction on the foundational skill sets. 

This means, providing a clear understanding of the concept being taught, and what role it plays in the reading development.

Once this explicit instruction has been provided, it can be demonstrated or reinforced through  many activities. 

But what are the most effective activities for each foundational reading skill set? Not all activities are created equal. 

Outlined below are three fundamental reading skill sets, each accompanied by research-backed activities that have been proven to be effective. 

For early literacy teachers eager to initiate classroom activities targeting the different foundational reading skill sets, these are for you!

 

Phonics

Letter-Sound Matching: Letter-sound correspondence should be taught at the same time. It is an essential skill in both reading and writing. Knowing the letter sounds is crucial for developing decoding skills. 

After explicitly teaching students the sounds of letters with their proper pronunciations, we can supplement this learning with pairing letters with their corresponding sounds. 

Teachers can engage students in play-based activities to solidify their phonics knowledge. 

1. Kinetic Learning (in small groups): Set up letter flashcards or letter tiles on the ground. After saying the sound, have students walk, hop, or jump to that letter. This activity could also be done with throwing a ball at a letter after saying the sound. 

2. Involve familiar objects: Set up a table with the letter sounds that you are working on and have students sort familiar objects and toys based on the first letter of the word. If working with a small group or with a student 1-on-1, involve a toy that they know –      a Spiderman to teach ‘s’ and a toy car to teach ‘c’. 

3. Create the sound with different media: After saying the sound, have students create the letter with pencil, coloured marker, string, playdoh, trace in sand, or with sticks. 

4. Scavenger hunt: Create a scavenger hunt to search for objects that start with certain sounds. 

Through consistent practice, students reinforce their understanding of letter-sound associations, laying a solid foundation for proficient reading.

 

Phonological Awareness

Word Ladders (or Word Chains): An effective tool for teaching phonemic awareness skills such as segmenting, isolating and manipulating. The best way to start is by changing the same phoneme throughout the activity. 

Have students start by spelling the first word in the ladder; Show me “get”. Followed by “change a sound to make ‘bet’”, change a sound to make ‘met’”. If students are not quite ready to write each letter they can use letter tiles to manipulate the words. 

Breaking words into individual phonemes or sounds is a highly effective exercise for teaching phonological awareness. Students learn to isolate and identify the individual sounds in spoken words.

Teachers can engage students in interactive and playful exercises where they segment spoken words into individual phonemes. 

For example, the teacher could say a word aloud (e.g., “cat”) and students would use manipulatives or sound boxes to represent each sound they hear (/k/ – /ă/ – /t/). This helps students develop their ability to isolate and identify individual sounds within words. 

 

Comprehension

Predictions: Encouraging students to make educated guesses about what might happen next in a reading based on their understanding of the informational content, is a proven exercise for teaching reading comprehension.

This exercise prompts students to actively engage with the text, consider the characters, plot, setting, and other relevant details, and use their background knowledge and textual clues to make logical predictions.

Research indicates that prediction activities enhance comprehension by promoting critical thinking, inference-making, and active engagement with the text, thereby improving students’ ability to comprehend and interpret written material. Students are taught to actively engage with the text through predicting, questioning, clarifying, and summarizing. 

An activity to introduce students to predicting at the beginning of any unit or reading starts with making a list of keywords, characters, quotes, settings. 

Each student is provided with one item from this list. They then pair up with a ‘Prediction Pal’ and based on the items they have, they make a prediction about what they are going to learn about. 

Students then pair up with somebody else and make another prediction based on their items and the clues they had from their previous ‘Prediction Pal’. Pairings can be done 4 or 5 times before making a final prediction as a class. 

 

Need for Play-based Learning Alongside Evidence-based Learning. Possible Through Activities

How Should Literacy Activities be Used in The Classroom? Properties That Define Their Usage.

One amazing thing about activities is that they help to balance the rigorous nature of explicit instruction that is found within evidence-based early literacy. 

Despite instruction being direct, explicit and systematic, it is also made fun through the use of activities in play-based learning.

Guided play-based learning leads to success in early literacy for students. Multi-sensory activities, in particular, provide a rich and immersive experience. By incorporating elements of play through multi-sensory activities, educators can create dynamic learning environments where students actively participate and construct their understanding of literacy concepts. 

Oral and written instruction through worksheets and texts are great. But when instruction is also provided via multi-sensory activities, which involves not just sight, but other senses as well such as noise and tactile experience, it makes the learning process all the more powerful.

 

What About Other Skills and Other Activities?

What About Other Skills and Other Activities?

Play-based learning is vast, and it is definitely not limited to the activities mentioned in this article. There are other activities with supporting evidence that establish them as drivers of foundational reading skills. 

Determining the best activity for teaching each of the foundational reading skills to K-3 students can vary depending on factors such as student needs, learning styles, and instructional context.

With that in mind, one evidence-based activity each was selected in this article for the three foundational reading skill sets. 

However, it’s essential to note that other foundational reading skills also have corresponding evidence-based activities for teaching them.

If an activity is backed by evidence as an effective tool for teaching a specific foundational reading skill set, teachers should prioritize its use in the classroom. 

More such evidence-based activities aligned to the foundational reading skill sets are provided in Sprig Reading. 

Try it today to witness it firsthand.

 

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Sprig Learning Apps are a Part of Apple’s Education Partner Program

Mar 28, 2024 | Early Literacy, News and Announcements

Sprig Learning, a leading developer of evidence-based early learning resources and assessments is happy to announce its inclusion in Apple’s prestigious Education Partner Program.

The Sprig team was recently invited to Apple Playground at the Reading for the Love of It 2024. It was an opportunity for all participants to explore the innovative possibilities of Apple technology in education.

The event buzzed with energy as educators from diverse backgrounds engaged with Apple’s cutting-edge technology, particularly iPad, exploring its potential to enhance learning experiences for K-6 students. It was thrilling to witness firsthand how teachers are leveraging iPad capabilities to craft dynamic content and design immersive learning journeys.

Jarrett Laughlin, CEO of Sprig Learning says, “As a part of the Education Partner Program, we are committed to empowering educators and communities worldwide. Together with Apple, we strive to level the playing field for every child, fostering success through engaging and evidence-based educational experiences.”

With schools globally harnessing Apple technology to revolutionize learning, Sprig Learning is honoured to contribute to this transformative journey. 

The partnership underscores a shared dedication to equipping educators with tools that drive student success and promote inclusive learning environments.

 

What is the Education Partner Program (K-12)?

What is the Education Partner Program (K-12)?

Apple’s dedication to education shines through its motto, “Inspiring Every Kind of Mind,” prominently featured on its dedicated education page. 

This ethos, shared jointly by Sprig Learning, emphasizes the belief that each individual possesses unique learning styles and creative expressions. 

By leveraging Apple technology and resources, educators and students of all backgrounds are empowered to explore, create, and chart their paths to success.

Apple’s Education Partner Program showcases apps compatible with Apple’s tablets, laptops, and smartphones. 

In the classroom, the journey towards a better world begins with versatile, user-friendly tools prioritizing privacy, accessibility, and sustainability. Apple’s products and resources are meticulously crafted to foster personalized, creative, and inspiring learning experiences.

 

Collections of Apps In Apple’s Education Partner Program

There are two collections of apps in Apple’s Education Partner Program, the K-12 collection and the Higher Education collection. 

The categories in its K-12 collection are Accessibility, Foundational Literacies, Educator Capacity and Assessment, Workflow, College and Career Readiness, Coding for Early Learners and Social and Emotional Learning.

 

Categories Featuring Sprig Apps

Categories Featuring Sprig Apps

Sprig Language and Sprig Math are featured in the Foundational Literacies category. 

Sprig Math is additionally featured in the Educator Capacity and Assessment category. 

This recognition highlights Sprig Learning’s dedication to enhancing foundational literacy skills in both language and math, while empowering educators with robust assessment capabilities.

 

The Intuitiveness of Using Sprig Apps on Apple Products

The Intuitiveness of Using Sprig Apps on Apple Products

The iPad is very versatile. Its lightweight design and long-lasting battery life ensure uninterrupted connectivity throughout the day, empowering teachers to instruct, assess, and collaborate wherever they go. 

Meanwhile, Mac’s intuitive interface simplifies navigation and empowers educators to manage their classrooms with confidence and ease. 

With robust security measures in place, both devices prioritize the protection of student data, ensuring a safe and secure learning experience at every turn. 

 

What This Means for Sprig Learning

Sprig LanguageSprig MathSprig Library

Sprig Learning celebrates its inclusion in Apple’s Education Partner K-12 program. As classrooms embrace technology like never before, the synergy between hardware and software empowers educators to enhance instruction and assessment for early literacy effectively. 

Sprig Reading is being developed as an iOS app for Fall 2024, joining Sprig Language, Sprig Math, and other apps that are a part of the app store. The aspiration is for all our apps to become part of the Education Partner Program.

This ensures visibility and accessibility for teachers seeking evidence-based early literacy solutions that seamlessly integrate with Apple devices, fostering efficient and secure learning environments for all students.

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How to Improve Formative Assessments for Early Literacy?

Feb 29, 2024 | Early Literacy, Formative Assessment

So much has already been said and written about the practice of formative assessments. 

Let’s get reacquainted with its definition,characteristics, function in early literacy, and value, before exploring what can be done to improve them.

 

Definition, Function and Value

Definition, Function and Value

Formative assessments have been best defined in prior Sprig articles as assessments that monitor early learning to provide ongoing feedback.  Early literacy educators use them to adapt instruction and ensure that every child has the opportunity to succeed. 

Its regular frequency sets it apart from other more standardized forms of assessments. In “Holistic Formative Assessments. The New Wave”, it was stated that formative assessments happen regularly in classrooms where a student’s progress is evaluated on a daily or weekly basis.

In “What You Should Know about Assessments in Early Childhood Education”, the regularity of formative assessments is further established as they deal with the day-to-day learning process as it unfolds. They are ongoing in nature and are integrated into the daily teaching practices. 

Examples cited include homework assignments, in-class activities and group work. In the same article, it is mentioned how formal formative assessments use well-defined grade rubrics, while informal assessments use methods such as observations, notes, etc. 

The function of formative assessments in early literacy is clearly stated in “Why Small Group Instruction is Needed For Assessments in Early Literacy”. These assessments help educators diagnose specific foundational skills and monitor the progress of each early learner in the classroom. They offer valuable insights into a child’s learning skills, abilities and challenges.

In “Traditional Early Years Assessments vs Holistic Assessments”, the value of formative assessments is highlighted. For example, how educators who consistently use formative assessment strategies double the speed of learning for their students.

Exploring the science and art of formative assessments is a vast and intriguing subject. It’s highly recommended to check out the referenced articles to gain a deeper understanding of formative assessments.

To answer the question, how formative assessments can be improved in the classroom, two approaches may be taken. 1) Understanding its Core Essence. 2) Understanding its Core Types.

 

 1) Core Essence of Formative Assessments

By tapping into what formative assessments actually are, it’s possible to further improve existing formative assessment practices in early literacy. It’s important to differentiate formative assessments from summative assessments and universal screeners.

 

How Are Formative Assessments Different from Summative Assessments and Universal Screeners?

How Are Formative Assessments Different from Summative Assessments and Universal Screeners

Summative assessments refer to standardized tests, which are also known as outcome evaluators. These assessments usually occur at the end of the year and are fixed.

Summative assessments are “of learning”, while formative assessments are “for learning”. 

Besides formative assessments, there is another category of assessments that is “for learning”, which is universal screeners. 

While universal screeners share similar characteristics with summative assessments in that they are also fixed in when they happen, these assessments are for measuring students’ proficiency in specific skills.  It is predominantly used to identify students that may be at risk for learning difficulties. In many ways, they are closer to formative assessments.

But formative assessments are still unique, because unlike universal screeners which are scheduled ahead of time, and happen a fixed number of times a year, formative assessments are ongoing and continuous, and can be expected to take place regularly throughout the school year.

Thus, consistency in regularity is key to improving formative assessments. Establishing this regularity is essential for achieving best-in-class formative assessment practices. 

When assessments are conducted infrequently, distinguishing them from universal screeners becomes challenging. Therefore, maintaining a consistent schedule of formative assessments is essential for their improvement.

Furthermore, in order to improve, formative assessments must find ways to better incorporate a differentiated instruction mechanism.  Without this feature, assessments risk being overly generalized, resembling summative assessments too closely. 

To maintain their formative nature, assessments should account for the diverse learning needs of students, integrating differentiated instruction seamlessly into the assessment process.

 

2) Core Types of Formative Assessments

By understanding the different types of formative assessments, it’s possible to provide specific improvements that considers the total scope of such an assessment practice. In order to do this, it’s essential to have a clear understanding of what formative assessments actually entail.

 

What Are The Types of Formative Assessments and Their Differences?

What Are The Types of Formative Assessments and Their Differences

There are two major kinds of formative assessments, diagnostic assessments and progress monitoring assessments. They are both “assessments for learning”. Progress monitoring assessments in particular have the special distinction of being both “for learning” and “as learning”.

This is because in progress monitoring assessments, not only are teachers learning about  the students’ learning strengths and needs, but the assessment practice itself is designed to track students’ learning progress or growth across the entire school year, reflecting what skills require further assessment, practice, and/or intervention to support learning.  

Thus, in order to improve formative assessment in early literacy, it is very important to ensure that there is adequate teacher-student dialogue. The assessment is “for learning”, but there is also a scope for the assessment to be “as learning”. Such is the beauty of formative assessments.

 

Embracing the Essence and Diversity of Formative Assessments

Embracing the Essence and Diversity of Formative Assessments

Concluding this exploration into the realm of formative assessments in early literacy, it’s evident that these assessments play a pivotal role in shaping instructional practices and nurturing student learning journeys. 

From understanding their core essence to delineating their various types, this article has explored the nuanced landscape of formative assessments to offer suggestions on how to identify improvements  in the classroom for early literacy. 

Do you require assistance on how to be more intentional and regular with your formative assessment practice, connect it to differentiated instruction, and use it for “as learning”, alongside “for learning”?

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Supporting Struggling Readers in Kindergarten: Transforming Existing Practices Into Evidence-based Practices

Jan 26, 2024 | Differentiated Instruction, Early Literacy, Formative Assessment

Kindergarten marks a critical juncture in a child’s academic journey, where the foundation for literacy skills is established. But often, it’s a phase that is marked with many challenges.

Recognizing these challenges is crucial, given the various factors influencing the struggles some kindergarteners experience in developing early literacy skills.

From diverse developmental timelines to limited exposure to print and vocabulary gaps, each challenge demands attention. This is especially true at a time when there are curriculum/standard mandates for kindergarten being introduced at various jurisdictions.

Educators in kindergarten need help to transform their teaching practices.

In this blog, we delve into the specific challenges kindergarteners may encounter, shedding light on how evidence-based practices can transform traditional teaching methods to provide enhanced literacy support for struggling readers.

 

Understanding the Challenges: Why Kindergarteners Struggle with Reading

Understanding the Challenges- Why Kindergarteners Struggle with Reading

Kindergarten is a crucial phase in a child’s academic journey, and while many thrive, many also encounter challenges on the path to reading proficiency. 

Several factors contribute to the struggles kindergarteners may face in developing early literacy skills.

 

Diverse Access and Opportunity for Learning:

Kindergarteners enter school with varying levels of pre-literacy skills. 

Factors such as access and exposure to books, language-rich environments, and individual cognitive development can influence a child’s readiness for reading.

 

Phonological Awareness Development:

The acquisition of phonological awareness, the ability to recognize and manipulate sounds in spoken language, is a cornerstone of early literacy. 

Some kindergarteners may struggle with distinguishing individual sounds, which can impede their ability to decode words.

 

Limited Exposure to Print:

Children who have limited exposure to books, vocabulary-rich conversations, and print materials at home may face challenges when introduced to reading in a formal educational setting. 

Lack of prior exposure can impact their understanding of print concepts.

 

Vocabulary Gaps:

Kindergarteners with limited vocabulary may find it challenging to comprehend and engage with written text. 

Vocabulary gaps can hinder their ability to make connections between spoken and written words.

 

Attention and Focus:

The transition to a structured learning environment in kindergarten introduces new expectations for attention and focus. 

Some children may struggle to maintain concentration during literacy activities, affecting their engagement with reading materials.

 

Social and Emotional Factors:

Social and emotional development plays a crucial role in a child’s ability to learn. 

Kindergarteners who face challenges in these areas, such as anxiety or difficulty with peer interactions, may find it challenging to fully engage in literacy tasks.

 

Variability in Home Literacy Practices:

Disparities in home literacy practices can impact a child’s preparedness for reading. 

Kindergarteners exposed to consistent reading experiences at home may exhibit greater confidence and proficiency compared to those with limited exposure.

 

Help is Available: Transform Existing Practices Into Evidence-based Practices

Help is Available- Transform Existing Practices Into Evidence-based Practices

As kindergarten is such a crucial period for laying the groundwork for a child’s literacy journey, it is very important to put our best foot forward.

While early reading struggles are a reality, addressing early reading challenges becomes simpler with innovative additions. 

While existing teaching practices are in place, the incorporation of evidence-based strategies can significantly enhance early literacy support for struggling readers.

In the following passages, let’s explore the transformation of widely used kindergarten teaching practices into evidence-based approaches that bolster literacy skills.

 

1. Storytime and Read-Aloud Sessions:

Traditional Practice:

Storytime is a common practice, fostering a love for books and language. It aims to instill a love for books and language among young learners.

Transformation:

Elevate storytime by incorporating interactive elements. Pause to discuss story elements, engage in predictive questioning, and emphasize phonological awareness during shared reading. 

This transformation ensures that the storytelling experience not only captivates but also fosters essential and foundational early literacy skills.

 

2. Letter Recognition Activities:

Traditional Practice:

Letter recognition games and activities are commonplace to introduce the alphabet.

Transformation:

Revamp letter recognition by incorporating multisensory approaches. Introduce activities like tracing letters in sand or using textured materials to reinforce letter-sound connections. 

This transformation adds a tactile dimension, making the learning process more engaging and reinforcing the foundational link between letters and their sounds.

 

3. Sight Word Instruction:

Traditional Practice:

Memorization of sight words is a standard practice for building early reading vocabulary.

Transformation:

Approach sight word instruction more like learning high-frequency words (and not those we need to learn by sight) and incorporate into your phonics lessons.  Students can use their phoneme knowledge to map the regular part of the words, then only have to learn the sounds that are irregular in the word.   

This transformation complements structured literacy approaches and makesinstruction, the learning more meaningful for young readers.

 

4. Phonemic Awareness Games:

Traditional Practice:

Phonemic awareness games focus on auditory skills through rhyming and sound recognition.

Transformation:

Transform phonemic awareness games by incorporating a broader range of activities. Introduce sound blending and segmenting exercises to enhance foundational skills crucial for early reading. 

This transformation expands the scope of auditory skill development, providing a more comprehensive approach to phonemic awareness.

 

5. Interactive Learning Centres:

Traditional Practice:

Learning centres offer a diverse range of activities to reinforce various skills. These activities, while diverse, may lack a specific and structured approach to literacy development.

Transformation:

Reimagine interactive learning centers by aligning activities with structured literacy approaches. Ensure a focus on phonics, decoding, and comprehension skills within these centers, while supporting play-based and joyful learning activities

This transformation brings a targeted and intentional approach to the learning centers, maximizing their impact on essential early reading skills.

 

Traditional to Transformational: Supporting Struggling Readers in Kindergarten

Traditional to Transformational- Supporting Struggling Readers in Kindergarten

By transforming existing kindergarten teaching practices into evidence-based approaches, educators can provide more targeted and impactful support for struggling readers. 

These evidence-based strategies create a solid foundation, fostering a love for literacy and ensuring that every child receives the necessary lessons and practice sessions for early reading success.

Transforming existing teaching, assessment, and differentiated learning practices is no small task. 

Streamlining this process is made easier with interactive, evidence-based activities aligned with the latest research on early reading success.  

Sprig Reading contains all of these strategies and learning activities for each foundational reading skill set, with an assessment methodology to monitor progress weekly. Try it today for free!

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