Assessing Students’ Reading

   In my main placement and my dyad I have had the opportunity to take part in “informal running records” and conferring one on one with students. I reflected back on these experiences while I was reading Reading Essentials, by Routman.  One thing what really stood out to me while I was reading was Routman’s critique of the pressure teachers feel to simply move their students up through the reading levels.  As Routman explains; “Many teachers routinely take and compile running records of a student’s oral reading without using them to inform instruction.” (Routman, p.99) I have seen this to be the case in my placements. The running records are used as a way to place students into reading levels. The tests are simply scored for accuracy without looking at why certain errors occurred and what areas the students may need help help. Students are then placed in reading groups based on their reading levels. Though in this small way the assessment is influencing the instruction, it is not doing so in meaningful ways. All the students who have scored at the same reading level are placed into guided reading groups, but this is solely on their reading level. Students are not grouped based on their specific skill needs and struggles in reading.

   Routman also explains the importance of regular reading conferences with students. She explains that they are actually a much better assessment of student abilities than the running records, or even in my opinion the guided reading groups. Routman explains, “When students are assessed in connection with a book they are interested in- rather than a decontextualized text passage – optimal and accurate assessment is more likely.” (Routman, p.100)  I agree with what Routman is saying here. When I have worked with students doing both running records and conferring I see a huge difference in not only their level of engagement, but in how well I am able to asses their reading skills when I am doing conferring. Rather than a test, the reading conferences are simply a conversation. I ask the student what they are reading, why they choose the book, what they like to read, and what is happening in the story.  This type of interaction also gives me insight into the student and their interests. This will allow me to better tailor instruction to engage the students. This is information that I could not have learned by giving the student a pre-prescribed leveled text for a running record or a guided reading book.