LETRS Unit 1 Session 8 Check for Understanding
QUESTION:
Many screening measures can be considered diagnostic since they provide extremely detailed data about a students skills in particular literacy domains.
ANSWER:
False.
EXPLANATION:
Screening measures are designed to give a broad overview of a student’s general reading abilities and risk for reading difficulties. They are not detailed enough to be considered diagnostic, which would require in-depth assessment of specific literacy domains (like phonics or comprehension).
QUESTION:
If a student needs work on phonics and decoding, what kind of informal diagnostic assessment would provide the most useful information on how to help this student with these skills?
ANSWER:
b. a word-reading survey to show which sound-symbol correspondences the student knows and which ones still need practice.
EXPLANATION:
A word-reading survey specifically assesses a student’s understanding of the relationship between letters (symbols) and sounds (phonemes). This kind of assessment helps identify which phonics skills the student has mastered and which areas still need improvement, making it ideal for students struggling with phonics and decoding.
QUESTION:
Which of the following is not an area of inquiry to include in a comprehensive diagnostic assessment of a potential reading disorder?
ANSWER:
d. social interactions.
EXPLANATION:
While a comprehensive diagnostic assessment looks at multiple areas related to literacy (like phonological awareness, decoding, and fluency), social interactions are not typically relevant. A reading disorder assessment focuses on academic skills, not social behavior.
QUESTION:
Which of these literacy skills have students typically mastered by the end of third grade? Select all that apply.
ANSWER:
- advanced phonemic awareness
c. inflectional morphology
d. fluent recognition of word families (rime patterns)
EXPLANATION:
By the end of third grade, students usually develop advanced phonemic awareness (the ability to manipulate sounds), understand inflectional morphology (changes to words that indicate tense or plurality), and fluently recognize word families (groups of words with the same ending sounds). These are essential for reading fluency and comprehension.
QUESTION:
Cody is in first grade. He almost never raises his hand to participate in class discussions. When called on, he replies very briefly. He tends to use vague words like stuff and rarely uses full sentences. During decoding exercises, he reads words accurately and easily recognizes common patterns; he is a good speller. When he reads stories aloud, he reads fairly accurately but in an expressionless monotone. Which assessment would be most likely to yield valuable information about Cody?
ANSWER:
- reading a story to him and having him orally retell it.
EXPLANATION:
Cody’s challenges seem to relate more to oral language and expressive communication rather than decoding or reading accuracy. Having him retell a story would assess his comprehension and ability to use language to describe and communicate, which could provide insights into his oral language development.
Understanding Diagnostic Assessments in Literacy: LETRS Unit 1 Session 8
Session 8 of Unit 1 delves into the essential role of diagnostic assessments in literacy education. This session sheds light on the distinction between screening and diagnostic measures, clearing up common misconceptions. While screening tools give broad insights into a student’s performance, they do not provide the in-depth analysis that diagnostic assessments offer. The latter digs deeper, offering detailed information about a student’s skills in specific literacy domains.
For instance, when a student struggles with phonics and decoding, it’s not enough to simply identify the difficulty. A targeted diagnostic tool, such as a word-reading survey, can identify which sound-symbol correspondences the student understands and which areas still need attention. This precision allows educators to tailor their instructional approach, providing the specific support each student needs.
However, it is important to note that diagnostic assessments, while thorough, have limitations. Certain factors, such as a student’s social interactions, are typically outside the scope of diagnosing reading disorders. Instead, these assessments focus on academic skills, helping educators track important milestones by the end of third grade—skills such as advanced phonemic awareness, inflectional morphology, and fluent recognition of word families. Mastering these areas is crucial for literacy development and provides benchmarks for teachers to monitor student progress.
The session also emphasizes the importance of holistic evaluation. Consider Cody, a first-grade student with strong decoding and spelling skills, but minimal classroom participation and monotone reading. To better understand Cody’s comprehension and expression, a more nuanced approach, like asking him to orally retell a story, can provide key insights into his oral language abilities and engagement with the text.
Ultimately, Session 8 highlights how diagnostic assessments, when used effectively, offer educators a clearer roadmap for supporting students’ literacy development, helping them address challenges with precision and care.
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