Assessment: Vocabulary
Informally Assessing new sight vocabulary or vocabulary that is seen in each grade level (appropriate)can be done in many ways. Students can read word by word out loud, and an educator can use a checklist to see if the student is reciting the words correctly. Educator must ask the student to repeat the process, so that sufficient data is collected.
To supplement this assessment, the following strategies below can help students begin to recognize how to break down and read new vocabulary in and out of context.
Word Identification: Multisyllabic Words and Paint Swatches
Grade Level(s): Third, Fourth, Fifth, & Sixth Grades
Purpose: The purpose of this assessment is for students to have a clear understanding about what multisyllabic words look like, and how to recognize the need to “break down” words they might not recognize. If a student is creating multiple “paint swatches” throughout each reading session, they may need some help with their word identification skills in all texts.
Procedure: Teacher prompts: “Okay friends, here are your new Guided Reading Group books. Remember when we find a word we do not know there are many different ways we can find what the word is. First, we will write the word and page number on the first color block. Next, we will chunk the words based on syllables.” (This should be modeled every time you use this in a whole group or small group setting) “Once we find these words, we will write the parts of the word down in each separate color on the paint swatch. When the reading is complete, place all of your paint swatches in an envelope to hand in.” (This should happen every day) Make sure you allow time for students to independently read new books and become familiar with the text, all while utilizing this strategy.
Source: Adapted from Pinterest
Word Identification: Technical Terms Topic Map
Grade Level(s): Third, Fourth, Fifth, & Sixth Grades
Purpose: Text books and some non-fiction texts feature vocabulary words that are specific to the books content. The purpose of this strategy is to first see what students know about certain topics, and second it will allow students to recognize new words before they read them in the text.
Procedure: Before reading, ask the student what they know about the topic before reading. Then, work with the student to create a word-web (topic map) for the book’s key vocabulary words. Make sure to write down words you (the educator) knows the student will encounter in the text. Allow the student to read each of the words on the word-web (topic map) so the student has an opportunity to see difficult words in print before he/she reads them in the text.
Source: DeVries, B.A. (2011). Literacy assessment and intervention for K-6 classrooms (3rd ed.). Scottsdale, AZ: Holcomb Hathaway.
Word Identification: Word-Part Dictionaries
Grade Level(s): Third, Fourth, Fifth, & Sixth Grades
Purpose: Students need help to see different parts of words as well as defining each of the parts of the words to further their knowledge of every word they encounter.
Procedure: First, have students make personalized dictionaries that are divided into three sections – one for prefixes (un, re, in, im, dis, en, em…), one for suffixes (s, es, ed, ing ly…), and one for root words. Each affix and/or root words should be given a half page in the students dictionary so that the student can add new words that they come across throughout the year. Once the student has begun the process of their Word-Part Dictionary, they must have a definition of each affix and each root word. Students must know how to navigate a dictionary, and have the knowledge about how to appropriately define words into their own words.
Source: DeVries, B.A. (2011). Literacy assessment and intervention for K-6 classrooms (3rd ed.). Scottsdale, AZ: Holcomb Hathaway.
(Specifically Appendices B.7 and B.8)
Word Identification: Cloze Passages
Grade Level(s): Third, Fourth, Fifth, & Sixth Grades
Purpose: Students must recognize how to decode text by using context clues and being aware of certain vocabulary. This assessment strategy is important and can be adapted throughout all of the content areas.
Procedure: When working with a student that has books and reading passages at their instructional level, select key words in every sentence and cover it with a piece of sticky note. Ask the student to read on to the end of each sentence. Then, ask the student to choose a word that they think would make sense in the context of the sentence. Based on the grade level of the text and the student, ask the student to read the whole paragraph to help them find context clues. After the student has selected a word, the student may take off the piece of sticky note to see if the word they chose was correct.
Source: DeVries, B.A. (2011). Literacy assessment and intervention for K-6 classrooms (3rd ed.). Scottsdale, AZ: Holcomb Hathaway.
Informally Assessing new sight vocabulary or vocabulary that is seen in each grade level (appropriate)can be done in many ways. Students can read word by word out loud, and an educator can use a checklist to see if the student is reciting the words correctly. Educator must ask the student to repeat the process, so that sufficient data is collected.
To supplement this assessment, the following strategies below can help students begin to recognize how to break down and read new vocabulary in and out of context.
Word Identification: Multisyllabic Words and Paint Swatches
Grade Level(s): Third, Fourth, Fifth, & Sixth Grades
Purpose: The purpose of this assessment is for students to have a clear understanding about what multisyllabic words look like, and how to recognize the need to “break down” words they might not recognize. If a student is creating multiple “paint swatches” throughout each reading session, they may need some help with their word identification skills in all texts.
Procedure: Teacher prompts: “Okay friends, here are your new Guided Reading Group books. Remember when we find a word we do not know there are many different ways we can find what the word is. First, we will write the word and page number on the first color block. Next, we will chunk the words based on syllables.” (This should be modeled every time you use this in a whole group or small group setting) “Once we find these words, we will write the parts of the word down in each separate color on the paint swatch. When the reading is complete, place all of your paint swatches in an envelope to hand in.” (This should happen every day) Make sure you allow time for students to independently read new books and become familiar with the text, all while utilizing this strategy.
Source: Adapted from Pinterest
Word Identification: Technical Terms Topic Map
Grade Level(s): Third, Fourth, Fifth, & Sixth Grades
Purpose: Text books and some non-fiction texts feature vocabulary words that are specific to the books content. The purpose of this strategy is to first see what students know about certain topics, and second it will allow students to recognize new words before they read them in the text.
Procedure: Before reading, ask the student what they know about the topic before reading. Then, work with the student to create a word-web (topic map) for the book’s key vocabulary words. Make sure to write down words you (the educator) knows the student will encounter in the text. Allow the student to read each of the words on the word-web (topic map) so the student has an opportunity to see difficult words in print before he/she reads them in the text.
Source: DeVries, B.A. (2011). Literacy assessment and intervention for K-6 classrooms (3rd ed.). Scottsdale, AZ: Holcomb Hathaway.
Word Identification: Word-Part Dictionaries
Grade Level(s): Third, Fourth, Fifth, & Sixth Grades
Purpose: Students need help to see different parts of words as well as defining each of the parts of the words to further their knowledge of every word they encounter.
Procedure: First, have students make personalized dictionaries that are divided into three sections – one for prefixes (un, re, in, im, dis, en, em…), one for suffixes (s, es, ed, ing ly…), and one for root words. Each affix and/or root words should be given a half page in the students dictionary so that the student can add new words that they come across throughout the year. Once the student has begun the process of their Word-Part Dictionary, they must have a definition of each affix and each root word. Students must know how to navigate a dictionary, and have the knowledge about how to appropriately define words into their own words.
Source: DeVries, B.A. (2011). Literacy assessment and intervention for K-6 classrooms (3rd ed.). Scottsdale, AZ: Holcomb Hathaway.
(Specifically Appendices B.7 and B.8)
Word Identification: Cloze Passages
Grade Level(s): Third, Fourth, Fifth, & Sixth Grades
Purpose: Students must recognize how to decode text by using context clues and being aware of certain vocabulary. This assessment strategy is important and can be adapted throughout all of the content areas.
Procedure: When working with a student that has books and reading passages at their instructional level, select key words in every sentence and cover it with a piece of sticky note. Ask the student to read on to the end of each sentence. Then, ask the student to choose a word that they think would make sense in the context of the sentence. Based on the grade level of the text and the student, ask the student to read the whole paragraph to help them find context clues. After the student has selected a word, the student may take off the piece of sticky note to see if the word they chose was correct.
Source: DeVries, B.A. (2011). Literacy assessment and intervention for K-6 classrooms (3rd ed.). Scottsdale, AZ: Holcomb Hathaway.