Early+Years+Readers

Early Years Readers **What have you learnt about Early Years reading practice in terms of identifying suitable texts, assessing fluency and comprehension through your engagements with early years learners?**

**Laura:** By using the 'Reading Fluency Rubric”(Hill:170), I assessed Child A’s reading fluency. Her rate of reading was generally very good, with some variation of rate to suit the text. It was mostly word- by- word and only some sentences she was able to read at an appropriate rate. In regards to phrasing, Child A demonstrated a mixture of word-by-word reading and phrased reading when she came across a sentence she knew all the words to. Child A demonstrated some awareness of punctuation and layout of the print, thus placing the child in level 2 in the category of pausing. With stress, I placed Child A in level 2 also, as she demonstrated only some awareness of emphasis on appropriate words. Finally, in regards to intonation and expression, Child A demonstrated some expressive interpretation, therefore placing her in level 2. By looking at the table below where I have clearly displayed her assessment, it appears that Child A is between levels 2 and 3.
 * || Level 1 || Level 2 || Level 3 || Level 4 ||
 * **Rate:** reads smoothly at an appropriate pace || Very little variation of rate || Some variation of rate to suit the text || Attention to rate to suit the text || Full attention to an appropriate rate to suit the text ||
 * **Phrasing:** reads in meaningful chunks or phrases || Reads word-by-word with frequent long pauses between words || Reads mostly word-by-word but some 2-word phrases and perhaps 3 or 4-word phrases || <span style="color: #cb1a1a; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 14px;">Mixture of word-by-word reading and phrased reading || <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 14px;">Reads in larger, meaningful phrases with few word-by-word slowdowns for problem solving ||
 * <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 14px;">**Pausing:** reflects punctuation || <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 14px;">Very little awareness of punctuation || <span style="color: #cb1a1a; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 14px;">Some awareness of punctuation and layout of print || <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 14px;">Attention to punctuation and layout of print on the page || <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 14px;">Full attention to punctuation and layout of print on the page ||
 * <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 14px;">**Stress:** places emphasis on appropriate words || <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 14px;">Very little emphasis on appropriate words || <span style="color: #cb1a1a; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 14px;">Some awareness of emphasis on appropriate words to reflect the meaning of the text || <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 14px;">Attention to emphasis on appropriate words to reflect the meaning of the text || <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 14px;">Full attention to emphasis on all the appropriate words to reflect the meaning of the text ||
 * <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 14px;">**Intonation or expression:** varies in tone pitch and volume || <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 14px;">Little expressive interpretation || <span style="color: #cb1a1a; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 14px;">Some expressive interpretation || <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 14px;">Consistent expressive use of tone, pitch and volume || <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 14px;">Varied use of tone, pitch and volume interpretation evident throughout ||

<span style="color: #8d07f2; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 14px;">**Michelle:**

<span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 14px;">Using the Reading Fluency Rubric (Hill p.170) I would score Fred: <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 14px;">Rate: Level 2 <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 14px;">Phrasing: Level 2 <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 14px;">Pausing: Level 3 <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 14px;">Stress: Level 2 <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 14px;">Intonation and expression: Level 2

<span style="color: #8d07f2; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 14px;">**Grace:**

<span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 14px;">**Reading Fluency Rubric** <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 14px; line-height: 0px; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden;"> ﻿ || <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 14px;">Attention to the rate to suit the text || <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 14px;">Full attention to an appropriate rate to suit the text ||
 * || <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 14px; text-align: center;">**Level 1** || <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 14px; text-align: center;">**Level 2**  || <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 14px; text-align: center;">**Level 3**  || <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 14px; text-align: center;">**Level 4**  ||
 * <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 14px;">**Rate: reads smoothly at an appropriate pace** || <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 14px;">Very little variation of the rate || <span style="color: #cb1a1a; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 14px;">﻿Some variation to rate to suit the text
 * <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 14px;">**Phrasing: reads in meaningful chunks or phrases** || <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 14px;">Reads word-by-word with frequent long pauses between words || <span style="color: #cb1a1a; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 14px;">Reads mostly word-by-word but some 2-word phrases, and perhaps 3-4 word phrases || <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 14px;">Mixture of word-by-word reading and phrased reading || <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 14px;">Reads in larger, meaningful phrases, with few word-by-word slowdowns for problem solving ||
 * <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 14px;">**Pausing: reflects punctuation** || <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 14px;">Very little awareness of punctuation || <span style="color: #cb1a1a; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 14px;">Some awareness of punctuation and layout of print || <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 14px;">Attention to punctuation and layout of print on the page || <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 14px;">Full attention to punctuation and layout of print on the page ||
 * <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 14px;">**Stress: places emphasis on appropriate words** || <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 14px;">Very little emphasis on words || <span style="color: #cb1a1a; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 14px;">Some awareness of emphasis on appropriate words to reflect the meaning of the text || <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 14px;">Attention to emphasis on appropriate words to reflect the meaning of the text || <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 14px;">Full attention to emphasis on all the appropriate words to reflect the meaning of the text ||
 * <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 14px;">**Intonation or expression; varies the voice in tone, pitch and volume** || <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 14px;">Little expressive interpretation || <span style="color: #cb1a1a; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 14px;">Some expressive interpretation || <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 14px;">Consistent expressive use of tone, pitch and volume || <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 14px;">Varied use of tone, pitch and volume interpretation evident throughout ||

<span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 14px;">Using the //Reading Fluency Rubric// (Hill, 2010), I assessed to be reading at a level 2 standard. The student was able to read with some variation of rate to suit the text, but was not always aware of this. She was able to read word-by-word with some 2 or 3-word phrases. There was some awareness of punctuation present, with a fairly good awareness of punctuation marks and full stops. There was some awareness of emphasis on appropriate words to reflect meaning, and some expressive interpretation using tone and volume.

<span style="color: #8d07f2; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 14px;">**Rochelle:**

<span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 14px;">The book selected for reading with Chantelle was //Rosie and Ned and the Creepy Cave// (see Appendix 1.1). The text was a narrative at an early to fluent level (Hill, 2006) with a medium sized font (see Appendix 1.2). This book when compared to the text she was currently reading was significantly easier; it had much less writing and was written in a larger font size. Based on the reading fluency rubric (Hill, 2006, pg. 170) Chantelle is a level three reader. She was able to read the text relatively smoothly with very few errors. Although at times she did read too fast and skipped over a couple of words or replaced words with other words that are spelt similarly. Chantelle was able to read larger, meaningful phrases but did occasionally make mistakes and would have to stop to ask for help. She would take note of punctuation; breaking at commas and pausing at full stops. Often when finishing a sentence, Chantelle would look at the pictures which seemed to help her comprehend the text. She read at a consistent tone, pitch and volume but did not place emphasis on significant words or phrases. Chantelle reads relatively well and is not far from moving on to level four.

<span style="color: #8d07f2; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 14px;">**Elena:**

<span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 14px;">Using the reading fluency rubric (Hill, pg. 170) would show Aimee as a Level 2 – Level 3 reader. This is because she showed all signs of being in level 2, whilst beginning to show some signs of level 3 reading. Aimee read with some variation of rate to suit the text, when she was confident with the words on the page. She read with a mixture of word-by-word reading (when she was not sure of a word) and phrased reading (with words she was more confident with), whilst also paying attention to punctuation and the layout of print of the page. Aimee showed some awareness of emphasis on appropriate words to reflect the meaning of the text, especially emphasising words in capital letters, or those with exclamation marks. Aimee also showed some expressive interpretation, sometimes varying her tone, pitch and volume for words of different characters in the book, or for emphasised words in the text.

<span style="color: #8d07f2; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 11pt;">**Summary:**

<span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 11pt;">From looking at all our information we have learnt that all our students were around the level 2 standard. We were able to assess the children’s fluency via the rubric from Hill. All the children seemed to read quite satisfactory in regards to fluency. However, although they were all at similar levels, not all children in the same grade will be at the same standards with many students progressing at different rates. Although they may be fluent readers they may be unable to comprehend the text, or can’t read fluently but thoroughly comprehend the story. To determine what reading level a student is at, one has to do a relatively thorough analysis using an in depth criteria, as was done with the first assignment. In regards to identifying suitable texts, we have learnt that the book should be appropriate in terms of difficulty level to the child, and also should have some interest to the child, so that he or she is able to relate to the text and thus understand it.

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