Case Report on Dallas
Introduction
Dallas, age 9, is a rising 3rd grader at Ikard Elementary School. Dallas is
also a repeater and is behind in reading comprehension and fluency. As
a student in Appalachian State University’s Master’s degree program in
the summer 2010 Reading Education Practicum, I have completed a
battery of reading assessments on Dallas.
Initial Literacy Assessments
The following assessments were administered to Dallas: Reading
Interest Survey, Garfield Elementary Reading Survey, Schlagal
Spelling Test, WRI (Word Recognition in Isolation), WRC (Word
Recognition in Context), Listening Comprehension, Sense of
Story and Writing. The results of these assessments were analyzed to
determine for Dallas his independent level (the highest level that he can
work independently with success), instructional level (the level he can
benefit from with support), and frustrational level (too difficult even
with instructional support).
Dallas was very eager to talk to me about his interest on the interest
inventory. He also seemed excited to complete the Garfield survey and
was positive on all questions. Dallas is very attentive and interested in
his assignments. Dallas enjoys reading books on his level and
listening to stories read to him on higher levels. I have noticed that
Dallas begins to become weary after approximately 30 minutes of
activity. Dallas still works until the end of the session.
Spelling
The spelling assessment (Schlagal), is a series of grade leveled list
consisting of 12 words each. Developed by Robert Schlagal, these words
represent frequent words at a given grade level with common spelling
patterns at a specific grade level. Reading and spelling are highly
correlated in grades K-2. We gain insight on the word knowledge of the
student and how much he knows about how letters work in words with
this assessment.
A score of 90% to 100% denotes independent level of the student.
Instructional spelling ability is denoted by a score of 50% to 89%.
(One’s instructional level in spelling is considered to be the highest level
the student can spell with at least 50% accuracy rate.) If the
student’s score is 40% t0 49%, it is considered a gray area. Frustration
level in spelling is a score below 40%.
Dallas shows an instructional level of 1-2 or early first grade with 75%.
However Dallas scored very low on the grade 2 spelling list with a
sharp drop to 8% which is frustrational. Dallas knows beginning and
ending consonants (trap, bed, bump, drop). He also spelled correctly an
“r” controlled word (girl), diagraphs and blend words (wish, ship, trap,
drop, drive), as well as long vowels (drive, bike).
Although Dallas performed well on 75% of these words, he had trouble
with sister (seitr), plane (plan) and when (wenet). (I wonder if he was
hearing or thinking “went for when”). Dallas also tried to
reverse d and b several times. He did self correct after studying the
letters. Dallas is in the “within word pattern” spelling stage for first
grade and will need instruction in more short vowel words with blends
and digraphs, blends and digraphs, and eventually short vs. long vowels.
Word Recognition in Isolation
The (WRI) Word Recognition in Isolation assessment is a set of 10
words in each of 20 lists. These lists were developed by taking word
samples from grade level lists (Early first to eighth grade). In using
these lists for WRI assessment, we are able to determine automaticity
on behalf of the child being evaluated.
The reading process is driven by automatic and accurate recognition of
the printed word. Flashing the word for the student to read in ¼ to ½
second reveals the rate of automaticity for the student and is a good
indicator of a student’s reading ability. If the student
misreads the word on the flash, they have another chance on the
untimed test. This untimed technique represents accuracy.
Independent level on WRI is 90%-100%. A score of 79% –89% is
instructional on the flash. Below 50% is frustration level.
Dallas performed well on PP2 and P level with 100% accuracy on the
flash. His rate dropped considerably for grade 1-2. He did score a 90%
on the untimed portion of this assessment. Dallas is independent on the
Primer level but is frustrational on the first grade level. The words
Dallas missed on the flash included long vowel, “r” controlled,
contractions, and two syllable words. Words missed included dark,
shout, couldn’t, until, winter, and table.
Contextual Reading
Using the ASU Informal Reading Inventory, Contextual Reading (WRC)
was assessed for Dallas. Recording a student’s reading along with a
written record of the reading is the best way to determine how they are
developing in the reading process. These informal reading inventories
(IRI) reflects specific grade level difficulty and should also be interesting
for the child to read. A valid assessment of the student’s level can be
determined if the student is reading actively and
understanding the passage. This assessment includes the student’s rate,
accuracy, comprehension, prosody and WRC.
In order to determine the level of IRI to start with, look at the flash score
on the WRI assessment. Look for the score of 80% or better and the
grade level the score indicates. We begin the reading assessment at this
level.
During the oral reading assessment errors are noted and marked. These
errors include substitutions, repetitions, inserts, unknown words, and
change in meaning. The passage is also timed. This information is
written into the ASU Reading Clinic Summary sheet for the student
being assessed. We are able to determine from this initial assessment if
a lower or higher level reading passage is necessary to determine the
independent, instructional and frustrational level of the student.
Independent level of reading is reflected in a score of 98%-100% (WRC)
with good prosody and comprehension. Instructional level is based on a
score of 95%-97% (WRC) , gray area is 90%-94% (WRC), and
frustrational is below 90% (WRC) and 50% or below in reading
comprehension. The score chart for Dallas thus far is as follows:
Accuracy Comprehension Rate(WPM) Prosody
PP2 98% 100% 41 3
P 95.2% 100% 22 2
1-2 79% 100% 13 1
Dallas was willing to try to read all the passages assigned. Although his
WPM were low, on PP2 and on Primer level, he paused between
sentences as if in a resting mode. However, my observation and scores
support results of independent on PP2, Instructional on Primer and
frustrational on level 1-2.
Silent Reading scores were not assessed per instructions. Silent reading
is assessed at grade 2 and above.
Listening Comprehension
Listening comprehension is an assessment of the ability of the student
to understand and comprehend passages that are read to him. This
assessment determines comprehension weaknesses of the student
without word recognition problems as well.
Dallas was very interested in the stories I read to him. He listened
attentively and often attempted to fill in words as in a cloze activity. I
read stories to him on his grade level (2nd—rising 3rd). Dallas was able
to comprehend and answer accurately the questions on 1st-3rd grade
level. These scores indicate that his reading comprehension difficulties
are due to word recognition and fluency when he reads and not
comprehension.
The listening comprehension scores of 100% are not congruent with his
1st-3rd WRI scores or his WRC.
Sense of Story
Sense of story is assessed by reading a story to the student and asking
for a retell. In this assessment we determine if the student is able to
retell a story using book language, has an understanding of syntax and
story concept and/or his degree of sophistication in his underlying,
cognitive sense of story.
To assess Dallas, I read “Goldilocks and The Three Bears”. Upon
conclusion of my reading I asked Dallas to retell the story. Dallas did
not begin the story with an opening phrase as in “Once upon a time”.
He mentioned the home as a setting as well as the upstairs but did not
include the woods. Dallas did mention all the characters in the story
and addressed the three bears as mama, papa and baby. Dallas also
described the feeling of fear and of being tired in Goldilocks. Dallas
used one descriptive word but no examples of conversation. He was
able to tell at least three events in sequence but left out several. His
ending was indicative of the actual story. He said “Goldilocks got
scared. She ran away and Mama Bear and Baby Bear and Papa
Bearnever saw Goldilocks again!”
Although Dallas scored a 5 out of 8 on this retell, I sensed that he was
trying to recall facts of the story as he told it. However, I think he had
the perfect ending to the story.
On sense of story organization, Dallas was able to sequence some
events. He left out some important events but the story made sense as
far as order. Dallas used an appropriate ending with closing words and
phrases. In sense of story syntax, Dallas did use short but complete
sentences.
Dallas loves reading and being read to. Dallas is behind in
reading levels and does not have the ability to retell in book language.
With appropriate instruction on his instructional level and time on task
reading and being read to, he will improve.
Writing
The writing assessment reveals information on the student’s spelling
and sense of story. After telling Dallas a story of my own, I asked him to
tell a story. He was particularly excited about swimming this summer
and decided to tell a story about that. The oral story was similar to the
written story, however, Dallas included more detail in the written story.
He wanted to write! He used the opportunity of taking his time in
writing in order to think of details. Dallas struggled with connecting
words such as “and” which resulted in run on sentences. His spelling
was congruent with his spelling problems indicated on the spelling
assessment. Examples are as follows:
Logr-longer
Slid-slide
Biveing-diving
After two sentences, Dallas started asking me to spell words. I
encouraged him to write with corrections later but he did not want to
do this. I spelled words for Dallas.