Grading rubric for elementary reading skills assessment

¶ … Group Evaluations

Reading class grading rubric

Levels/Criteria

Unacceptable

Approaching

Meets Standard

Exemplary

Score/Level

Print concepts

The reader cannot alphabetize a series of words to the second letter and cannot recognize the distinguishing features of the sentence such as capitalization of the first word, internal and ending punctuation and quotation marks.

The reader can alphabetize a series of words to the second letter but cannot recognize the distinguishing features of the sentence such as capitalization of the first word, internal and ending punctuation and quotation marks.

The reader can recognize a series of words to the second letter and can recognize some of the distinguishing features of the sentence such as capitalization of the first word, internal and ending punctuation and quotation marks.

The reader can recognize a series of words to the second letter and can recognize all the distinguishing features of the sentence such as capitalization of the first word, internal and ending punctuation and quotation marks.

Comprehension

The reader cannot make relevant predictions and cannot draw inferences from the text. The reader cannot relate the information in the text to real life experiences.

The reader can make some relevant predictions and can draw some inferences from the text. The reader cannot relate the information in the text to real life experiences.

The reader can make most relevant predictions and can draw most inferences from the text. The reader cannot relate the information in the text to real life experiences.

The reader can make all relevant predictions and can draw all inferences from the text. The reader can also relate the information in the text to real life experiences.

Elements of literature

The reader cannot describe the characters and plot of the text.

The reader can describe some characters and vaguely comprehends the plot of the text.

The reader can describe most characters and the deeply comprehends plot of the text.

The reader describes all characters in the text and deeply comprehends the text.

The reader cannot identify the causes and effect of specific events in the literature.

The reader can identify some causes and effects of specific events in the literature.

The reader can identify most causes and effects of specific events in the literature.

The reader can identify all causes and effects of specific events in the literature.

Purpose

The reader reads to achieve literacy and does not enjoy reading. The reader also does not read to learn something new.

The reader reads for enjoyment but does not read to learn something new.

The reader reads for enjoyment but does not strive to learn something new in every reading.

The reader reads for enjoyment and strives to learn something new every time they are reading.

Functional text

The reader cannot state the meaning of common signs, graphics and symbols.

The reader can state the meaning of some common signs, graphics and symbols.

The reader can state the meaning of most common signs, graphics and symbols.

The reader can state the meaning of all common signs, graphics and symbols.

How the teacher might be coached to address the needs of each group of students

Coaching is a method by which instructors are taught to address the instructional needs of their learners along a particular predesigned continuum from those who are falling far below the standards to those who are exceeding the standards McCloskey & Quay, 1987.

Through coaching, the teacher can make an effort to implement a differentiated instruction method which takes into consideration of each specific group of students. Coaching would involve the teachers being encouraged by professionals in the field to adopt the practice of differentiated instruction. It also involves spelling out the concepts of differentiated instruction and how they should be integrated in the classroom environment Kohler, Crilley, Shearer, & Good, 1997()

Coaching starts with mutual conversation between the coach and the teacher which is designed to increase the performance of the student. It is based on an assessment of the specific needs and strengths of both the students and the teachers. The first step is then to implement a model whereby the teachers start from the current situation. The teachers need to set time to explore new ideas and find their efficacy. The coaches can then use this discussion to develop a common framework for the understanding of the core concepts and terms of the differentiated instruction. The chosen coaches need to believe in the importance of creation of a classroom environment that is responsive Kenny & Faunce, 2004()

Secondly, the teachers need to complete a self-assessment rubric which helps them to establish exactly where they are along the specific continuum and thus be able to differentiate their instruction and to determine what the natural comfort level of this approach is. The coaches can then use this rubric as a periodical guide to gauge the progress of the teacher and determine whether they are accruing any benefits from coaching. This information that is gathered here will also help to set to establish the long and short-range goals which guide the continued support Kenny & Faunce, 2004()

The coach will also visit the classroom frequently in order to conduct regular observations. Observations will help to see how the teacher organizes their instruction and to take notes on where improvements can be made. The coach will also be able to note whether the instruction is provided to some individuals in the group or to the whole group Berg, 2002.

The teacher and coach need to explore their outcomes which may be intended and unintended and to create an accurate reflection on how the instruction provided to the students will meet the objective of the planned lesson.

Observation will also help to focus on how the teachers teach their students and how the students respond to the instruction provided by the teacher. It also develops an accurate consideration of the curriculum being taught and whether it meets the literacy standards of Arizona including analyzing the material being. It also helps to note how the students respond to new concepts and information especially when this is delivered using approaches that are different Bean, Draper, Hall, Vandermolen, & Zigmond, 2010()

In the coaching, the teachers change the classroom into a kind of laboratory where they experiment with various methods of instruction which help the teacher to develop and implement the skill of differentiated instruction and to meet the learning needs of each student in the group. The teachers thus become more aware that the group is made up of diverse learners and they are more comfortable with implementing the constructs of this differentiated instruction and the data that is gathered from the self-assessment rubrics which substantiate these findings. The teacher thus develops skills which help them to organize and implement their lesson in a way that meets the needs of a wide range of learners and for to institute specialized learning for those who are falling far from the standards Baines & Stanley, 2003.

The time of students per task is increased and the students will be able to meet the standards of the teacher and to score higher as per the grading rubric above since the strategies that are implemented will also impact the behavior and performance of the students.

Coaching helps to update the teachers and to fine tune the learning environment to make it purposeful in helping the learners achieve higher grades in the rubric developed by the teacher for the particular lesson plan. The coach will help to personalize the focus of the learning environment and to plan for instruction of the students through collaborative learning and evidence-based teaching that is constant and non-defensive. This creates a dynamic learning environment which enables the students to achieve more. Though the outcome of the coaching experience cannot be predetermined, it is useful to attempt to use as many instructional methods as possible in order to find the one that is best suitable for the particular learning environment.