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Literacy Curriculum Resource Site: Fundations

"When a child memorizes 10 words, they can only read 10 words. If a child learns the sounds of 10 letters, they will be able to read:

350 three-sound words,

4,320 four-sound words, and 

21,650 five-sound words."

~Dr. Martin Kozloff, 2022

Assessment Types

Performance Assessment:

  • Occurs daily as an integrated part of each lesson’s learning activities. Examples: word building, tapping, dictation activities etc.

Unit Tests and Check-up:

  • Assesses encoding and efficiently identifies students who have mastered the targeted phonics skills and those who need additional support.

Progress monitoring Tool:

  • Additional assessment and practice for students who have demonstrated the need during informal and formal formative assessment during the lesson.

Unit Test Q & A

Can students use their notebooks and resources around the room?

  • Students can use their notebooks and other resources around the room, however it is not an expectation that they do so.  If they choose not to use their resources, we should not insist.

Why do we let students use their resources on a test?

  • It is important that students spell the words correctly as consistently as possible.  This helps students map the words correctly in their brains.
  • We have other measures of assessment.  The unit test is just one of these measures.

How do I know when to re-test?

  • Any student who scores below 80% should receive targeted instruction and be re-assessed.

The What, Why, and How of Data Tracking

What?

  • All data from the original unit test AND any re-tests given.

Why?

  • To target and evaluate instruction
  • For reporting purposes
  • Assess any potential need for intervention

How?

  • We will use the Fundations class tracker.
  • We will download the data as an excel document and upload it to Google.
  • Please share the document with your building literacy specialist.

Parent Communication

What should we send home?

  • Family letter at the beginning of a unit.
    • These letters tell families what their students will be learning and provide some optional practice activities.
  • Copy of the unit test with a score
    • Sending home the test allows families to see what their students are doing well, what they need to work on, and it allows them to keep tabs on their student's handwriting skills.
  • Copy of any re-tests with a score

A note about scoring:

  • The score should be in the form of a fraction.  Number correct over the total number.
  • If a student struggles on a test, a short comment should be added.  A couple of examples include:
    • "We will continue to review these skills over the school year."
    • These skills will be reviewed in a small group over the next couple of weeks."