Literary Assessment
Literary Assessment Tools
While dealing with this student, there are a number of issues that were of significance. One of the main ones was understanding the various needs that the student presented in so far as literacy is concerned. In order to determine these problems, I choose to consistently talk with the student in order to determine the different sectors that posed a significant challenge to the child insofar as achieving literacy is concerned (Hehir & Katzman, 2012). To this end, the literary tools that I chose to use included assessing the fluency, word identification, comprehension, and writing sample of the student in order to determine the exact literacy needs, as well as challenges, that the student possesses. It became quite clear to me that these tools assess some of the predominant challenges that many students and learners face insofar as literacy is concerned. To this end, these tools provided me with the best opportunity to understand the seriousness which this problem and literacy affected the student in question (O’Connor & Vadasy, 2011). At the same time, the fact that these tools have been consistently relied on and proven to be of substantial credibility insofar as assisting literacy is concerned, provided me with the confidence necessary to ensure that I was able to successfully determine the various problems affecting the learning question.
By consistently asking the learner to read out text as well as having conversations, I was able to determine the degree of fluency that the learner possesses and in doing so it enabled me to develop a progressive plan with which the fluency challenges could be addressed. Secondly, I needed to understand the ability of the learner to identify specific words not only in text but also on their own. To this end, a word identification literacy tool proved to be quite critical. It enabled me to understand the ability of the learner to comprehend the meanings of words as well as to identify those words not only within sentences but also on their own or within the text, which was essential to understanding the literacy level of the student in question (Ortlieb & Cheek, 2013). These tools worked significantly well with the comprehension assessment tool. The comprehension assessment was conducted not only on the ability to comprehend speech but also on the ability of the learner to comprehend written text.
This worked well to provide a clear picture of the exact situation that affects the learner in question which enabled me to understand the severity of the literacy challenges that this learner was facing (Collins, 2004). Finally, the fact that I was able to combine all this with having the learner provide a writing sample proved to be the best decision possible in so far as assessing the literacy of the student is concerned. It enabled me to understand the ability of the child not only to comprehend text and speech but also to translate that understanding into a written form which is an essential part of literacy (Hehir & Katzman, 2012). This combination of tools provides a broad perspective surrounding the literacy capabilities of the student in question, which is essential to developing a remedy that is bound to help the student in question improved the literacy in both the long and short-term.
Results of Literary Assessment
From the informal interview conducted with a student, it was clear that the child in question struggled significantly with literacy. They consistently suffered from an inability to comprehend text as well as to read it, which proved to be significant towards impeding their ability to be literate (O’Connor & Vadasy, 2011). From the various literary tools used, it was quite clear that this child was in need of significant remedies to help them overcome their literacy challenges, and particularly as far as reading and comprehension are concerned. It is also worth noting that this student exhibited a significantly high level of instructional capability. Although the child was almost losing capable of following through on the instructions they were provided, they seem to understand what will what was required of them. This is a great advantage because it ensures potential remedies can focus on addressing the literacy problems in question such as comprehension and reading, rather than getting the child to understand the instructions they are provided with, either in text or speech, insofar as literacy is concerned.
Along the same line, it is worth noting that this child proved to be significantly frustrated with his inability to be fully literate. This was purposely reiterated in the fact that this child was consistently fidgeting and exhibited signs of embarrassment, anger, and frustration whenever he was required to undertake any literacy-oriented tasks that demanded them to be fully literate in order to successfully complete them (Collins, 2004). Furthermore, it is worth noting that this child exhibited significant problems with fluency. He was almost always incapable of reading complete sentences and particularly struggled with reading longer than normal words. This was particularly the case insofar as words with more than three syllables are concerned (Ortlieb & Cheek, 2013). The child read in a breaking manner, struggling to articulately read long words in one take. The frustrations that affect this child were also manifested when the child was required to repeat challenging sections during the fluency test as well as during the comprehension tests. As far as independence is concerned, this child exhibited partial independence as far as literacy is concerned (O’Connor & Vadasy, 2011). He was somewhat independent and had self-initiative when reading relatively simple text but this motivation was less apparent when the texts in question were complicated. At the same time, it is worth noting that the frustrations of the child were particularly evident when he was required to undertake comprehension tests involving complex texts or listening. From this, it is quite clear that the instructional level of this child is below his school grade and this requires significant preparation and intensive remediation in order to combat.
Data Implications on RRWWT Framework
The data collected from this informal interview with significance to developing a reliable and effective framework for helping the student improve your literacy. Is it purposely because the data provides a critical perspective of the various needs that the student possesses as well as the significant obstacles that he faces insofar as improving his literacy is concerned (Ortlieb & Cheek, 2013). Taking into account the results provided from the informal interview, it is important to understand that these will direct how the remote aforementioned is applied. In this sense, it will be essential to ensure that this child is provided with remedial classes and attention that is focused on improving his literacy (Hehir & Katzman, 2012). This will be conducted in a neutral and calm environment where the child is capable of full self-expression without judgment or condemnation. The best approach to facilitate this is to provide after-school programs for the child that can be undertaken at least 2 or 3 days every week.
At the same time, it is important that the content and material used in facilitating this remediation classes is age-appropriate to the grade of this child and that it is also interesting (Ortlieb & Cheek, 2013). This is one magazine and newspaper articles play a critical role in this respect. By sourcing for exciting and engaging articles in these sources, the student can be further motivated to read not only with the teacher but also by himself (Collins, 2004). Finally, it is critical that the classes provided to this child are well-paced. This is because this child exhibits a tendency to become frustrated whenever they are incapable of fully grasping concepts critical to the realization of full literacy. To this end, being patient with the child is critical to helping them grow their literacy skills, and is a trait that must be exhibited in the remediation process.
Technology Incorporation
As far as this child is concerned one of the best technologies that can be incorporated into his remediation is the use of text to speech software (Ortlieb & Cheek, 2013). This software enables the child to not only listen and improve the listening skills but also follow along by reading the text itself as it is being narrated. This software can be applied not only to the use of magazines and newspapers but also in simple novels which enables the child to grow multiple skills at the same time and in doing so improve his literacy. The flexibility and dynamism of this tool support the literacy needs of this child (O’Connor & Vadasy, 2011). It enables him to read and listen to texts of varying complexity and it appears that he can adequately follow. This manages to address all the aforementioned needs that the student exhibits which is essentially vital to improving his overall literacy and enabling him to catch up with his peers and develop literacy capability that matches his grade level. This is a tool that must be considered insofar as improving the literacy of the student is concerned.
Monitoring Progress
Being a gradual process, improving literacy in this child is not an overnight process. It will require dedication, consistency, commitment, and patience. In this respect, the best way to monitor the progress of the student will be during the remediation after-school program designed to help him improve his literacy (Collins, 2004). By consistently assessing his ability to read and comprehend text from magazines, newspapers, and even over, it will be possible to track his progress. In time, it will be possible for the child to improve his ability to study the words that he consistently runs into and in doing so eventually improve his literacy level. Also, it is worth noting that it will be essential to continually improve the quality and complexity of texts that this child is provided with (O’Connor & Vadasy, 2011). This enables him to gradually grow and develop his literacy skills which is the main goal of the remediation program. Lastly, consistently practicing on these issues will also help him improve his fluency in speech and writing which will contribute towards making him a well-rounded student that is fully literate.
References
Collins, K. (2004). Growing Readers: Units of study in the primary classroom. Portland, Me: Stenhouse Publishers.
Hehir, T., & Katzman, L. I. (2012). Effective inclusive schools: Designing successful schoolwide programs. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
O’Connor, R. E., & Vadasy, P. F. (2011). Handbook of reading interventions. New York: The Guilford Press.
Ortlieb, E., & Cheek, E. H. (2013). School-based interventions for struggling readers, K-8. Bingley: Emerald.