Question 1

A first grade student read a page aloud. As she read, her teacher made checkmarks on a copy to indicate each word the student read correctly. This teacher was taking a:

Accepted Answer

A running record is a formative assessment tool used to evaluate a student's reading level, accuracy, fluency, and comprehension. The teacher marks a copy of the text with symbols to indicate correct readings, errors, and self-corrections as the student reads aloud.

Question 2

When used correctly, portfolios focus upon a student's:

Accepted Answer

Portfolios are designed to showcase a student's best work and strengths. They are not typically used to highlight weaknesses or to assess basic skills in oral reading or writing mechanics. Rather, portfolios are used to demonstrate growth over time, showcase diverse abilities, and provide a comprehensive look at a student's achievements and strengths.

Question 3

George lives on a farm and enjoys reading books about farm animals. Of the following, the most likely reason why George can read books about farm animals independently is that books with:

Accepted Answer

George lives on a farm and has experience with farm animals, so books with familiar objects and experiences are likely easier for him to read independently. Predictable text and varied sentence patterns do not necessarily indicate level of difficulty, and decodable text can actually help early readers with phonics skills.

Question 4

Bobby's teacher administered an informal reading inventory and found that the child had a fourth grade instructional reading level and a sixth grade listening level. These scores indicate that this student should be able to:

Accepted Answer

The student's sixth grade listening level indicates they can comprehend materials at this level when they are read aloud.

Question 5

To encourage book discussions, all of the sixth grade students in the Charles School District have been asked to read the novel, The Giver. Because a few of her students struggle in reading and are unable to read The Giver independently, the principal has wisely advised the teacher to

Accepted Answer

By reading the novel aloud and discussing it with the struggling students, they will still have the opportunity to engage in the book discussions with their peers. This option supports inclusion and allows all students to participate in the activity. Excusing struggling readers or requiring them to read the book independently may cause them to feel left out or discouraged. Motivating them to read independently is a good idea, but it may not be feasible for all students to do so. Reading the book aloud and discussing it with all students, including struggling readers, ensures that everyone is on the same page and can contribute to the discussions.

Question 6

A test which is composed of graded word lists, graded passages for students to read, and comprehension questions is known as a (n):

Accepted Answer

A formal reading inventory involves a variety of graded word lists and passages to assess a student's reading level and comprehension abilities. DIBELS is a standardized assessment for early literacy skills, miscue analysis involves analyzing errors in student reading, and portfolio assessment involves collecting and analyzing a range of student work over time.

Question 7

Six-year-old Madison selected a book from the classroom library. She was able to read most of the words but she needed her teacher's help to fully comprehend the story. Consequently, this book fit Madison's:

Accepted Answer

Madison was able to read most of the words, but needed help to fully comprehend the story. This indicates that the book was suitable for her instructional level, where she is challenged but can still receive support to improve her skills.

Question 8

High-stakes tests are designed to objectively measure students' ability to meet:

Accepted Answer

High-stakes tests are designed to measure students' ability to meet grade-level standards, which are set by the state or district. Personal goals and parent expectations may be important to individual students, but they are not the focus of these tests. Teacher-created rubrics may be used for classroom assessments but are not typically used for high-stakes testing.

Question 9

Scoring guides that are used to evaluate student performance in reading and writing according to specific criteria and levels of achievement are known as:

Accepted Answer

Rubrics are scoring guides that specify criteria for assessing student performance and levels of achievement. Running records and informal reading inventories are tools used to assess a student's reading level and identify areas for improvement. Miscue analyses are a type of running record that focus on the specific errors made by a student while reading.

Question 10

An informal reading inventory can be used to measure:

Accepted Answer

An informal reading inventory measures both word recognition and comprehension. Numerical fluency is not typically assessed through an informal reading inventory.

Question 11

A limitation of readability formulas is that they:

Accepted Answer

Readability formulas only consider surface features of text such as word and sentence length. They do not consider factors such as background knowledge and interests that can greatly impact comprehension. Therefore, readability formulas are limited in their ability to accurately assess the readability of a text.

Question 12

Sixth grade teacher Helen Crump has been asked to evaluate students' writing samples. To complete this task, Miss Crump should develop a:

Accepted Answer

A rubric is a scoring tool that outlines the criteria and standards for a particular assignment, helping teachers evaluate student work consistently and fairly. It is a common tool for assessing writing samples, as it provides clear expectations for different levels of performance and allows for specific feedback to be given to students. RAFT, running records, and portfolios can also be used to assess student writing, but a rubric is the most appropriate choice for this task.

Question 13

Of the following, the best way to help students take responsibility and assess their own work is to:

Accepted Answer

Asking students to write notes that explain the items in their portfolios encourages them to reflect on their work, assess their own progress, and take responsibility for their learning. This self-assessment practice helps students become more engaged and accountable for their learning outcomes.

Question 14

The system which considers both students' reading levels and the difficulty level of books to be read is the:

Accepted Answer

The Lexile Framework is the only option that takes into account both the student's reading level and the difficulty level of the book being read. The Fry Readability Graph and Flesch-Kinkaid Formula only consider the difficulty level of the text, and the Fountas and Pinnell Guide only considers the student's reading level.

Question 15

Of the following, the tool which is most likely to help students engage in self-assessment is the:

Accepted Answer

Portfolios allow students to collect and reflect on their own work over time, making them a powerful tool for self-assessment. They enable students to see their progress, identify areas for improvement, and set personal learning goals.

Question 16

Items to be included in a portfolio are usually selected by the:

Accepted Answer

Portfolios are meant to showcase an individual's skills and accomplishments, therefore, it is only appropriate that students select the items to be included in their portfolios. This allows students to take ownership of their learning and to demonstrate their understanding in a way that best represents them.

Question 17

Of the following, the best way that a literacy teacher could help his students prepare for a high-stakes assessment is to:

Accepted Answer

Teaching students about question-answer relationships can improve their ability to understand questions and choose the correct answer, which could help them perform better on a high-stakes assessment. Using a timer or conducting daily speed drills may increase anxiety and stress, leading to decreased performance. Stressing the importance of good nutrition is important, but it may not directly impact students' performance on an assessment.

Question 18

One significant way in which high-stakes testing and classroom assessment differ is that classroom assessment usually:

Accepted Answer

High-stakes testing usually involves standardized assessments that have significant consequences for students or schools. In contrast, classroom assessments are usually informal and ongoing. They provide more information for making daily instructional decisions, whereas high-stakes testing often occurs only once a year and is used primarily for accountability purposes. Classroom assessments are not based on national norms and can include a variety of assessment types beyond just oral presentations. While paraprofessionals may be involved in classroom assessments, the primary responsibility typically rests with the teacher.

Question 19

When Mary orally read a paragraph from the text, Little House on the Prairie, she stumbled over most of the words and required a great deal of assistance from her teacher. Mary was unable to state the main idea of the selection. This book was at Mary's:

Accepted Answer

Mary was struggling to read the paragraph and had difficulty understanding the main idea, which indicates that the book is at her frustration level.

Question 20

A third grade teacher questioned whether students in the class who were English learners would have the background knowledge needed to comprehend a text the class planned to read. To assess the students' background knowledge, the teacher wisely used a:

Accepted Answer

A KWL chart (What I know, What I Want to know, What I Learned) would be the most appropriate method for assessing the students' background knowledge on a given topic. It allows the teacher to gauge prior knowledge and also helps students set goals for their learning.

Quiz 3: Assessing Students Literacy Development