the school district of philadelphia office of assessment office of early childhood education office...
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The School District of PhiladelphiaOffice of Assessment
Office of Early Childhood EducationOffice of Curriculum, Instruction, and Teacher
Development
Literacy Assessment Tool – Grades K-3Developmental Reading Assessment
(DRA)
DRA Overview
The DRA is a standardized system of benchmark running records used to assess reading development in Kindergarten to
Grade 3. It is administered individually using specially
selected leveled texts.
DRA Overview The DRA is used to assess all regular and
special education students and English Language Learners in Kindergarten to Grade 3.
The DRA is used as a tool to help the teacher determine a student’s highest instructional reading level.
DRA - Materials
Leveled Texts from the DRA kit Copy of Student Scripts at a variety of
levels
DRA Overview
The DRA enables teachers to systematically observe, record, and evaluate change in a student’s reading performance.
The teacher learns about a student’s reading ability by observing oral reading behaviors.
This information is used to help the teacher to identify an appropriate range of reading levels for instruction.
DRA – Where to begin Choosing the best starting point is extremely important. You need to choose a level that is a good estimate of
where a student can be successful If the student has more that the suggested maximum
number of errors, STOP and begin again at a lower level
If a student is close to the suggested maximums, the teacher may use professional judgment to continue.
Be careful that the student does not become frustrated at the beginning of the assessment.
DRA – Where to begin If the student easily reads the level with few or
no errors in a short amount of time, the teacher should move the student to a higher level.
The student is not required to read every level in order.
Once the appropriate level has been established, continue to give the assessment until the student reaches the Frustration level.
DRA – Administraton
Teacher chooses a text they feel the student would be most successful with for an initial assessment based on the information gathered during daily lessons and Guided Reading observations.
Teacher follows the scripted introduction to the passage.
Student looks through the text to familiarize him/herself with the story.
DRA – Administration Student orally reads the text.
In higher levels, the student reads the first two pages aloud and finishes the story silently.
Copy of text is in front of teacher and she/he is following along and making notes on the student information sheet.
DRA – Administration
Next, the student retells the story. The teacher has a complete retelling on
the score sheet to assist with the scoring process.
The DRA also provides specific questions to use if students need a prompt.
DRA – Administration
The teacher should be conscious of repeated omissions or substitutions that might be an indicator of a dialect or speech problem rather than a reading problem.
DRA – Administration
Introducing the text to the student may look like: “I am going to ask you to read a story aloud to me.
Read it as best you can. I can’t help you; so if you come to a word you don’t know, just try your best. I am going to take some notes while you are reading so I can remember what you say.”
DRA – Administration
Let the student take a picture walk through the text.“The story you are going to read is called
_______(supply the title) It is about __________”
DRA provides a one line summary for each text.
Tell the student that they will be retelling the story to you from beginning to end.
DRA – Administration
You must establish the student’s highest instructional level before ending the assessment.
DRA – Conference Formats
Levels A-2 (7-8 minutes)Teacher selects textTeacher introduces textTeacher reads 1 or 2 pagesChild points and reads rest of storyTeacher takes record of oral readingTeacher asks response questionsTeacher asks preference questions
DRA – Conference Formats
Levels 3-16 (10-15 minutes) Teacher or student selects text Teacher introduces text Child looks at pictures
tells what is happening or identifies topics within informational text
Child reads story aloud Teacher takes record of oral reading
Child retells story or information read Teacher asks response questions Teacher asks preference questions
DRA – Conference Formats
Levels 18 and above (15-20 minutes)Teacher introduces textChild reads first 2-4 paragraphs aloudChild predicts what will happen in story or
previews identifying topics within informational text
DRA – Conference Formats
Levels 18 and above (15-20 minutes)Child reads complete story silently.Child retells story or shares information
gained from text.Teacher asks response questions.Child reads selected portion of text aloud.
Teacher takes record of oral readingTeacher asks preference questions.
DRA – Scoring the Assessment
The scoring guide involves: Accuracy – the score based on the percentage of words read
correctly. The # of errors is recorded on the student record sheet.
Fluency and Phrasing – good readers read in longer, meaningful phrases with effective expression that reflects the author’s intended message. They read quickly and smoothly. The teacher fills in the student information sheet with this information.
Retelling – the teacher enters a score of 1-4 on the text specific scoring rubric for several comprehension skills
DRA – Scoring the AssessmentScoring samples for “One Cold, Wet Night” If the student reads:
“One Cold, Windy Night” – Mark as substitution “One Cold, Night” – Mark as an omission “One Cold and Wet Night” – Mark as an insertion “One Cold, Wet Wet Night” – Mark as a repetition “One Cold, Winter/Wet Night” – Mark as a self-correction “One Cold, Wet...Night” – Mark as teacher told
DRA – Scoring the Assessment
Teacher counts the miscues that were not corrected by the student and enters the number on the scoring chart.
Teacher then totals the points the student earned for comprehension through retelling.
DRA – Scoring the Assessment
Teacher fills in the student’s score for decoding and comprehension using the passage specific rubric.
Teacher notes the student’s fluency and phrasing because slow and/or choppy reading, even with a high degree of accuracy, is not good reading.
DRA Analysis
Reading behaviors include:Cross-checking one source of information
against another.Self correction through predicting, monitoring
and searching for additional information. Some behaviors continue across grade
levels and should not be considered in isolation
DRA Analysis
Reading behaviors include:Searching for and using meaning, language
structure, and visual information.Self monitoring (checking on their own
reading using meaning, syntax or visual information).
DRA – Determining Reading Levels
Independent LevelAccuracy of 98% or higherRetelling score of 22 and aboveReading should be fluent and demonstrate
appropriate reading behaviors
DRA – Determining Reading Levels
Instructional LevelAccuracy of 90% and higherRetelling score of 16-21Reading may be less fluent but retains a
sense of rhythm and expression
DRA – Determining Reading Levels
Frustration LevelAccuracy is less than 90%Retelling score is 15 or lessReading lacks fluency and expression and
may be word by word
DRA – Analyzing the Assessment
Performance-based assessments Important to move beyond score to look at
strategies/skills student used effectively, ineffectively or not at all.
Example : Did the error or substitution Make sense? Look like the correct word? Cause the student to reread and correct the error?
DRA – Analyzing the Assessment
Teacher needs to consider what the student did when text became difficult to decode or understandDid the student
Stop? Reread? Ask the teacher for help?
DRA – Analyzing the Assessment
These considerations help the teacher decide on a teaching plan to meet that student’s needs at the highest instructional level.
DRA – Next Steps
The more times DRA is administered, the more comfortable and confident the teacher will become with the tool.
Thoughtful and reflective practice will improve results and impact student achievement.
Important Reminders
The teacher determines the student’s highest instructional reading level.
It is rare to find a student who is instructional at a single level.
When you work at the student’s highest instructional level, you will accelerate his/her reading progress.
Frequently Asked QuestionsDo I have to give the DRA before each report card period?
It is not necessary to stop teaching for weeks so you can give every student an individually administered assessment before report cards.
If you are working with the students in small guided groups on a regular basis and have collected anecdotal information and other documentation, you already know the highest instructional level with much certainty.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does the DRA determine a student’s instructional reading level?
The DRA alone does not determine a student’s instructional reading level for report cards but
does provide information to help teachers make the determination.
Frequently Asked QuestionsWhen should I administer the DRA?
DRA should be administered at least twice over the course of the school year The June reading level is used as the instructional level in
September. Administer the DRA if you need additional instructional
information about a student early in the school year. Administer the DRA when progress appears to be stalled
or to confirm that significant progress is made and a student is moving quickly through and across reading levels.
Frequently Asked QuestionsHow can I document student progress?
You must be able to document the progress a student has made to administrators and parents and the effectiveness of your instructional program.
Documentation could include: Anecdotal and Observation notes from Guided Reading
lessons Analysis of the student’s writing samples Informal running records Formal assessments: DRA
Frequently Asked QuestionsCan a student look back at the text during
the retelling?If a student knows to look back to find an answer,
he/she is allowed to do so. You cannot suggest it to him/her. Unfortunately, most struggling readers do not
use rereading as a strategy for comprehension. It is an important strategy and must be taught.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why can I let a student look back during the retelling?
Students can look back while retelling and answering questions on the DRA since we are not using the tool to determine the highest instructional reading level.
Contact Information Donna Orenstein, Lead Assessment Coach
Office of Assessment [email protected]
Arnetta Imes, Lead Academic Coach Office of Curriculum, Instruction, and Teacher Development
Lyn Bauer, School Growth Specialist Office of Curriculum, Instruction, and Teacher Development
Renee Queen Jackson, Lead Academic Coach Office of Early Childhood Education