Lori - With the DRA, we test in the fall at certain grade levels, fiction or non-fiction depending on the grade. If the student reads at-level in fiction, they are not retested at a higher grade. It's assumed that they continue in their growth for that assessment. If they don't read at-level, they are retested at the end of the year. If they still are not at-level, they are retested in another designated year, same schedule.
The NWEA is an online computer assessment. In reading, it has multiple questions on passages, with the complexity adjusting to the student's responses. If correct, the assessment keeps going. If incorrect, it backs off and goes down another path. I believe the questions vary between difficult and not difficult, so it doesn't just massively become overwhelming. The results are given in a range, in different areas of focus. There is a piece of the NWEA that states what concepts the student knows, what they are learning instructionally, and further directions to take them. It also refers to lexile levels for the students. I'm not sure I buy into this assessment 100%. It's very generalized, not individualized enough on the 3 categories of knowns. At least, that's the way it seems to me. I probably just don't understand it enough, so if someone wants to add more to my understanding, that would be great. It has, however, helped teachers know what to pinpoint in small groups or whole class more effectively. Website to find out more: http://www.nwea.org/index.asp Cathy ----- Original Message ----- From: "ljackson" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: "A list for improving literacy with focus on middle grades." <[email protected]> Sent: Sunday, May 27, 2007 6:26 PM Subject: Re: [LIT] NYC Middle School Reading > > > Our middle school found the DRA to be unmanageable with their students. > They were required to test all students three times yearly and each > teacher > had 60 plus students to test. They are now using only STAR testing, which > they don't particularly like. What can you tell me about the NWEA? > > > On 5/27/07 1:16 PM, "CAG" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > >> Lori - I did a NYTimes search for 'reading middle school' to find your >> article and came up with a few. They said that data was analyzed to see >> where students were falling behind, and then instruction targeted those >> areas that would show up in school testing as well as targeting with >> practice tests. >> >> I assume that they looked at assessments such as the DRA and NWEA for >> that >> data. I know we have looked at our MEA's in past years and considered >> what >> types of questions the students were predominantly answering wrong - >> whether >> inference, those requiring look-backs, using nonfiction text features... >> >> Cathy >> ----- Original Message ----- >> From: "ljackson" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >> To: "Mosaic: A Reading Comprehension Strategies Email Group" >> <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>; "A list for improving literacy with focus >> on >> middle grades." <[email protected]>; >> <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >> Sent: Sunday, May 27, 2007 9:05 AM >> Subject: [LIT] NYC Middle School Reading >> >> >>> An article in the NY Times this morning talks about a substantial rise >>> in >>> middle school reading scores and attributes those rises to qualified >>> teachers and a rigorous program. What, out of curiosity, is the program >>> or >>> approach? If anyone out there knows, please share. >>> -- >>> Lori Jackson >>> District Literacy Coach & Mentor >>> Todd County School District >>> Box 87 >>> Mission SD 57555 >>> >>> http:www.tcsdk12.org >>> ph. 605.856.2211 >>> >>> >>> Literacies for All Summer Institute >>> "Literate Lives: A Human Right" >>> July 12-15, 2007 >>> Louisville, Kentucky >>> >>> http://www.ncte.org/profdev/conv/wlu >>> >>> >>> >>> _______________________________________________ >>> The Literacy Workshop ListServ http://www.literacyworkshop.org >>> >>> To unsubscribe or modify your membership please go to >>> http://literacyworkshop.org/mailman/options/lit_literacyworkshop.org. >>> >>> Search the LIT archives at http://snipurl.com/LITArchive >>> >> >> >> >> _______________________________________________ >> The Literacy Workshop ListServ http://www.literacyworkshop.org >> >> To unsubscribe or modify your membership please go to >> http://literacyworkshop.org/mailman/options/lit_literacyworkshop.org. >> >> Search the LIT archives at http://snipurl.com/LITArchive > > -- > Lori Jackson > District Literacy Coach & Mentor > Todd County School District > Box 87 > Mission SD 57555 > > http:www.tcsdk12.org > ph. 605.856.2211 > > > Literacies for All Summer Institute > "Literate Lives: A Human Right" > July 12-15, 2007 > Louisville, Kentucky > > http://www.ncte.org/profdev/conv/wlu > > > > _______________________________________________ > The Literacy Workshop ListServ http://www.literacyworkshop.org > > To unsubscribe or modify your membership please go to > http://literacyworkshop.org/mailman/options/lit_literacyworkshop.org. > > Search the LIT archives at http://snipurl.com/LITArchive > _______________________________________________ The Literacy Workshop ListServ http://www.literacyworkshop.org To unsubscribe or modify your membership please go to http://literacyworkshop.org/mailman/options/lit_literacyworkshop.org. Search the LIT archives at http://snipurl.com/LITArchive
