Hey, Soul Sister! We also pushed our DRA2 window to the first week of September and I will be working with coaches and teachers to design an integrated 'Introduction to Workshop' unit which will focus on establishing routines and include focus on retelling/summary, dependent on grade level. In years past with the previous version of the DRA, we found ourselves overly focused on levels, resulting in inflated DRA levels which reflected increased decoding skills without increased comprehension. We also 'capped' the assessment for each grade level so that teachers can feel less pressure to raise the level and focus on broadening the base.
Couldn't agree more with your comments on the quality of early guided reading books. We look for examples of books in which there is a rich storyline implied in the photographs, move students to levels c-d and increase the level of support, rather than stay with lower leveled stuff too long. Lori ----- Original message ----- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: [email protected] Date: 2008, 17, Domingo Of Fevereiro 09:46 Subject: Re: [MOSAIC] DRA 2 in Sept. for first graders > Hi! > I teach first grade and our results in September were exactly yours. > Consider this... in kindergarten they begin to explode the alphabetic > code....combined with some appropriate reading behaviors.... many have little > experience > manipulating vowels.... so I think asking for a retell with a connection > strategy is very ambitious for first graders.... that's why the DRA 2 > works.... it > guides the teacher and student to an appropriate level for reading not just > decoding. > > That much said our team decided the following: > 1. We added a unit of comprehension....a literal understanding or retelling > unit before we give the DRA 2... we developed it ourselves using the "Power > of Retelling" as our guide. ...so now instead of September we give the DRA > in > October. I spoke with J. Beaver and she confirmed our thinking on > this...that they need some experience to at least know what that part of the > assessment > is asking for. > > 2. We examined our guided books and found that at the early levels... our > books just don't cut it.... now many published emergent leveled books don't > because how much strategy work can you do with a level b or c.... but some > companies do such a better job than others.... this is a big problem since it > > means dollars......but we are addressing that problem with PTO grants and > administrative support.... mind you our guided books that we already have > were just > purchased about 8 years ago.... so.... it is tough asking to rethink this > part but it is important in my opinion because from the get go emergent > readers > would lament ..."but i WANT A REAL BOOK". > > Just some thoughts... > > > > **************Ideas to please picky eaters. Watch video on AOL Living. > (http://living.aol.com/video/how-to-please-your-picky-eater/rachel-campos-duffy/ > 2050827?NCID=aolcmp00300000002598) > _______________________________________________ > Mosaic mailing list > [email protected] > To unsubscribe or modify your membership please go to > http://literacyworkshop.org/mailman/options/mosaic_literacyworkshop.org. > > Search the MOSAIC archives at http://snipurl.com/MosaicArchive. > > _______________________________________________ Mosaic mailing list [email protected] To unsubscribe or modify your membership please go to http://literacyworkshop.org/mailman/options/mosaic_literacyworkshop.org. Search the MOSAIC archives at http://snipurl.com/MosaicArchive.
