Hi Sandra,
I'm wondering if you can describe what you mean by 'crazy scores'. Our district is using a different, yet similar tool. We too are looking for instructional instead of independent level. I believe the reasoning is sound. If you stop at an independent level, you may stop prematurely and not truly identify how far students can go. In addition, if students score 90% or higher you haven't had a chance to see the errors them make and will not have as much info to guide instruction. At least that is our thinking. Our scores are perplexing too. So I'm interested in you defining/describing your results a little more. Thanks, Sandy -----Original Message----- From: Sandra Little <[email protected]> To: 'Mosaic: A Reading Comprehension Strategies Email Group' <[email protected]> Sent: Thu, Sep 16, 2010 6:41 am Subject: Re: [MOSAIC] WIDA/DRA Our district uses the DRA and has for a few years now. They make us assess the student's reading ability to the instructional level instead of independent level. Their thinking behind that change is that an instructional level will be able to guide our instruction better. I think we're getting crazy scores because we're not using the tool for what it was developed. Any thoughts?? -----Original Message----- From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of Hillary Marchel Sent: Wednesday, September 15, 2010 9:59 PM To: Mosaic: A Reading Comprehension Strategies Email Group Subject: [MOSAIC] WIDA/DRA WIDA is a K-12 ELP test-ACCESS for ELLs, to aid in the identification and placement of ELLs. The WIDA Consortium includes 22 states which is grounded in scientifically-based research on best educational practices in general and English as a Second Language (ESL) and bilingual education in particular, WIDA created and adopted its comprehensive ELP standards (2004, 2007) that address the need for students to become fully proficient in both social and academic English. The WIDA ELP Standards along with their strands of model performance indicators-which represent social, instructional and academic language-have been augmented by TESOL as the national model. DRA - (Developmental Reading Assessment)The DRA is a research‐based assessment used to determine the child’s independent reading level. It enables teachers to systematically observe, record, and evaluate change in student reading performance and to plan for and teach what each student needs to learn next. The DRA helps teachers pinpoint students’ strengths and reading abilities. Hillary Marchel Reading Specialist Hawthorn Elementary North Emailing for the Greater Good of Elementary North [email protected] We can take some gratification at having come a certain distance but it should be a deeper satisfaction, even an exhilaration, to recognize that we have such a distance still to go. --LEWIS THOMAS On Sep 15, 2010, at 5:59 PM, [email protected] wrote: > I don't administer the WIDA. The ELL teacher does so I really can't speak to it. I think that the two tests are apples and oranges and for different purposes. > S > _______________________________________________ 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. _______________________________________________ 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.
