M7A1 Signature Assignment - LAI

The Case.
It is nearly the end of first grade. Ms. Wang is wondering if Jason (from Module 1) should repeat first
grade because of his reading. In addition, Jason’s parents are wondering if they need to take him for
summer reading tutoring. They are seeking your expert opinion as a literacy specialist.

Jason is a native English speaker who has not been identified with a disability. Ms. Wang reports that
he is not struggling in other subject areas. He is an athletic kid with good social skills. He is neither the
youngest nor the oldest in his class. He attends a small parochial school that uses a traditional basal
reader program. If he repeats first grade, he will be in Ms. Wang’s class again. The school does not
have a reading specialist.

Mom works at an insurance agency and dad works in construction. Jason’s dad had some
undiagnosed difficulties with reading when he was in school. Dad still does not read for pleasure.

Your Mission.
Analyze Jason’s data so you can make a recommendation to his parents and teacher.

Diacritical marks for copying/pasting:

ă ĕ ĭ ǒ ŭ ā ē ī ō ū ə

PART I: RUNNING RECORDS LEVELS 8 & 10 (15 points)

Print the two running record forms for DRA Levels 8 & 10 (in M7S4). Listen to Jason’s oral reading of
each passage while notating his miscues and self-corrections.

Use any coding system with which you are familiar or use the Running Record Notation document (in
M7S4).

Scan or photograph both forms and submit them along with your Signature Assignment Template.

In addition, please summarize your calculations below.

1/ Calculate Jason’s accuracy and self-correction ratio on the DRA Level 8 text, The Boat Ride. Is this text
at an independent, instructional, or frustration level for him?

 Level 8 Accuracy: 92%

 Self-Correction Ratio: 1:3
 Interpretation: Instructional

2/ Calculate Jason’s accuracy and self-correction ratio on the DRA Level 10 text, Everybody In!. Is this
text at an independent, instructional, or frustration level for him?

 Level 10 Accuracy: 98%

  Self-Correction Ratio: 1:4
 Interpretation: Independent

PART II: RUNNING RECORDS LEVELS 12 & 14 (15 POINTS)

3/ Calculate Jason’s accuracy and self-correction ratio on the DRA Level 12 text, John and His Drum. Is
this text at an independent, instructional, or frustration level for him? (3 bullet points)

 Level 12 Accuracy: 93%

 Self-Correction Ratio: 1:11
 Interpretation: Instructional

4/ Calculate Jason’s accuracy and self-correction ratio on the DRA Level 14 text, George the Porcupine. Is
this text at an independent, instructional, or frustration level for him? (3 bullet points)
 Level 14 Accuracy: 89%
 Self-Correction Ratio: 1:8
 Interpretation: Frustration

5/ Is Jason reading at grade level for the end of first grade / beginning of second grade? Explain your
reasoning. (one paragraph)
Jason's reading ability, as indicated by his performance on the DRA level 12 passage (“John and His
Drum”) with 93% accuracy, suggests that he is reading at grade level for the end of first
grade/beginning of second grade. However, it's important to consider the caveat of his self-correction
level, which at 1:11 indicates that he may need more assistance with recognizing and correcting
errors. According to “How To Analyze Running Records (And Get a Ton of Valuable Information About
Your Beginning Readers!),” we look for a 1:5 or better self-correction ratio. (Pima, 2016). Despite
this, his ability to read a DRA level 12 passage with instructional accuracy aligns with the expected
proficiency for his grade level according to the Arizona standard 1.RF.4, (which is identical to the
second grade standard 2.RF.4)Ja. Therefore, taking all factors into account, Jason appears to be
meeting the grade-level expectations for reading at the end of first grade/beginning of second grade.

PART III: QUICK PHONICS SURVEY (20 points)

Complete the chart using Jason’s phonics survey data. You may need to review earlier modules.

Topic Score Areas of Strength Areas of Need

Capital 26/26 Jason correctly named all 28 capital Jason does not appear to have needs
Letter letters. in this area.
Names
Lowercase 28/28 Jason correctly named all 28 Jason does not appear to have needs
Letter lowercase letters, including serif “g” in this area.
Names and serif “a”.
Consonant 21/21 Jason produced all 21 consonant Jason does not appear to have needs
Sounds sounds. in this area.
Consonant 5/6 Jason has strengths in reading Jason may need support with the pl
Blends consonant blends, correctly producing blend, and this may be due to the
“cr” “sn” “dr” “tw” “sl” phonetic complexity of this blend.
Consonant 6/6 Jason produced all 6 consonant Jason does not appear to have needs
Digraphs digraph sounds. in this area.
Short Vowel 11/12 Jason has some strengths in decoding Jason saying “with” instead of “wish”
Words short vowel words as he was able to may indicate a potential confusion
correctly read words like “cat” “big” between the digraphs "sh" and "th."
“top” “men” “spin” “drop” “best” This confusion suggests a need for
“lamp” “thick” “song” and “much” focused instruction on digraph
recognition and phonemic awareness
activities to reinforce the distinction
between these sounds.
Sentence 1 5/8 Jason demonstrates strengths in self- His initial mispronunciation of "teed"
correction, particularly when he for "Ted" suggests a need for
initially mispronounced "teed" as reinforcement in distinguishing short
"Ted." Furthermore, his self- vowel sounds within closed syllable
correction in pronouncing "sand" after VC words. Additionally, his struggle
initially attempting "s-a-t" and "s-and" to blend the sounds in "soft"
demonstrates phonemic awareness indicates difficulty with final
and decoding strategies. Also, Jason consonant blends. And although
demonstrates strengths in high Jason successfully self-corrected
frequency words in this sentence as "sand" highlights a need for further
evidenced by “a” “in” and “the.” practice of “n” final consonant
blends.
Sentence 2 8/9 Jason initially sounded out "wind" as Jason mispronounced "flag" as
"w-ind" but quickly self-corrected "flāge". This indicates difficulty with
himself, blending the sounds to decoding the short vowel sound ă in
accurately read "wind." This "flag." In addition, Jason initially
demonstrates his phonemic misread "wind" as "w-ind". This
awareness, as he utilized the short suggests a struggle with recognizing
vowel sound ĭ when realizing that the short vowel ĭ sound
"wind" is a noun. Also, Jason
demonstrates strengths in high
frequency words in this sentence as
evidenced by “the” “went” and “in.”
Short Vowel 5/5 Jason produced all short vowel Jason does not appear to have needs
Sounds sounds. in this area.
Vowel +e 7/10 Jason shows a foundational Jason struggled with words such as
understanding of how the addition of "mad" and "wine," which suggests
an 'e' alters word pronunciation and targeted assistance with the
meaning and self-correction upon understanding of the role of “e” at
encountering errors, such as initially the end of certain words that serve
reading "rid" as "ride," indicates an as a split digraph. In addition, his
awareness of phonetic patterns. misreading of "note" as "notty"
 points to potential gaps in phonemic
awareness.
Inflections 5/8 Jason correctly identified the Jason encountered challenges in
inflectional endings "-ed" in words consistently applying inflectional
such as "asked," "called," and endings, as evidenced by errors like
inflection "-ing" in the word "fishing. "spotty-spot" for "spotted," "t-āsh"
for "tasted," and "sm-ăller" for
"smaller," where he also exhibited a
phonetic misconception with
"smeller." And, although he did self-
correct, his initial pronunciation of
"duh-rĭver" instead of "driver"
suggests that he may struggle with
blending sounds together which
could indicate difficulties with
phonemic awareness and phonics
skills.
Variations N/A This section was not administered. This section was not administered.
Vowel 10/16 Jason has accurate pronunciation of Jason needs help in decoding and
Clusters several vowel cluster words such as recognizing vowel clusters in words,
"plain," in "plain," demonstrating his as evidenced by his errors in
ability to recognize the 'ai' pronouncing words like "head,"
combination. Also, in words like "boil," "clown," "few," and "draw."
"boat" and "wood," he effectively For instance, in "clown," he
distinguishes between the 'oa' and misinterprets the 'ow' cluster,
'oo' vowel clusters. indicating a need for further
instruction on diphthongs. Moreover,
in "few," he shows a possible
misconception about the 'ew' cluster.
Similarly, in "draw," he misinterprets
the 'aw' cluster.
Multisyllabic 6/10 Jason's has strength Some simpler Jason struggles with decoding longer
Words multisyllabic words, as evidenced by multisyllabic words, as seen in his
his correct pronunciation of attempts with "nobody,"
"steamboat," "inside," "baseball," and "unfinished," "adventure," and
"yesterday." "examination." This indicates a need
for further instruction and practice in
breaking down multisyllabic words
into manageable units and applying
phonics rules to decode them.

PART IV: STRENGTHS (10 points)

Choose 3 of the foundational reading skills listed below that Jason demonstrates as strengths, providing
specific examples from his running records and phonics survey data.
 phonemic awareness
 phonics (be specific: letter recognition; consonant blends; contractions; inflectional endings; etc.)
 recognition of high-frequency words (be specific: regular, irregular)
  syllabication (be specific: common syllable types; syllable division; structural analysis)
 automaticity
 fluency (be specific: accuracy; rate; prosody)
 self-correcting

Strength 1 Automaticity
Evidence Jason demonstrates automaticity as a foundational reading skill, with the ability to
recognize and process words quickly and effortlessly. His proficiency in automaticity
enables him to read with fluidity, identifying and decoding familiar words such as
“the, can, we, he, in” in his running records forms as well as the Portland Quick
Phonics Survey without the need for conscious effort or prolonged analysis. Jason's
automatic word recognition allows him to maintain a steady reading pace.

Strength 2 Fluency
Evidence Jason's foundational reading skill of fluency is evident in various aspects of his
reading. Except for the level 14 accuracy level of 89%, the first three reading records
demonstrate a high level of accuracy (92%, 98% and 93% respectively). His reading
rate is solid, maintaining a pace suitable for his age and grade level, neither too fast
nor too slow. Finally it is clear he shows enjoyment of reading these texts. A good
example is when he joyfully considers the goat and makes a spontaneous prediction
just before reading line 4 in “Everybody In.”

Strength 3 Recognition of high-frequency words

Evidence Jason demonstrates foundational reading strength in recognizing high-frequency
words, showcasing a typical first-grade skillset. He confidently identifies common
sight words such as "the," "and," and "is," exhibiting fluency in decoding regular
high-frequency words. Additionally, Jason's proficiency extends to irregular high-
frequency words like "said" and "were," indicating his ability to memorize and recall
these frequently encountered words with ease. This fluency in recognizing both
regular and irregular high-frequency words serves as a strong foundation for his
reading comprehension and overall literacy development.

PART V. NEEDS (15 points)

Choose 3 of the foundational reading skills listed below that are the highest priority needs for Jason and
select one multisensory strategy to address each need. Consider automaticity as well as accuracy.
 phonemic awareness
 phonics (be specific)
 recognition of high-frequency words
 syllabication (be specific)
 automaticity
 fluency (be specific)
 self-correcting

Explain each strategy in your own words concisely but with sufficient detail so that a Ms. Wang clearly
understands your recommendations. Try to incorporate the following key words: Automaticity, explicit
instruction, modeling, syllable types, decoding, blending, connected text. (one paragraph each)
Need 1 Phonics: Jason exhibits challenges in phonics. Specifically, Jason may misread
words with similar-looking letters, struggle with blending consonant blends
smoothly, misinterpret contractions, and have trouble recognizing and applying
inflectional endings.
Citation https://luckylittlelearners.com/multisensory-phonics-activities/
Multisensory Phonics Game with Visual and Kinesthetic Elements
Strategy
Description of Using Lucky Little Learners' multisensory phonics activities, we'll devise a strategy
Strategy tailored to Jason's phonics needs. We'll integrate the "Phonics Hopscotch" game
from their site. This game fosters automaticity in phonemic recognition as Jason
hops along a grid, vocalizing the sounds or words represented by each square. To
reinforce associations between phonics concepts and visuals, we'll use colorful
illustrations or written prompts during the game. For example, pictures
corresponding to the letters or phonemes in the grid will enhance Jason's
understanding. Kinesthetic elements will be integrated, prompting Jason to perform
actions like clapping syllables or blending sounds as he navigates the grid.

Need 2 Phonemic awareness: Jason has a foundational reading need in phonemic

awareness, as his reading errors often involve challenges in segmenting and blending
phonemes, some phonemic manipulation skills, and some challenges in phonological
memory.
Citation EDC 272 Module 2 PPT, Slide 40
Multisensory "Elkonin” or “Sound Boxes" technique.
Strategy
Description of The Elkonin or Sound Boxes strategy is used to help Jason's phonemic awareness
Strategy through a blend of visual and kinesthetic techniques. By employing sound boxes,
manipulatives, and word cards featuring simple CVC words, we guide Jason in
segmenting and blending phonemes. Through this approach, Jason gains a tactile
understanding of phonemic relationships as he represents sounds with tokens in the
sound boxes and blends them back together. This multisensory method promotes
active participation and allows for differentiation by adjusting word complexity. With
explicit instruction and modeling, we address syllable types, decoding strategies, and
blending techniques, fostering automaticity in phonemic processing. ("Phonological
and Phonemic Awareness," n.d.)

Need 3 Syllabication: Jason faces challenges in syllabication, struggling to discern syllable

boundaries in multisyllabic words, potentially causing mispronunciations or reading
hesitations. He may misinterpret vowel sounds within syllables, leading to errors like
pronouncing "rabbit" as "ra-bit" instead of "rab-bit," indicating a need for decoding
instruction. Additionally, he might have difficulty with consonant blends or digraphs
across syllables, such as saying "bask-et" instead of "bas-ket," requiring explicit
instruction in blending consonants. Identifying common syllable types like closed or
open syllables poses another hurdle, affecting decoding accuracy, while
misunderstanding syllable stress patterns impacts his fluency and comprehension.
Targeted instruction in syllable types and stress patterns can address these
challenges, supporting Jason's overall reading development.
 Citation https://www.readingrockets.org/classroom/classroom-strategies/blending-and-
segmenting-games
Multisensory Multisensory Strategy: Syllable Division with Kinesthetic Reinforcement
Strategy
Description of This strategy integrates multisensory techniques from Reading Rockets to enhance
Strategy Jason's understanding of syllable division. Utilizing visual aids like syllable cards or
word tiles with markings, we'll first demonstrate word segmentation, emphasizing
division rules. Then, Jason will physically engage in segmenting words, clapping or
tapping out syllables while vocalizing each. This hands-on approach encourages
Jason to embody the syllables, enhancing his decoding and pronunciation skills. By
blending visual and kinesthetic elements, this strategy fosters Jason's mastery of
syllable division, empowering him to decode and pronounce multisyllabic words
accurately. ("Blending and Segmenting Games," n.d.)

PART VI: DISCUSSION (10 points)

Please respond to the following prompts in a short answer format.

6/ Explain to Ms. Wang why you think Jason would (or would not) benefit from being retained in first
grade. Be sure to review his pretest data from Module 1. (1 paragraph, with citations from assigned
readings)

Jason would not benefit from being retained in the first grade, even with insights from the running
records forms and the Portland Quick Phonics Survey. While his reading struggles are apparent,
repeating the grade might not address the root causes effectively. His proficiency in other subject
areas and good social skills indicate that he's capable of academic progress. Furthermore, the absence
of a reading specialist in the school poses a challenge in providing tailored support beyond what Ms.
Wang can offer. Instead of holding him back, it might be more beneficial to explore alternative
interventions, such as summer reading tutoring, which could target his specific needs more directly.
Additionally, considering his father's reading difficulties and lack of reading for pleasure, there may be
underlying familial factors that need to be addressed through comprehensive support systems rather
than simply repeating a grade. (Greatschools, 2023)

7/ Explain to Jason’s parents why you think Jason would (or would not) benefit from summer reading
tutoring. (1 paragraph, with specific evidence from Jason’s data set)

Jason's data, derived from his performance on running records forms and the Portland Quick Phonics
Survey, underscores his struggles in reading, particularly in phonics, phonemic awareness, and
syllabication. Despite lacking a diagnosed disability, targeted intervention is important to help his
literacy development. Summer reading tutoring offers structured lessons aimed at strengthening his
phonics skills, enhancing phonemic awareness through activities like segmentation and blending, and
imparting strategies for syllable division. Specifically, we can tackle his needs highlighted in the
Portland Quick Phonics survey, such as inflections (5/8), vowel clusters (10/16), and multisyllabic
words (6/10). By addressing these pivotal areas, Jason can bridge any literacy gaps, enhance reading
confidence, and establish a robust foundation for future academic triumphs.
PART VII: REFERENCES
List your references in alphabetical order by author last name. Do not worry about precise APA
formatting or hanging indent. At least five references must be materials that were assigned in this
course (required or optional).

EDC 272 Module 2 PPT, Slide 40

GeatSchools. (2023). Repeating a Grade. Retrieved from

https://www.greatschools.org/gk/articles/repeating-a-grade-2/

Pima Community College. (2016). How To Analyze Running Records (And Get a Ton of Valuable
Information About Your Beginning Readers!). Retrieved from
https://d2l.pima.edu/d2l/le/content/665283/viewContent/8167853/View

Reading Rockets. (n.d.). Blending and Segmenting Games. Retrieved from

https://www.readingrockets.org/classroom/classroom-strategies/blending-and-segmenting-games

Reading Rockets. (n.d.). Phonological and Phonemic Awareness. Retrieved from

https://www.readingrockets.org/reading-101/reading-101-learning-modules/course-modules/
phonological-and-phonemic-awareness