Over the last few months I have been trying out the Fountas and Pinnell
Benchmark Kits 1 and 2 (on first-fourth graders). I really like it and
feel it is very different from the DRA. I agree with Sandi that it feel
less of a test of memory--kids aren't penalized for either using the book
or getting prompts from the teacher. But, then again, I do like the
summary assessment on the DRA because it helps to see how kids process
longer text to choose the most important events--a key skill/strategy they
need to employ as they read more involved chapter books.
The scoring is more holistic, so you use your judgement if, for example,
the kids are using the book to re-read rather than strategically scanning.
Assessing a student on one level is less time consuming than doing the
same on the DRA, but to do the official assessment you need to identify 3
levels (easy, instructional, hard) (I don't like that language, but that's
another issue).
I also like the framework of grouping questions by: within the text,
beyond the text, and about the text. It helps you see where kids "fall
down" and therefore where you should focus your instruction.
I think as I get more used to the texts and the assessment, I will be able
to shape the comprehension assessment piece so it feels more like a
"Comprehension Conversation" as F and P.
The kids seem to like the books--they feel more like real stories/books
than the DRA. I like that there's fiction and non-fiction at each level.
FYI, you can buy the Continuum of Literacy Learning (a very comprehensive
teaching resource) separately from the assessment kit. I think it's
really helpful and easy to use--especially for new teachers. It has a
bulleted list of "goals" for each section of the literacy block
(interactive read aloud, shared reading, guided reading, word study,
writing, writing about reading, etc.)
Megan Reilly Padilla
Reading Specialist K-4
Natick, MA
Message: 2
Date: Sun, 2 Mar 2008 11:22:10 -0800 (PST)
From: Sandra Stringham <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Subject: [MOSAIC] F&P benchmark
To: mosaic@literacyworkshop.org
Message-ID: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii
Debbie wrote:
I'm wondering if anyone has used the Fountas & Pinnell Benchmark
Assessment and how it compares to the DRA2. I'm considering getting it as
a supplement for my Title I program. We give DRA's 2 times a year, but
teachers are required to give a formal running record (Rigby Benchmark or
Reading A-Z Benchmark) second and third quarter. It seems like they are
always asking me for something more - the kids who don't move up
(especially in 2nd and 3rd), have seen the stories and they are looking
for something the kids haven't read before. I think part of the problem is
in the testing - and hopefully I'll be providing some inservice this
spring to help eliminate that, but I would like to hear how this
assessment aligns with the others.
My district established a PreK-2 assestment task force who's goal was to
find the best available instrument, that gave us the most information in
the least amount of time, that had national norms, that aligned prek with
k...K with 1...1 with 2...2 with 3, so that the information I gathered
year end was reliable and the next years teacher could take that
information and go...not retest.
This was a 4 month committee that stretched into over a year. We looked
at every assessment that you could imagine, including DRA2.
The result: we use MAP for 2nd with F&P
lowest 20% can also be tested using Map for Primary
1st: MAP for primary with F&P
And I won't go into the rest because my point is the F&P assessment is a
much better instrument for testing that the DRA2.
We piloted F&P and DRA2 in all levels of schools. We do have to use the
EDL2 for our Spanish speaking population because F&P does not have
Spanish. But we were looking for the BEST possible instrument and it made
no sense to choose the DRA2 just because F&P did not come in Spanish when
overwhelming teachers prefer-ed F&P.
The kit comes with a continuum of literacy learning that is outstanding.
Professional development is way above DRA2. I've changed my teaching to
make sure that I am teaching within the text, about the text, and beyond
the text. All 3 of these areas are assessed. There are 2 kits: A-N an
L-Z (double check the cutoffs..they do overlap for obvious reasons).
I've given the DRA for years and did not like it AT ALL. I felt I was
testing their memory..not their comprehension. The F&P assesses for deep
comprehension....shows you how to teach for deep comprehension and it's
QUICK..taking me away from teaching for limited amounts of time to test.
We assess beginning, middle, and end of year using F&P. Plus, this is
designed for ongoing assessment and I can assess more than that as needed.
I would run, not walk to purchase it, and I would dump DRA.
Sandi
Elgin IL
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