What is the Fountas and Pinnell Benchmark Reading Assessment?
I have had some questions about the reading assessments I am completing in the classroom with my students, so I thought it would be helpful if I shared a bit about them with everyone. The F&P assessment is a framework for evaluating a child's reading level. The assessment allows me an opportunity to look at a child's independent reading in a distraction free setting. The main focus of the assessment is comprehension and fluency. To evaluate further, I look at sight word recognition, word attack and decoding ability, self corrections and miscues fixes, and reading rate. All of these components help me determine a child's reading level based on the F&P scale of A-Z. From the F&P level I then determine the approximate grade reading level. For example, a student in first grade may score a level D on the F&P scale which equates to beginning of grade one in terms of grade level.
I have had some questions about the reading assessments I am completing in the classroom with my students, so I thought it would be helpful if I shared a bit about them with everyone. The F&P assessment is a framework for evaluating a child's reading level. The assessment allows me an opportunity to look at a child's independent reading in a distraction free setting. The main focus of the assessment is comprehension and fluency. To evaluate further, I look at sight word recognition, word attack and decoding ability, self corrections and miscues fixes, and reading rate. All of these components help me determine a child's reading level based on the F&P scale of A-Z. From the F&P level I then determine the approximate grade reading level. For example, a student in first grade may score a level D on the F&P scale which equates to beginning of grade one in terms of grade level.
I know the reading level. Now what?
Guided
Reading groups are created based on your child's reading level. The
groups meet several times a week. During this time, students read
materials tailored to their instructional reading level with teacher
support. Students read independently, chorally, and aloud in their
small groups. At the beginning, much of the student work is oral. As
the year progresses, students do independent and group work to explore
different elements of literature. Much of this work becomes written
response by the end of first grade.
The Guided
Reading groups are constantly evolving. Each child's progress is
different, so groups often break apart as students make progress. While
informal observation helps guide these decisions, I will evaluate using
the F&P system twice more in January and May. I am always happy to
go over results of the assessments.
You can help support your child's reading at home.
Once
you know a bit more about your child's independent reading level, a
great way to support growth at home is to provide books and
opportunities for your child to read material at their level. There are
many online leveling tools for you to quickly level books you may have
at home. (http://www.scholastic.com/
