Created by Jen MunnerlynApril 22, 2009

American Community School of Abu DhabiK-3 DRA2 Guidelines

Rationale for this common assessment tool:DRA2 is a school-wide systemic common assessment that is important not just for

classroom instructional purposes but also for school-wide data collection about student learning. That data helps the school determine the effectiveness of the reading program school-wide in a general way. Often there are trends reported that help grade levels or even a school to know better where to focus instruction. It is used for both summative and formative assessment. (From Carrie Ekey, Feb. 12, 2009)

Timeline for Administration: (See DRA Cycle for more detail)KG2 Grades 1-3

Fall September- Word Analysis September- DRAMid-Year January- DRA N/ASpring May-DRA May-DRA

1. The DRA test will be administered 2 times per year in September and May in grades 1-3 and in January and May in KG2.

2. KG will begin the year by giving all students the DRA Word Analysis test in September.

3. If a student is nearing the end of year benchmark prior to the final DRA date, follow the directions for “breaking the cycle” on the DRA Cycle page.

IMPORTANT!

Prior to testing- be sure to thoroughly read the DRA Administration Guidelines found in the DRA2 Teacher’s Guide beginning on page 44.

The information found in this document is in addition to the information found in the Teacher’s Guide. It is important that you are familiar with ALL of this information prior to testing students at ACS.

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Created by Jen MunnerlynApril 22, 2009

BEFORE THE TEST:Prepare for the assessment in advance of the day you begin DRAing students.

1. Plan for testing for each student based on your classroom observations and assessment as well as any formal assessments (PM/DRA records).

2. Read all the benchmark assessment books that you will be using prior to the test.3. Prepare an assessment timeline and suitable activities for the other students; then

select a place for the assessment conference. Find a quiet place where you can closely observe and quietly converse with

each student with no major distractions or interruptions. Students should not overhear other children reading/retelling a DRA

Benchmark book if they are to be tested on the same level.

Specific Management Notes:

Do not test more than one grade level above a student’s current grade level.

Students current Grade Level

KG 2 Grade 1 Grade 2 Grade 3

Do not go above this level when

using the DRA or PM Benchmark testing materials unless you have support from the administration

F 16 F 28 F 34 F 40

Levels 18-24: Gathering 2 students at a time who are reading at different levels can maximize time. Have one student read independently while you begin the test with the other; then when the first child moves to reading silently, begin the test with the other student. Evaluating each assessment should happen directly following each test.Levels 28 +: Test two, three, or four students at one a time by having all of the students complete the independent reading portion of the test (and then read quietly from another text) until it is their turn to do the actual assessment. Evaluating these assessments happens after all of the tests have been given.

Created by Jen MunnerlynApril 22, 2009

ADMINISTERING THE TESTBeginning the assessment conference:

1. Select a range of leveled texts. 2. Have the student select a text. If the selected text is obviously too difficult, politely

stop the reading and then select and introduce a lower level text. (Part of the assessment is aimed at identifying if a student is making appropriate book choices.)

3. Orally describe the DRA2 assessment or “the way the test will go.”4. On the writing portion of the test (Levels 28+) do not read the student directions to

the child. (Part of this assessment is to be able to read and comprehend directions.)5. For students at Level 28+, administer the Student Reading Survey to the entire class

in one sitting (about 10-20 minutes).

During the Assessment:Follow the guidelines on the Teacher Observation Guide for each level.

1. You should only read/say the information printed on the teacher observation guide. 2. As you listen to the student read orally, jot notes about fluency in the margins around

the text to help you later evaluate the student’s fluency and expression.3. Immediately After the oral reading, determine the WPM and Accuracy and fill in the

DRA2 Continuum: Oral Reading Fluency section: Expression and Fluency. 4. If the student reads the oral reading passage and the range for WPM and/or Accuracy

are within the Intervention level then immediately “stop and drop” the assessment and reassess at a lower level.

5. When the child makes predictions, close the book, so that the child is not predicting with text prompts.

6. If a student needs prompting, please follow the directions on the Teacher Observation Guide. Prompts other than those listed should not occur.

7. Once a student has seen a text from the DRA, that same text may not be administered again for at least 5 months.

Levels 28 +1. Students should read the entire benchmark assessment book before responding to the

questions and prompts in the student booklet. However, students may use the text as they respond to questions and prompts after reading the entire book. Do not provide specific information and/or examples related to the text.

2. Students are not timed on the independent reading and writing portions of the assessment. However, students should complete the assessment in a reasonable amount of time (usually not more than 30-40 minutes). If it takes the child longer than 30-40 minutes it could indicate that the child is not proficient at that reading level or not proficient at being able to summarize a story.

3. Students may have extra paper to complete the written portion of the assessment if necessary, but remind students they are writing a summary, not writing a complete retell.

4. During the independent writing portion of the assessment, students should be working in close proximity to the teacher so that she can occasionally monitor their work.

Created by Jen MunnerlynApril 22, 2009

Evaluating the Student Data As soon as you have completed the evaluation of a student’s assessment on the DRA2

Continuum; then immediately complete the Focus for Instruction Page to brainstorm 3-5 instructional strategies to be used with each student.

Discussion of Results: It is suggested that teams discuss one or more student assessments together. This collaboration will help to maintain and reinforce consistency in administration as well as in evaluating the results. Using the exemplars in the Teacher’s Guide (Levels A-24 p. 68-71/Levels 28-38 p. 72-73) for your level(s) will offer a base for this discussion.

Remember: If a student’s overall comprehension score is within the Intervention Level; then the student is reassessed with a lower-level text during the same DRA testing time.

If you are unsure about a student’s score on any point on the continuum, it is advised to select the lower of the two scores.

In determining the student’s independent reading level, the total scores for Oral Reading Fluency and Comprehension must both be within the independent range. (ORAL= 11+; COMP= 19+). If the student’s score is not independent in BOTH categories then administer an assessment at a lower level until you find the student’s independent level.

If a student scores in the upper-end of the independent level and/or within the advanced level for her total scores in both the oral reading and the comprehension, it is suggested that you administer the assessment again at the next or a higher level.

Created by Jen MunnerlynApril 22, 2009

After the Assessment: Impacting Instruction The Focus for Instruction Page is one of the most valuable parts of the DRA and

should not be overlooked. At the beginning of the year you will use the information initially to guide your instruction. At the end of the year the focus for instruction information will be valuable to pass up to each student’s next teacher. One of the strongest ways to help children be better readers is to begin engaging students in oral conversations about their reading that includes higher level thinking and focusing on instructional strategies that were chosen on the Focus for Instruction page

Begin to complete the Class Profile Page by skipping lines between student’s names. This will provide you with space for adding both the Fall and Spring DRA scores. Then record each student’s independent level. (There most likely will be a variety of levels represented for your class.) Use the information both within your own classroom and with your grade level team to analyze and determine patterns in a class’s strengths and needs. The information will also be used across the whole school to help us analyze our reading program and/or plan for professional development.

Please the DRA Student Assessment folder inside the Blue Folder. The DRA Folder will contain 2 DRAs (Spring/Fall) in the fiction/nonfiction side pockets on the inside of the folder and if appropriate, the most recent PM Benchmark assessment. Mark the outside of the folder to show the 2 DRA tests given. Do not mark PM Benchmark information on the folder. Place the DRAs in each side pocket in order from the most current on the top to the earliest one given on the bottom. It is also helpful to paper clip all the DRAs from on school year together so that they are easily sorted for future years’ teachers.

Parents are curious about their child’s progress in reading. However, you should NOT share the actual DRA2 assessment with parents. This would be similar to sharing a standardized test, which is not appropriate. You should instead share the kind of information you gather from the DRA2 with parents. The most helpful way to do this is to show a sample level text the child is reading with you in guided reading; then discuss the next steps for the child using the “Focus for instruction” strategies that you will be working on in class and which can be reinforced at home. It is not usually helpful to tell parents the DRA numeric level or the Fountas and Pinnell Guided Reading level but rather just talk in terms of the characteristics of the level of the book. DO NOT show any of the DRA Benchmark books.

The entire DRA assessment data including the “Focus for Instruction” page within the completed DRA folder will be passed to the next year’s teacher.