Ch. 5 Howard Street

Study Guide for Chapter 5 (Howard Street Tutoring Manual—Morris)

Answer these questions and post the responses into your blog.

1. What grade is Curt in?    The 3^rd Grade

2. Look at the summary of scores in the table on page 170.  Notice that there are scores for the grade-level lists of words from the Word Recognition Test (Flash and Untimed) and scores for orally reading grade-level passages (accuracy of word reading, e.g. percentage of words read correctly and rate, expressed in number of words read per minute).

a1. What was the flash score for words at:

first-grade level?  75   second-grade level?  50   third-grade level? 20

b1. What was the accuracy score at:

1-2 level?  97                   2-1 level?   90             2-2 level? 84

c1. What was the rate score at:

1-2 level?  65                   2-1 level? 44               2-2 level? 36

d1. Look at the spelling scores in Table 5 on page 172: What was the percentage correct score for:

first-grade words   75 – 95       second-grade words 50 – 75

Consider the expected scores in the following tables, then compare those expectations to the scores Curt produced.

First-grade words: 60  Second-grade words: 0 – Curt had 60% of the first grade words and  none of the Second grade words correct.

a2. With the Word Recognition Test, flash scores are generally interpreted as follows:

90-100%   indicates          Independent Level

60-85%     indicates          Instruction Level

Below 50%   indicates     Frustration Level

a3. Which grade-level flash score is the best choice for Instruction Level?

Mid to late first grade, or 1-2.

b2. With oral reading accuracy, scores are generally interpreted as follows:

98-100%   indicates          Independent Level

95-97%     indicates          Instruction Level

Below 92%   indicates     Frustration Level

*Note: 92-94% accuracy is marginal; take a close look at Rate.

b3. Which grade-level accuracy score is the best choice for Instruction Level?

Late first grade or a 1-2 reading level.

c2. With oral reading rate, expected grade-level ranges are as follows:

 
Grade                           Words per minute
  1^st                                     45-85
  2^nd                                    80-120

  3^rd                                     95-135

c3. What do Curt’s rate scores indicate about his grade-level reading? 

Curt is below the second grade reading rate, and is in the first grade reading rate.

d2. With spelling scores, around 50% correct indicates Instruction Level.

d3. What do Curt’s spelling scores indicate about his Instruction Level.

It shows that he is in the phonetic/within word pattern stage.

Put all of these scores together, and what do they indicate Curt’s reading level to be?

 Curt is in a 1-2 reading level range. He is in the late first to early second grade reading range.

3. Look at the spelling errors that Curt makes. What stage of word knowledge is Curt in?

Curt is between the logical short vowels, and the long vowels marked stage.

Why do you pick this stage of development? What are the key characteristics?          

 Curt knows that there are patterns to making words. However, Curt confuses his short vowels with vowels that make sense to him.

4. Describe partner reading.

The student and the tutor preview the books first four to six pages. They discuss what they think it will be about. Then they read through the book together, taking turns with the tutor taking the first turn.

5. Which is harder for a student, partner reading or DRTA?

DRTA takes more concentration, and an understanding of the content. The student is required to read the material independently with the DRTA method. The student feels more at ease with partner reading. The book is not studied in as detailed a manner when partner reading takes place.

6. In planning a DRTA, what is important about selecting places to stop?

You elicit predictions and convert previous predictions to facts based on the content of the book. 

7. In planning a DRTA, what is important about deciding questions to ask? What kind of questions? How many?

In DRTA the important questions are questions that aid in the students understanding of what is happening in the story. In DRTA the tutor asks five to seven questions or as man questions as necessary to get the student understand the major concepts and storyline. Making predictions is also important in DRTA.