ASSESSMENT ASSIGNMENT 1

Assessment Assignment

Laurie Shapiro

Longwood University

September 18. 2017

ASSESSMENT ASSIGNMENT 2

Assessment Assignment

Class Overview

My third-grade class contains 18 students. There are nine girls and nine boys in the class.

The students in the class range across four spelling stages, and nine gradations. There are two

students that are in the late letter name stage. I have one student in early within word, one student

is in the middle within word, and one student in late within word. There are five students in early

syllables and affixes, one in middle syllables and affixes, and three students in late middle

syllables and affixes. Finally, I have three students in early derivational relations, and one

student in middle derivational relations. Students have been placed into word study groups based

upon their spelling stages and knowledge of spelling features.

Group One

Members

The first instructional group includes four students: Caleb, Trevor B., Sam, and Stephen

(see Appendix A). Caleb and Trevor B. are both late letter name spelling students. Sam’s

spelling falls in the category of early within word, and Stephen is in early syllables and affixes.

Based on their spelling stages, I would anticipate that Caleb, and Trevor B. would be in the late

beginning reading and writing stages. Sam would be in an early transitional reading and writing

stage, while Stephen would fall into the early intermediate reading and writing stages (Words

Their Way, pg. 45).

ASSESSMENT ASSIGNMENT 3

Using but Confusing

The students in this group appear to have mastered consonants and short vowels. Stephen

demonstrates mastery of digraph features. However, Sam, Caleb, and Trevor use but confuse

some patterns within this feature, or do not include them in their assessment at all. The following

confusions are discussed as they are the most relevant in identifying spelling stages and sorts.

Sam uses ch digraphs when they are located in the middle of the word. He uses t in place of ch

digraphs in the beginning of the word. Trevor missed the ch digraphs altogether, replacing the ch

at the beginning of “chewed” with a g, and neglecting to write a substitute for the digraph in the

word “marched”. Caleb identified both ch digraphs correctly on the assessment, but missed the

sh digraphs, and wrote an s instead. Blends are used but confused by Caleb and Sam only. Long

vowels are confused by Caleb, Sam, and Steven. Caleb confuses ai patterns with a-e patterns,

and confuses oa patterns with ow. Sam and Steven both confuse oa patterns with o-e patterns.

Sam replaces the ai pattern with a short a. Steven uses the ai pattern, but confuses it with a-e.

Long vowels are completely absent in Trevor B.’s spelling assessment.

Group Justification

These students were grouped together based on the features that they are using, but

confusing. Trevor B. scored a 0/5, and Caleb, Sam, and Steven all scored a 2/5 for long vowel

features (see Appendix B). Since they all need instruction in long vowels, that is where the first

sort will start. I will be working with Caleb and Trevor B. during resource time to give them

additional one on one work with digraphs. This will help bring them up to speed with the rest of

their group.
ASSESSMENT ASSIGNMENT 4

Stephen is an outlier in this group because he falls under early syllables and affixes.

However, he was placed with this group because he scored a 2/5 on his long vowels for his

assessment (see Appendix B). His instructional needs will be met within this group, as he will be

working on a feature that he is using but confusing. The first sorts to be used will pertain to the

particular features that he missed. This include oa, a-e, and igh long vowels. These groupings are

fluid. Once Stephen has demonstrated mastery of this feature, he may move into a different

group.

Initial Sort

The following will be an initial word sort (Words Their Way, 2016, pg.356):

32. Long -o Patterns:

Rope Road Blow *

Woke Boat Grow Now

Close Soap Know Cow

stone Moan Slow

Bone Loaf Throw

Phone Coach Snow

Broke Load Low

Hole Toast Blow

Vote Soak Flow

ASSESSMENT ASSIGNMENT 5

This sort was chosen because every student in this group missed the oa long o feature on

their assessment. Stephen and Sam confused this features with the o-e pattern, Caleb confused it

with the ow pattern, and Trevor B. confused it with a u. Therefore, it will be beneficial to learn

and compare each of these patterns within one sort. It will be a great starting point to review each

of these long o features.

Instructional Pacing

This assessment is a beginning of the year spelling sample. By the end of the third grade,

students are expected to be in early syllables and affixes. Based on this understanding,

instruction should be fast paced. This is necessary for these students to meet the end of year third

grade expectation. To meet this goal, I anticipate that this group will require intervention

support. This is especially true for students Caleb and Trevor B, who are operating far below

beginning year grade level expectations.

Considerations

Additional consideration can be made for this group, as some of the students exhibit

features far below grade level. For English Language Learners, picture aids may be helpful in

allowing them to focus on the sounds that the spelling features make. The way that letters are

produced and letter sounds of the English Learner’s native language should also be considered

when creating meaningful instruction. This is important in understanding their confusions, and

helping these students master the sounds that vowels and consonants make in English.

Other struggling readers may need individualized instruction. If they are behind grade

level benchmarks in spelling, then they are likely behind grade level benchmarks in reading and
ASSESSMENT ASSIGNMENT 6

writing as well. Therefore, it may be beneficial to seek additional aid from resource teachers in

the building for personalized support.

Group Two

Members

The second instructional group includes seven students: Bridget, Anna, Molly, Brian,

Lexi, Kaylee, and Lindsay (see Appendix A). Bridget is a middle within word speller, while

Anna is a late within word speller. Molly, Brian, Lexi, and Kaylee are all early syllables and

affixes spellers. Lindsay is a late syllables and affixes speller. Orthographic knowledge develops

in synchrony with reading and writing comprehension, knowledge and application. Based on

their spelling assessments, I anticipate that Bridget is in a middle transitional reading and writing

stage, while Anna is in a late transitional reading and writing stage. Molly, Brian, Lexi and

Kaylee are all in the early intermediate reading and writing stages. Lastly, Lindsay would be in

the intermediate stages (Words Their Way, 2016, pg. 45).

Using but Confusing

The students have all mastered consonants. Most have demonstrated full mastery of short

vowels. However, Kaylee, Anna, and Bridget all missed one of the short vowels in their

assessment. Kaylee is using but confusing short o and short u. Anna missed short o, and Bridget

is using but confusing short i. All of the students demonstrated mastery of digraphs. Lindsay,

Lexi, and Kaylee demonstrated mastery of blends. However, Anna, Bridget, Brian, and Molly

exhibited some confusion, as each missed one point for this feature. Brian and Molly missed br,

Anna missed fl, and Bridget missed the mp blend. Although the word sort will not focus on this

feature, words that include these blends will be embedded in the sorts. The students will receive
ASSESSMENT ASSIGNMENT 7

explicit instruction regarding these blends as they are introduced to them in the sorts. Some of

the students are using but confusing long vowels as well. However, this will not be a focus of

instruction, as these it is does not particularly require extensive attention. Long vowels that were

confused by some of the students include ai and oa. These features will also be embedded into

the sorts, and will be discussed as they are introduced to words that follow these patterns.

Group Justification

These students were grouped together based on the features that they were using but

confusing. While the members of the group are in a few different stages of word study, they all

have common instructional needs. For example, Anna, Bridget, and Kaylee require explicit

instruction of features found in other vowel patterns. Bridget scored a 3/7, Anna scored a 4/7,

and Kaylee scored a 5/7 on their assessment for other vowels. Lindsay, Molly, Brian, and Lexi

don’t require as much work in this section as the others, since they scored 6/7 in this section. (see

Appendix B). However, it would be beneficial for them to review this pattern, as none of them

have demonstrated full mastery. Therefore, this is a great instructional starting place for each of

the students in the group. Additionally, all but one student missed more than one word in the

inflected endings pattern. Four out of the seven students missed more than on word that followed

the syllable juncture pattern. This data demonstrates that the students require similar instructional

needs.
ASSESSMENT ASSIGNMENT 8

Initial Sort

The following will be the initial word sort:

50. Diphtongs (Words Their Way, 2016, pg. 357)

Toy Coin Town Sound

Boy Foil Clown Mouth

Joy Boil Brown Scout

Spoil Gown Round

Noise Frown Couch

Point Howl Loud

This sort was chosen because it focuses on patterns that were confused by the students in

the group. It contains words that follow the oi spelling pattern, which was missed by 4/7 of the

students. This is a feature missed by the most number of students. Therefore, it will be a great

place to start. The sort also includes words that follow the ow spelling pattern. Although every

student in the group correctly used this pattern, it is great to include for review and to build

confidence. Having something that students recognize in the sort can be empowering, and can

motivate them to conquer the rest of the patterns. Additionally, this sort contains the oy and ou

spelling patterns. These are patterns that were used but confused by some of the students. Having

them in the initial sort will help clear up any confusions about when and where to use these

patterns.
ASSESSMENT ASSIGNMENT 9

Instructional Pace

Since this is a beginning of the year assessment sample, it gives insight into the pace at

which instruction should follow. By the end of the third grade, students are projected and

expected to be in early syllables and affixes. Two students are still within word, but are close to

being in syllables and affixes. One student has surpassed early syllables and affixes, and the rest

are currently in this stage. Based on this understanding, instruction should be averaged paced.

The only reason instruction should move at a faster pace is if the students demonstrate the ability

and readiness for learning. I do not believe additional intervention support will be needed for the

students in this group. They should be able to meet and exceed the grade level benchmark

through the word study instruction provided.

Group Three
Members
The third instructional group includes seven students: Ben, Dana, Natalie, Callie, Edwin,

Trevor H., and Miguel (see Appendix A). Ben, Dana, and Natalie are all late syllables and

affixes spelling students. Callie, Edwin, and Trevor H. are early derivational relations. Lastly,

Miguel is a middle derivational relations speller. Based on their spelling stages, I anticipate that

Ben, Dana, and Natalie are all in the intermediate reading and writing stages. Callie, Edwin,

Trevor H., and Miguel would be in the early advanced or advanced reading and writing stages

(Words Their Way, 2016, pg. 45).

ASSESSMENT ASSIGNMENT 10

Using but Confusing

The students have demonstrated mastery of features found in the emergent letter name,

within word, and early and middle syllables and affixes patterns. This includes consonants, short

vowels, digraphs, blends, long vowels, inflected endings, and syllable juncture. Miguel and

Trevor demonstrated full mastery of unaccented final syllables, however the rest of the students

in this group spelled one or more words from this feature wrong. For example, Ben, Callie,

Edwin, Dana, and Natalie all used er, but confused it with ar. Additionally, Dana and Natalie

confused er with or. The members of this group also demonstrated using but confusing for

patterns found in harder suffixes and bases or roots features. For example, Trevor H. used -ate

suffix, but confused it with the -ent. Lastly, features that were absent from many students’

assessments were also found in harder suffixes and based and roots.

Group Justification
These students were grouped based on their spelling stage and instructional needs, as

determined by the spelling inventory. The students in this group had power scores between 17

and 23 (see Appendix D). Their feature points ranged from 69-82, with a median of 75.5. This

data shows that students have some similar scores in the quantity of their feature knowledge.

They also displayed similar scores with regards to the types of spelling features they know, use

but confuse, and do not know. For example, four out of the seven students missed more than one

word containing harder suffixes features. Six out of the seven students missed more than one

word in the bases and roots features (see Appendix B).

Miguel is somewhat of an outlier in this group, as he is a middle derivational speller, and

he had a power score of 23. Although he is in a much higher spelling stage than some of the

students in his group, he will still benefit from the sorts. He missed some of the features found in
ASSESSMENT ASSIGNMENT 11

harder suffixes and bases or roots, which will become instructional focuses as the group

progresses. It will be valuable for him to study these patterns, and to review the patterns that he

knows so that he can have a strong orthographic foundation to build upon.

Initial Sort
80. Unaccented Syllable er,ar,or (WTW pg. 359)

Bigger Burglar Doctor

Freezer Grammar Favor
Dreamer Collar Author
Faster Dollar Editor
Blister Lunar Tractor
Jogger Solar Motor
Speaker Mayor
Skater
Smaller
This sort was chosen as it contains word patterns that follow unaccented final syllable

features. This feature was chosen to be the content of the first sort, as it is the earliest feature in

which students need instruction. Two students missed two words, and another three students

missed one word that fall under this category. Therefore, this is a perfect place to begin instruction.

These particular features found in this sort were chosen based upon the patterns that

students are using but confusing. Five out of the seven students in this group confused the

unaccented syllable er with ar. Additionally, two of the students confused the unaccented syllable

er for or. Therefore, this sort will help students to identify the differences between these patterns

and clarify any confusions.

ASSESSMENT ASSIGNMENT 12

Instructional Pace
Since this is a beginning of the year assessment sample, it gives insight into the pace at

which instruction should follow. By the end of the third grade, students are projected and

expected to be in early syllables and affixes. Every student in this instructional group has

surpassed the early syllables and affixes stage. Based on this understanding, instruction can be

slow paced. However, if the students demonstrate the ability and readiness for learning quickly,

then it may be more suitable to move at a faster pace. They have already met the end of year

grade level benchmark; therefore, intervention will not be necessary for anyone in this group.

Consideration for Advanced Learners

Considerations should be made for advanced learners. Since these students are above

grade level in spelling, they are likely above grade level in reading and writing. These

considerations should drive instructional decisions. Activities that accompany spelling

instruction, such as writing and reading the words in context, should be in the zone of proximal

development. Additionally, progress monitoring should become a regular occurrence in attending

to their instructional needs. It is important to continuously identify what they understand, and

what they need clarification on to provide appropriate instruction.

ASSESSMENT ASSIGNMENT 13

References

Bear, D., Invernizzi, M., Templeton, S., & Johnston, F. (2015). Words their way: Word study for
phonics, spelling and vocabulary instruction (6th Ed.), Boston, MA: Prentice
Hall/Pearson.