9.19.16

Last Friday, I got the opportunity to observe DIBELS and mCLASS testing.  Oh boy was this a cool experience!

I got to observe a 4th grade class taking the ORF (Oral Reading Fluency) portion of the DIBELS test.  In this portion, students read a passage aloud to the test administrator.  The administrator follows along, marking words the student mispronounces, omits, or self-corrects on.  If a student pauses on a word for 3 seconds, the administrator is allowed to tell the student the word and the student can move on.  The total time aloud for reading is 1 minute.  At the 1 minute mark, the student is instructed to stop reading and the passage is removed.  Fluency is scored by how many words the student was able to read correctly in 1 minute.  The student is then asked to retell the story using as many details as they can.  The administrator records how many words the student uses to retell the story and then scores the student a 1-4 on comprehension.  1 being the student could recall 2 or less details, 2 being they recalled 3 or more details, 3 being they recalled 3 or more facts in sequential order, and 4 being the student recalled 3 or more facts and explained the main idea.  This process is then repeated for two more passages.  To get a total score for the assessment, the median score for WPM (words per minute), median words missed, and median retell words are recorded. 

I also got to observe 2nd graders taking the ORF portion, but they did not read passages.  Instead they were given a minute to read as many 2nd grade sight words as they could.  The administrator listens and marks words that are mispronounced or skipped.  The score is the total number of words pronounced correctly in 1 minute.  The administrator shared with me that the benchmark score for the beginning of the year in 2nd grade is 44 words correct per minute.  I was really impressed, because no student that I observed her test scored below a 55. 

The coolest part of the DIBELS experience was the administrator let me give it a try!  I got to administer the test to two 4th graders and four 2nd graders.

After spending an hour and a half with the DIBELS test, I moved down the hall to observe the TRC portion of mCLASS being administered.  The DIBELS test was much more laid back, but the TRC test (as the Assistant Principal described it) is "hard core."  Here students are required to do an oral reading, answer 5 oral comprehension questions, and complete a written comprehension portion.  After all that is completed, if the student has proven themselves proficient on the level they began with they have to repeat the process all over again until they reach a level that they are not considered proficient in.  That level is considered "frustrational" and will be the level the student begins with the next time the mCLASS assessment is given.

I have heard the terms mCLASS and DIBELS used over and over again throughout my School of Ed experience, but seeing the assessment given first hand and even having the opportunity to administer the test gave me a much clearer picture of what the assessments are.

I was able to see how the data collected from these scores can be used to evaluate student progress and make instructional decisions (1a).  The scores from these assessments will dictate which WIN (What I Need) Group each student is placed in and their progress will be monitored.  The data collected can also help teachers assess what level their students are currently reading at or how well they comprehend and when tested again in middle or end of year can serve as a reference point for how much a student has progressed (4h).  The whole goal of mCLASS is to know where students are and to determine ways to make students readers, therefore trying to eliminate the achievement gap (4h).  These assessments are necessary tools for leading in the classroom and facilitating student learning.