Question: What’s the reason for having different versions, like A, B, and C, for each test?
Answer: Multiple test versions, like A, B, and C, prevent repeat test-takers from having an unfair advantage by memorizing the test. Although the content remains consistent, the actual test varies.
Question: Under what circumstances might a student be required to retake a test?
Answer: If a student is identified for issues related to accuracy or fluency, following data-driven instruction and targeted interventions by the teacher to address any gaps, the student should retake the test. This ensures a thorough mastery of the content.
Question: When printing tests, do I need to worry about choosing the “right” version (A, B, C, etc.)?
Answer: It’s generally best practice to avoid using the same version for both the initial test and any potential reassessments. (e.g., if you used A initially, use B or C for the reassessment).
Question: If a student repeats the same mistake three times, should I view it as three separate errors or just one?
Answer: Each instance of the mistake, regardless of repetition, is considered as an individual error. Therefore, if a student makes the same mistake three times, it is recorded as three separate errors. When a student commits an error repeatedly, it suggests a lack of mastery in that particular skill rather than mere carelessness. In such cases, intervention becomes necessary to address the underlying issue and facilitate learning and subsequently mastery.
Question: Do self-corrections count as mistakes?
Answer: Self-corrections are not counted as mistakes, but they are documented in the notes since the student’s need to self-correct indicates that the material hasn’t been mastered. Furthermore, a student who frequently self-corrects is less likely to reach the fluency benchmark, as the time spent correcting impacts their overall reading speed.
Question: The teacher’s guide has a set assessment schedule, but I’m concerned we’re not checking student progress on foundational material of Letters and Letters & Nekudos often enough. For instance, the blending assessment isn’t given until the unit ends. Would it be beneficial to use monthly assessments like Letters and/or Letters & Nekudos to track their improvement? This could provide valuable insights into their basic skills mastery, especially if individual work time is limited.
Answer: While formal assessments are valuable, they are time-consuming. The goal is to use them strategically. If the teacher implementing the program as instructed, they’ll be conducting daily informal assessments during daily reading lessons.
The teacher’s guide assessment schedule assumes a typical learning pace. However, students struggling with accuracy or fluency should be assessed more frequently to ensure they master the material before moving on.
Additionally, if the whole class shows weakness in a particular skill, the teacher should implement class-wide interventions and reassess for mastery. By following this data-driven approach, you’ll be indirectly assessing individual students more often even if the formal class assessments are less frequent.
Question: Can the Cholam be placed closer to the ב instead of directly over שׁ? Some students struggle to find the Cholam because the nekudah seems far from the letter ב.
Answer: The current placement is intentional. By training students to expect a nekudah with every letter (except א ו י), they’ll learn to search and locate the nekudah even when it appears like it’s missing.