The Assessment Forms CD-ROM enables teachers to print out the assessment forms and summary sheets contained in the Benchmark Assessment Forms Book. Teachers can select forms by book level, title, and genre, and print them in enlarged type, if they prefer, for easier reading.
All forms for the system are available in a book of blackline masters in addition to the CD-ROM.
Recording Forms
Because what we choose to record is an indication of what we value, each book is accompanied by an easy-to-use Recording Form that captures the factors research shows most contribute to reading success for students: accuracy, fluency, and comprehension. Teachers use the form to record:
- Accuracy Rate
- Self-Correction Ratio
- Fluency Score
- Oral Reading Rate
- Comprehension Score
Following the reading of each book, students are invited to engage in a Comprehension Conversation about the text. Each recording form is provided with key understandings and prompts for all three kinds of thinking that students engage in as they process text. The Comprehension Conversation that completes the assessment protocol provides prompts to elicit key understandings for all three kinds of thinking:
- Thinking Within the Text
getting the literal meaning by processing words and stated ideas
- Thinking Beyond the Text
getting the implied meaning and synthesizing information
- Thinking About the Text
responding to the author's craft, level J and above
For further information on a student's comprehension of the text, an optional writing/drawing prompt appears with each Recording Form. Additional summary pages will assist teachers in documenting the progress of individual students and the entire class.
Optional Assessments
Fountas and Pinnell realize that individual school systems may choose to assess specific aspects of children's reading in more detail so they've provided additional tools. All the optional assessments can be found in both the Assessment Forms Book and the Assessment Forms CD-ROM.