Portfolio Assessment A: Engagement with an early year’s literacy learner
1a. I sought permission to work with an early year’s learner who is currently being home-schooled. He is 7 years old and working currently at a Grade 1 level. As we were told not to use the child's real name throughout this assignment, I have chosen to call this student Ben.
1b. The appropriate texts chosen were;-
“Honest Bubbles”, written by the early childhood publications. This was the book that I selected for Ben (please see appendices for front cover of this book).
“My Dinner”, by Rosalind Cumming. This was the book that Ben chose to read.
2. I conducted the interview with Ben. The interview included the Reading and Writing interest surveys.
3. Ben was able to find me a text he knew and liked. He read it to me and we discussed what the book was about.
4. I introduced a new text for Ben (Honest Bubbles). We discussed what he thought the book might be about and then Ben read the story to me. We then discussed the events in the story and what the outcome of the story was.
5. Instead of asking Ben to talk, draw and write about the story I just asked him write some words that he already knows. Ben had mentioned to me that he didn’t know too many words and was quite nervous about writing anything knew. As you can see in the sample provided however, once he became comfortable with the idea, I was able to say some sentences for him which he attempted to write.
6. Using the writing assessment sheet provided in Hill’s ‘Developing Early Literacy’ (pp 290) I have analyzed Ben’s writing sample in relation to the evidence he provided. I felt it would be more appropriate to use only the assessment sheet on page 290, as Ben’s writing capacity is not particularly high. (Please see in appendices the sample of Ben's writing)
Written Language 4. Simple sentence – In looking at the sample given by Ben, he is able to write more than two word phrases but not yet using punctuation.
Ideas 3. Copies writing – This best represents where Ben’s ideas currently are. Even though he can write down the occasional idea he seems more inclined to either copy some text from a book or page. He may also just write down what someone else has said to him.
Text Conventions 3. Spaces between words and lines – This best represents the way in which Ben designs his writing on a page. He clearly spaces his words and leaves an appropriate gap between lines. Not yet to include punctuation or much correction of errors.
Below is a reflection on Ben’s literal, interpretive, and inferential comprehension questions in relation to the text. (Hill, p 193) The text used was called ‘Honest Bubbles’ which tells the story of a monkey named Bubbles who loses the money from his money box, then finds it and spends it on an icy pole. I first ask the question and then describe what his answer was. Literal – What was the name of the main character in the story? – Ben answered correctly in saying Bubbles. This was not actually a simple question, as the name Bubbles is an unusual name and also has a separate meaning. Ben did actually ask me before he began reading what the monkey’s name is, but he still figured it out as the story went along.
Interpretive – What did Bubbles lose in the story? Ben struggled to answer this at first. I needed to prompt him a little and he was then able to figure it out is was the money from his money box. As this was his first time reading the story, it was clear that his only focus was saying the words correctly. He asked many questions about what specific words meant or how are they meant to sound but refrained from asking about the story itself. I would assume if Ben were to read this story a few more times his interpretation of the story would improve immensely.
Inferential – What do you think about what Bubbles spent his money on? Ben thought spending his money on an icy pole was a pretty good idea actually. The moral of the story suggests that perhaps he might like to save his money (or at least look after it better) but Ben was happy with him spending it on an icy pole. Ben did still struggle to comprehend actually what occurred in the story, so I prompted him again by re-reading some pages and looking at some of the pictures.
The Reading Fluency Rubric, (Hill p170)
I have used the Reading Fluency Rubric to determine Ben's current reading capabilities.
Rate – Level 1 – Very little variation of rate.
Ben is still very much a beginner with his reading. He takes quite some time to move on from word to word. In stories that he already knows he recognizes words much more quickly, but in a new text it is one word at a time.
Phrasing– Level 1 – Reads word-by-word with frequent long pauses between words.
As with his rate, he was a little more proficient with his phrasing in the book that he has read many times before. But with a new text, there were some long pauses between words and generally no 2 or 3 word phrases.
Pausing – Level 1 – Very little awareness of punctuation.
I did actually ask Ben whether or not he understood what a full stop or a question mark was, because the evidence in his reading suggested he didn’t. However he was able to define them both, but certainly showed little or no awareness of punctuation whilst reading.
Stress– Level 2 – Some awareness of emphasis on appropriate words to reflect the meaning of the text.
Ben has quite a strong personality and this shows through in his reading. Even though his emphasis at time fell in the wrong place or took too long to come he was at least attempting to reflect the meaning of the text through stressing certain words.
Intonation or Expression – Level 2 – Some expressive interpretation.
From the evidence given it would seem that Ben is most developed in this area of reading fluency. He is keen to express the story through variances in tone, pitch and volume. The main thing stopping him from expressing the story more effectively is his slow rate of reading. Once this increases, his expression will be even better.
7. From the results collected, below is a report on Ben’s knowledge and abilities. I will refer to his ‘funds of knowledge’, the phase of literary development and which VELS level Ben might be.
Funds of Knowledge – Ben’s family is made up of an older sister (10 years old), younger sister (1 year old), Mum and Dad. Both Ben and his sister are home schooled by his mother (with assistance from his father) as his parents feel home schooling is the best education a child can get. The only adverse effect on Ben's education was that Ben had been taught no school work until the age of 6. This has put him behind other children around his age in his literacy and numeracy development. He is interested in sports, playing at the park and many different physical pursuits. He is very active, but also a very keen learner. He has an incredible memory (according to his mother) but I also noted that once a word was explained to him he remembered it every time throughout the book. Another strength of Ben’s is his confidence. He is willing to try anything, or more importantly wants to try new things with his school work. He has a supportive extended family also, which ensures Ben is in an environment which is fit for learning. He does have a lack of friends of similar age and ability. This being due to the fact that he doesn’t attend a school. Whether or not this adversely effects his learning ability is hard to say.
Phase of Literacy Development (Hill, p 6) Words – From the evidence provided by Ben, I would suggest that he is in the Early stage. He is able to write many high frequency words, can write many one syllable three and four letter words and is building a vocabulary of topic and interest based words. He is not yet in the transitional stage as he has none or very little understanding of phonics, or that some sounds are represented by two letters. Reading – Using the evidence in Ben’s reading of the book he chose and the book I chose for him to read he is somewhere between Early-emergent and Emergent. He certainly chooses his favourite books, memorizes rhymes and predictable books but is also beginning to grasp the concept of words. He reads left to right, top to bottom but cannot properly retell a simple story. Ben is very nearly at the Emergent stage. Writing – From the evidence provided in Ben’s writing sample, he fits in the Emergent stage. He is able to write letters and words with spaces, he understand a sentence and some punctuation and understand that another person can read their written words.
VELS (Victorian Essential Learning Standards) Reading – According to the VELS website, Ben’s reading standard would be 1.0 working towards 1.25. Ben recognizes how sounds are represented alphabetically and identifies some sound-letter relationships. Ben is able to read aloud and include some frequently used words and predominantly oral language structures. Ben is also able to read from left to right with return sweep, and from top to bottom. Ben also uses context and information about words, letters, combinations of letters and the sounds associated with them to make meaning, and especially uses illustrations to extend meaning. He is beginning to shows signs of the 1.25 standard but is not yet there. Writing – According the VELS website Ben sits between Standard 1.0 and 1.25. The evidence in his writing shows he can write personal recounts about familiar topics to convey ideas or messages. Ben uses conventional letters, groups of letters, and simple punctuation such as full stops and capital letters (although this does need some prompting). Ben forms letters correctly, and uses a range of writing implements and software.
1a. I sought permission to work with an early year’s learner who is currently being home-schooled. He is 7 years old and working currently at a Grade 1 level. As we were told not to use the child's real name throughout this assignment, I have chosen to call this student Ben.
1b. The appropriate texts chosen were;-
2. I conducted the interview with Ben. The interview included the Reading and Writing interest surveys.
3. Ben was able to find me a text he knew and liked. He read it to me and we discussed what the book was about.
4. I introduced a new text for Ben (Honest Bubbles). We discussed what he thought the book might be about and then Ben read the story to me. We then discussed the events in the story and what the outcome of the story was.
5. Instead of asking Ben to talk, draw and write about the story I just asked him write some words that he already knows. Ben had mentioned to me that he didn’t know too many words and was quite nervous about writing anything knew. As you can see in the sample provided however, once he became comfortable with the idea, I was able to say some sentences for him which he attempted to write.
6. Using the writing assessment sheet provided in Hill’s ‘Developing Early Literacy’ (pp 290) I have analyzed Ben’s writing sample in relation to the evidence he provided. I felt it would be more appropriate to use only the assessment sheet on page 290, as Ben’s writing capacity is not particularly high. (Please see in appendices the sample of Ben's writing)
Written Language
4. Simple sentence – In looking at the sample given by Ben, he is able to write more than two word phrases but not yet using punctuation.
Ideas
3. Copies writing – This best represents where Ben’s ideas currently are. Even though he can write down the occasional idea he seems more inclined to either copy some text from a book or page. He may also just write down what someone else has said to him.
Text Conventions
3. Spaces between words and lines – This best represents the way in which Ben designs his writing on a page. He clearly spaces his words and leaves an appropriate gap between lines. Not yet to include punctuation or much correction of errors.
Below is a reflection on Ben’s literal, interpretive, and inferential comprehension questions in relation to the text. (Hill, p 193) The text used was called ‘Honest Bubbles’ which tells the story of a monkey named Bubbles who loses the money from his money box, then finds it and spends it on an icy pole. I first ask the question and then describe what his answer was.
Literal – What was the name of the main character in the story? – Ben answered correctly in saying Bubbles. This was not actually a simple question, as the name Bubbles is an unusual name and also has a separate meaning. Ben did actually ask me before he began reading what the monkey’s name is, but he still figured it out as the story went along.
Interpretive – What did Bubbles lose in the story? Ben struggled to answer this at first. I needed to prompt him a little and he was then able to figure it out is was the money from his money box. As this was his first time reading the story, it was clear that his only focus was saying the words correctly. He asked many questions about what specific words meant or how are they meant to sound but refrained from asking about the story itself. I would assume if Ben were to read this story a few more times his interpretation of the story would improve immensely.
Inferential – What do you think about what Bubbles spent his money on? Ben thought spending his money on an icy pole was a pretty good idea actually. The moral of the story suggests that perhaps he might like to save his money (or at least look after it better) but Ben was happy with him spending it on an icy pole. Ben did still struggle to comprehend actually what occurred in the story, so I prompted him again by re-reading some pages and looking at some of the pictures.
The Reading Fluency Rubric, (Hill p170)
I have used the Reading Fluency Rubric to determine Ben's current reading capabilities.
Rate – Level 1 – Very little variation of rate.
Ben is still very much a beginner with his reading. He takes quite some time to move on from word to word. In stories that he already knows he recognizes words much more quickly, but in a new text it is one word at a time.
Phrasing – Level 1 – Reads word-by-word with frequent long pauses between words.
As with his rate, he was a little more proficient with his phrasing in the book that he has read many times before. But with a new text, there were some long pauses between words and generally no 2 or 3 word phrases.
Pausing – Level 1 – Very little awareness of punctuation.
I did actually ask Ben whether or not he understood what a full stop or a question mark was, because the evidence in his reading suggested he didn’t. However he was able to define them both, but certainly showed little or no awareness of punctuation whilst reading.
Stress – Level 2 – Some awareness of emphasis on appropriate words to reflect the meaning of the text.
Ben has quite a strong personality and this shows through in his reading. Even though his emphasis at time fell in the wrong place or took too long to come he was at least attempting to reflect the meaning of the text through stressing certain words.
Intonation or Expression – Level 2 – Some expressive interpretation.
From the evidence given it would seem that Ben is most developed in this area of reading fluency. He is keen to express the story through variances in tone, pitch and volume. The main thing stopping him from expressing the story more effectively is his slow rate of reading. Once this increases, his expression will be even better.
7. From the results collected, below is a report on Ben’s knowledge and abilities. I will refer to his ‘funds of knowledge’, the phase of literary development and which VELS level Ben might be.
Funds of Knowledge – Ben’s family is made up of an older sister (10 years old), younger sister (1 year old), Mum and Dad. Both Ben and his sister are home schooled by his mother (with assistance from his father) as his parents feel home schooling is the best education a child can get. The only adverse effect on Ben's education was that Ben had been taught no school work until the age of 6. This has put him behind other children around his age in his literacy and numeracy development. He is interested in sports, playing at the park and many different physical pursuits. He is very active, but also a very keen learner. He has an incredible memory (according to his mother) but I also noted that once a word was explained to him he remembered it every time throughout the book. Another strength of Ben’s is his confidence. He is willing to try anything, or more importantly wants to try new things with his school work. He has a supportive extended family also, which ensures Ben is in an environment which is fit for learning. He does have a lack of friends of similar age and ability. This being due to the fact that he doesn’t attend a school. Whether or not this adversely effects his learning ability is hard to say.
Phase of Literacy Development (Hill, p 6)
Words – From the evidence provided by Ben, I would suggest that he is in the Early stage. He is able to write many high frequency words, can write many one syllable three and four letter words and is building a vocabulary of topic and interest based words. He is not yet in the transitional stage as he has none or very little understanding of phonics, or that some sounds are represented by two letters.
Reading – Using the evidence in Ben’s reading of the book he chose and the book I chose for him to read he is somewhere between Early-emergent and Emergent. He certainly chooses his favourite books, memorizes rhymes and predictable books but is also beginning to grasp the concept of words. He reads left to right, top to bottom but cannot properly retell a simple story. Ben is very nearly at the Emergent stage.
Writing – From the evidence provided in Ben’s writing sample, he fits in the Emergent stage. He is able to write letters and words with spaces, he understand a sentence and some punctuation and understand that another person can read their written words.
VELS (Victorian Essential Learning Standards)
Reading – According to the VELS website, Ben’s reading standard would be 1.0 working towards 1.25. Ben recognizes how sounds are represented alphabetically and identifies some sound-letter relationships. Ben is able to read aloud and include some frequently used words and predominantly oral language structures. Ben is also able to read from left to right with return sweep, and from top to bottom. Ben also uses context and information about words, letters, combinations of letters and the sounds associated with them to make meaning, and especially uses illustrations to extend meaning. He is beginning to shows signs of the 1.25 standard but is not yet there.
Writing – According the VELS website Ben sits between Standard 1.0 and 1.25. The evidence in his writing shows he can write personal recounts about familiar topics to convey ideas or messages. Ben uses conventional letters, groups of letters, and simple punctuation such as full stops and capital letters (although this does need some prompting). Ben forms letters correctly, and uses a range of writing implements and software.