June 15, 2009
June DRA2 Tango Webinars
DRA2 Handheld Tango Software Edition Product Demo
Did you know that you can now assess your students using DRA2 on a handheld? No more photocopying, no more manual data analysis-the DRA2 Handheld Tango Software Edition does it for you!
Come learn more about this exciting new extension to DRA2 in a free web demonstration today!
To join the online meeting:
1. Click on the Web Address (url) from the appropriate date and time below.
2. Enter your name and email address.
3. To join the teleconference, call in to the toll-free number (US/Canada) 866-469-3239.
4. Enter the Meeting Number from the appropriate date and time below.
6/19/09
8:00 AM Eastern
9:00 AM Central
10:00 AM Mountain
11:00 AM Pacific
https://tangosoftware.webex.com/tangosoftware/j.php?ED=123671287&UID=0
Teleconference Meeting Number: 577 746 154
06/24/2009
4:00 PM Eastern
3:00 PM Central
2:00 PM Mountain
1:00 PM Pacific
https://tangosoftware.webex.com/tangosoftware/j.php?ED=123671187&UID=0
Teleconference Meeting Number: 571 537 803
To RSVP for the presentation or for questions, please contact your Pearson Representative at 877-637-1604 or email sales@tangosoftware.com
Posted by uwrigme at 02:53 PM | Comments (0)
March 20, 2007
National Literacy Conference
To find out more on our upcoming National Literacy Conference being held in Norwood, MA June 26-27th, 2007 visit www.pearsonconnections.com.
Posted by uwrigme at 04:41 PM | Comments (0)
October 02, 2006
Great News
DRA2 has been updated to better meet your assessment needs. Please take a look at this Quick Reference Chart and list of Frequently Asked Questions to review the enhancements.
Thank you for your commitment to DRA2.
All K-3 Blackline Masters and Teacher Guides are now available. You must have Adobe™ Reader™ installed on your computer to open these files. If you do not have Adobe™ Reader™ installed, visit www.adobe.com/reader to download a free copy.
All 4-8 Blackline Masters and Teacher Guides are now available.
Posted by wickersty at 11:10 AM | Comments (0)
May 04, 2006
What is New in Assessment?
"The number one goal of any reading program should be to help students become proficient, enthusiastic readers who read for a variety of purposes." Joetta Beaver
If you are a current DRA user, you will appreciate the field tested revisions to the second edition. The DRA2 includes revised assessment texts, new fiction and nonfiction assessment texts, a uniform assessment process across grades K-8, and Word Analysis, an individual diagnostic assessment. In addition to the primary assessment materials, the Second Edition includes a clipboard with a built-in timer and calculator, improved Online Management System, optional digital pen powered by Anoto technology and corresponding Teacher Observation Guides.
Improvements to the DRA2 provide teachers information to focus on how to identify and address specific student needs. The Benchmark Books now include four Level 40 texts from the DRA2 4-8 set. Students should not be assessed beyond one grade level above their present grade. For this reason the fifth grade-level has been omitted from DRA2 K-3. Research documents the relationship between fluency and comprehension. Beginning with Level 14 text, teachers time students' oral reading to determine their oral reading rate. Slow reading indicates gaps in constructing meaning from the passage. State assessments require students to respond in writing to comprehension questions. From Level 28 and above students read the texts independently, then write a one-page summary and short responses to four questions. The additional information provides insight to a students' written communication and understanding of vocabulary and concepts related to comprehension.
Finally, the modified continuum is included for each level text to determine students' strengths and needs. The new Teacher Guide includes a section, "Moving Into Instruction", designed to assist the teacher in planning instruction based on student needs.
Posted by Deia Roberts at 12:15 PM | Comments (0)
April 20, 2006
First DRA2 Training is Huge Success
The first DRA2 training occured October 3 in Douglas County, Colorado. This Train the Trainers session included Reading Specialists and Coaches from all the schools in the district. It was an exciting day as the new "green boxes" were opened and contents discovered. Ooh's and ah's were heard throughout the room as the instructors viewed the new materials. "I love this clipboard...how perfect!" "Look at Level 4, they changed the drawings...this is so much better....I really like this." " I like the green box!" " Oh, oh, here is the individualized diagnostic piece. I have students who need this today." "Multiple copies-yes!!"
The training was provided for current DRA users, who decided to update the assessment process for all district teachers. These trainers were the "creme de la creme", easy to instruct, attentive, and anxious to get started with their teachers. It was a great day to see their instructional plans come together smoothly with the new DRA2.
Posted by Deia Roberts at 12:45 PM | Comments (0)
April 16, 2006
Learning to Read Strategically
When was the last time you were reading and encountered a word that you did not know or a passage that you didn't understand? Adults often forget the many strategic skills that are combined for successful reading. As successful readers, our strategies are all on "automatic pilot," and we use them subconsciously. That is not the case for emerging and developing readers.
When completing the Record of Oral Reading using the Developmental Reading Assessment® K-3 or 4-8, Second Edition, (DRA2), it is the observations the teacher makes about a student's reading that provides a window to understanding what the student does while decoding text. Does the student attempt to decode unknown words? Does the student know when he or she has made a miscue? Does he or she attempt to self-correct miscues? Having an understanding of these miscues provides an opportunity to design instruction in the areas of relative weakness by teaching specific reading strategies.
There are several strategies that are useful for children to have when reading. Reading with Strategies is a program that was developed by Debra Meckley, Lorraine Edwards, and Deanna Stegeman to teach children how to use seven specific strategies to become better readers. The strategies are as follows:
- Look at the picture.
- Does it make sense?
- Get your mouth ready.
- Does it look right?
- Reread.
- Does it sound right?
- Look for chunks.
Reading with Strategies comes at two levels—Emergent and Early. Each set includes 24 poster-size cards that have a colorful, engaging photograph and a sentence or two about the photo. This learning tool also includes two sheets of small cling-ons that are used to cover specific words that represent unknown words to students. The Teacher's Resource that accompanies the program is rich with directions on how to teach each of the strategies; questions to ask before, during, and after reading; and specific suggestions for which words to cover with the cling-ons.
Collecting assessment data using the DRA2 is just the first step in improving reading. What we do with the information is what changes reading behaviors over time. It is time to move the assessment results from the file cabinet to the lesson plan and model and teach students how to effectively use reading strategies to become self-sufficient readers.
For more information on Reading with Strategies, refer to page 74 of the Pearson Learning Group '05-06 catalog or contact customer service at 1-800-321-3106. The ISBN for Reading with Strategies, Emergent Stage is 0-673-77812-6 and Early Stage is 0-673-77866-5.
Posted by Melody at 05:49 PM | Comments (0)