Early Reading Screening in Year 2 of Kindergarten, Grade 1 and Grade 2
Reading is a foundational skill critical to student success, both in the classroom and beyond. Early reading has been a strategic priority in DSBN for years and is foundational to the Learning and Growth pillar within the Redefining Excellence DSBN Strategic Plan. Beginning this year, schools in the DSBN are administering annual early reading screenings for all students in Senior Kindergarten through Grade 2. Although this screening has been newly mandated by the Ministry of Education through Policy/Program Memorandum#168, assessing reading strengths and needs is not new. Early reading screening will better enable us to understand and capitalize on the uniqueness of each individual and ensure that each student will excel and achieve excellence in the DSBN.
From language and social studies to science and math, reading skills are critical to student success across their entire educational journey and having strong reading skills can ensure future career success.
This newly instituted annual early reading screening is designed to identify students who are experiencing specific reading difficulties so they can receive the specific and timely support they need to improve their reading proficiency and give them the best opportunity for success. The purpose of early reading screening is to:
- monitor your child’s development in early reading skills,
- identify children who need additional support, and
- guide classroom instruction.
The screening is completed one-on-one towards the beginning of the school year. It is helpful to have screening results early because it is a valuable tool to help us understand and communicate your child’s individual reading progress and so that we can take further steps to support their unique needs. This new screening is not evaluated as part of your child’s grades, but instead will help identify the areas in which we need to provide support in order to develop reading proficiency.
The screening assesses various foundational skills needed for reading proficiency. For example, your child might be asked to identify letters and corresponding sounds or sound out words. Each of these skills work together to help individuals read proficiently. The specific details of the screening will vary depending on the grade. Preparation is neither needed nor expected for the screening.
Below are the specific skill areas and reading measures for which your child may be screened through the Acadience Reading assessment tool. Note: Skill areas and measures vary by grade and time of year.
Letter naming fluency – This is a brief and direct measure of a student’s fluency identifying letters when presented out of order. This assesses a student’s ability to recognize individual letters and say their names. Given a list of upper- and lower- case letters, students will point to each letter and say its name.
First sound fluency – This is a brief and direct measure of a student’s fluency identifying the initial sounds in spoken words. For example, students will listen to the word “moon” and be asked to identify the first sound they hear. In this case, /mmm/ is the correct response.
Phoneme segmentation fluency – This is a brief and direct measure of a student’s fluency segmenting a spoken word into its component parts or sound segments. For example, students may listen to the word “ran” and be asked to identify all the sounds they hear in “ran”. In this case, /r/ /a/ /n/ is the correct response.
Nonsense word fluency – This is a brief and direct measure of a student’s knowledge of the alphabetic principle and basic phonics. This assesses knowledge of basic letter-sound relationships and the ability to blend letter sounds into simple consonant-vowel-consonant and vowel-consonant make-believe words (unfamiliar words). This measures how well students can decode (read) words in the absence of any clues besides what they know about the sounds letters make. For example, students may be shown the word “mip” and be asked to read the word or, if they can’t read the whole word, to tell any sounds they know. In this case, /m/ /i/ /p/ and /mip/ are both correct responses.
Oral reading fluency – Oral reading fluency is the ability to read words accurately, effortlessly (automatically), and with appropriate phrasing and expression when read orally. Within the screening tool, it is an indicator accurate and fluent reading, advanced phonics and word attack skills, and reading comprehension. Students will read a text aloud and then tell about what they have read.
Early reading screening benchmarks indicate how students are doing on a specific set of reading measures. Students whose scores fall below the benchmark will be provided tiered support to help them catch up. It is also important to note that screening only provides one piece of information about your child’s language and literacy skills.
Teachers will connect with you to discuss your child’s strengths, areas of need, and to share examples of their growth and progress over time. Results of the first screening will be communicated to you in your child’s first Kindergarten Communication of Learning/Elementary Provincial Report Card (issued February 13) and will indicate whether your child has met or not yet met the screening benchmark at the time of their screening. Teachers will maintain ongoing communication with parents/guardians to discuss the results of variety of classroom assessments, as needed.
Should you have any questions or concerns about your child’s reading abilities, you are encouraged to reach out to your child’s teacher and/or principal.