Reading fluency test: path towards FLN
Y. Deepika
The immediate post-COVID-19 years saw a setback in the reading and comprehension levels of students across schools. Primary classrooms all over seemed to have a mixed bag of students – some who were fluent in reading, some who were able to read basic/familiar two and three letter words, and some who were not able to read at all. Reading with comprehension was a major concern that teachers had to tackle during those years. Having students with different abilities in a classroom is nothing new, but the way we embrace the situation makes all the difference.
In 2022, to assess the minimum levels of learning among our class 1 and 2 students, we came up with a diagnostic test to test their LSRW and numeracy skills. We developed worksheets that comprise questions to test children’s writing skills and concepts learnt in the previous class. The worksheets also include pictures, which require students to speak, thereby testing their speaking skills. To test the reading levels, we decided to use the Reading Toolkit developed by Pratham Foundation.
WHAT?
The Reading Fluency Test (RTF) has helped both teachers and parents understand the students and provide a helping hand to those who need it. Every student is given a Reading Toolkit, allowed to read, and is marked at different levels based on their reading skill.
WHEN?
This test is conducted twice a year, once in April (Term I) called the Baseline Assessmentand then in February (Term II) called the Endline Assessment. During the Baseline Assessment, each student is marked at different levels of reading. By the time of the Endline Assessment, teachers and students work together to ensure that each student advances by at least one level.
Progression Chart (Courtesy: Pratham Foundation)
HOW?
The Reading Toolkit allows teachers to mark the students at five different levels of learning based on their reading skill as follows:
• Story Level
• Paragraph Level
• Word Level
• Letter Level
• Pre-letter Level
Reading Tool Kit (Courtesy: Pratham Foundation)
Given below are the rubrics used for assessing reading fluency levels of students in English/Hindi/Telugu.
Rubrics for Assessment (Courtesy; Pratham Foundation)
HTML Table
| S.No. | Level | Rubric |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | Standard II Level (Story) | If the child reads the story • Fluently and with ease • Pronounces the words correctly and easily • Not as a string of words |
| 2. | Standard I Level (Paragraph) | If the child reads the paragraph • Fluently and with ease even if it is slow • Pronounces the words correctly and easily • Does not stop between words |
| 3. | Word | If the child reads at least four out of five words correctly |
| 4. | Letter | If the child recognizes at least four out of five letters correctly |
| 5. | Pre-Letter | If the child cannot recognize at least four out of five letters correctly |
Once the assessment is completed, every teacher records the results of her section in a tabular format using colour codes representing the different levels. After the Endline Assessment, a comparative analysis is done to check the progress of the students.
Reading Fluency Test – Comparative Study
With the problem accurately diagnosed, next comes the question of how to address it? Brainstorming by the teachers and with ICT just a click away, we have come up with ways to improve and enhance the reading skills of our students. Of the many methods, a few are as follows:
(i) Dedicating one teaching period per week to teaching phonics.
(ii) Sharing online audio stories/web links with students.
(iii) Helping students read during the library period.
(iv) Sharing sight words with students.
(v) Asking students to narrate a story or even recount their day.
The Reading Fluency Test has been an eye-opener not only for us teachers but also for the parents. A joint effort from both stakeholders will help bring about the necessary improvement in students. In this journey, teachers and parents along with students, work together to take the learners from the baseline level to their optimal level. As teachers, let us lay the foundation of reading and help our children learn to read, so that they can read to learn.
The author is a grade 2 facilitator at Delhi Public School, Nacharam. She is a voracious reader, writes poems, and always tries to bring newness in the teaching-learning process. She can be reached at deepika.y@dpssecunderabad.in.
