Read Naturally Live: Checking initial placement (for the stories in English)

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Proper placement is critical to student success. You can accelerate a student's achievement by using the built-in placement test in Read Naturally Live (RNL) and then checking initial placement after the student completes the first three to six stories. The process of checking initial placement enables you to determine if the student's initial level and goal are appropriate or if you should adjust the level and/or the goal. The information on this webpage provides the background information needed to understand checking initial placement.

Please note that you will receive Data Mentor suggestions for students in the sequenced series of Read Naturally Live. Data Mentor suggestions essentially do the work of checking the student's placement for you. Learn more about Data Mentor here.

The student's data must accurately reflect performance, so check initial placement only if you or a staff member guided the student during cold timings. If not, guide the student during cold timings for the next three stories, and then check initial placement using the data for those three stories.

Steps to Check Initial Placement

Compare data from the Students At-a-Glance Report to the Initial Placement Criteria listed below, and use your knowledge of the student to determine whether to continue, raise, or lower the level or the goal.

READ NATURALLY LIVE INITIAL PLACEMENT CRITERIA Each initial placement criteria is based on the average of the student's scores for the first three to six stories. The Students At-a-Glance report provides those averages for the most recent three stories for each student. The closer the student's data is to meeting the initial level and/or goal criteria, the more confident you can be that the student is placed in an appropriate level and/or has an appropriate goal. Initial Level Criteria The student's cold timing indicates a potential fit for the placement level (see table). Placement Table Placement level Scores in this range indicate a potential fit 0.8 to 3.0 30 to 60 3.5 to 5.0 60 to 80 5.6 to 7.0 80 to 100 8.0 100 to 140 The student's percent correct on the quiz is at least 60%. Initial Goal Criteria The student's goal exceeds the cold timing by approximately: 30 in grades 4 and below. 40 in grades 5 and above. The student's goal is equal to or slightly less than the hot timing.  The student's average number of practices is 3 to 10.

 

Generate a Students At-a-Glance report, and check initial placement for students who have completed the first three to six stories.

Step 1: Check Initial Level

Checking initial placement begins with checking the level. You will use data from the Students At-a-Glance report, the Initial Level Criteria, and your knowledge of the student to determine whether to continue, raise, or lower the level.

A. Compare a student's placement level and the cold-timing score for the most recent three stories to the Placement Table to determine the Initial Placement Range (WCPM). 
Does the student's cold-timing score fall above, within, or below the WCPM Score range for the student's initial level on the Placement Table? 

Placement Table

Placement level	Scores in this range indicate a potential fit
0.8 to 3.0	30 to 60
3.5 to 5.0	60 to 80
5.6 to 7.0	80 to 100
8.0	100 to 140

B. Evaluate the Quiz % correct score for the most recent three stories.
Is the quiz % correct greater than or equal to 80%? Between 60 and 79%? Below 60%?

C.  Use the Level Analysis table below.

• Find the row in the Level Analysis table below that matches the comparison of the cold-timing score to the Initial Placement Ranges table (A).
• Then, find the column in the Level Analysis table below that reflects the evaluation of the student's quiz % correct (B).
• Find the point on the Level Analysis table where the comparison and evaluation intersect. This is the suggested action.
• Based on the suggested action(s) and your knowledge of the student, decide what action to take.

Level Analysis 

Results of steps 1 and 2	Quiz-%-correct score shows the level may be:
Cold-timing score shows the level may be:	Appropriate (80– 100)	Adequate (60 – 79)1	Too difficult (0 – 59)1
Easy (above placement range)	Raise or continue level2	Raise2 or continue level	Lower level3
Appropriate (within placement range)	Raise2 or continue level	Continue level	Lower level3
Difficult (below placement range)	Continue or lower level3	Continue or lower level	Lower level3

D. If you decide the student should continue in the same level, proceed to Step 2: Check Initial Goal.

E. If you decide to raise or lower the level, do not proceed to Step 2. Instead:

• Use the Level Adjustment table below to assign the next nearest level and conduct the student's first cold timing.
• Assign a goal using the Initial Goal Criteria (add 30 to the cold-timing score in grades 4 and below and 40 in grades 5 and above and round down) and your knowledge of the student.
• Recheck placement after three stories in the new level.

Level Adjustment

If initial level is:	0.8 1.01	1.3 1.5	1.8 2.0	2.3 2.5	2.6 2.7 3.0	3.5	4.0	4.5	5.0	5.6	60	7.0	8.02
Raise to...	1.5	2.0	2.5	3.0	3.5	4.0	4.5	5.0	5.6	6.0	7.0	8.0	8.0
Lower to...	0.8	1.0	1.5	2.0	2.5	3.0	3.5	4.0	4.5	5.0	6.0	7.0	7.0

¹If suggested action is to lower the level and the learner knows beginning sounds and about 50 words:
     If learner is in Level 0.8, continue level.
     If learner is in Level 1.0, lower to Phonics Level 0.8.
²If learner is in Level 8.0 and the suggested action is to raise the level, continue level.

 

Step 2: Check Initial Goal (only if continuing level)

If the student continues in the same level, use data from the Students At-a-Glance report, the Initial Goal Criteria, and your knowledge of the student to determine whether to continue, raise, or lower the goal.

A. Preparation. Find the following data on the Student's at a Glance Report for the most recent three stories:

• Cold-timing score
• Goal
• Hot-timing score
• Number of practices

A. Calculate the following:

• Initial goal minus cold-timing score 
• Hot-timing score minus Initial goal

B. Use the Goal Analysis table below to analyze the values calulated above (and the number of practices).
Select the one statement in each row that best describes the learner’s progress.

Goal Analysis
Signs that the goal may be...

Calculations	Too Low	Appropriate	Too High
Goal minus Cold timing	The student’s goal is lower than, at, or too close to the average cold-timing score: 24 or fewer words above the average cold-timing score is too close for grades 1–4 34 or fewer words above the average cold-timing score is too close for grades 5+	The student’s goal is an appropriate amount above the average cold-timing score: 25–35 words above the average cold-timing score is appropriate for grades 1–4 35–45 words above the average cold-timing score is appropriate for grades 5+	The student's goal is too far above the average cold-timing score: 36 or more words above the average cold-timing score is too far for grades 1–4 46 or more words above the average cold-timing score is too far for grades 5+
Hot timing minus Goal	The student’s average hot-timing score is more than 10 words above the goal.	The student’s average hot-timing score is 0–10 words above the goal.	The student's average hot-timing score is below the goal.
Number of Practices	The student’s average number of practices is less than 3.	The student’s average number of practices is 3 to 10.	The student’s average number of practices is more than 10.
Total selected in each column

 

C. Count how many statements you selected under each column heading in the Goal Analysis table (Too Low, Appropriate, Too High).

D. Compare totals to Goal Adjustment table tp determine whether to raise, continue, or lower the goal.
Using these totals, find the row in the Goal Adjustment table below that matches the number of signs that the goal may be too low, appropriate, or too high. Read across to the last column to determine the suggested action. 

Goal Adjustment
Number of signs the goal may be..

Too Low	Appropriate	Too High	Suggested Action
3	0	0	Raise goal
2	1	0	Raise goal
2	0	1	Raise or continue goal
1	2	0	Raise or continue goal
1	1	1	Continue goal
0	3	0	Continue goal
1	0	2	Continue or lower goal
0	2	1	Continue or lower goal
0	1	2	Lower goal
0	0	3	Lower goal

E. Continue or change the goal.

• If you decide to continue the goal, you have completed the checking initial placement process.
• If you decide to adjust the goal, use the Setting an Adjusted Goal table below to set a new goal.
   

  Setting an Adjusted Goal

  Grade	Guideline
  Grade 4 and below	Add 30 to the learner’s average cold-timing score for the selected level and round down to the nearest 5.
  Grade 5 and above	Add 40 to the learner’s average cold-timing score for the selected level and round down to the nearest 5.

IMPORTANT: If the new goal is above the average hot-timing score, consider setting the goal at or slightly below the average hot-timing score. As the student completes more stories and his or her cold timings improve, you will increase the goal. 

You have now completed the checking initial placement process. Check the goal again after the student completes the next three stories.  

For more information about checking initial placement: 

 Printable Checking Initial Placement document
 Read Live User Guide:  Creating Read Naturally Live Reports • Checking Initial Placement
 Read Live Smart Start Guide: Creating Read Naturally Live Reports
Frequently Asked Questions: Checking Initial Placement