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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.
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 CRITERIAEach 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
Initial Goal Criteria
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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 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.
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 |
1Support comprehension if quiz-%-correct scores are below 80%.
2If the student is in level 8.0, continue the level.
3If the student is in level 0.8 or 1.0 and knows beginning sounds and about 50 words, you can continue, rather than lower, the level.
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:
If initial level is: | 0.8 | 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 |
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:
A. Calculate the following:
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.
Calculations | Too Low | Appropriate | Too High |
---|---|---|---|
Goal | The student’s goal is lower than, at, or too close to the average cold-timing score:
| The student’s goal is an appropriate amount above the average cold-timing score:
| The student's goal is too far above the average cold-timing score:
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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.
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.
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.
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
Please let us know what questions you have so we can assist. For Technical Support, please call us or submit a software support request.