Morgan Sears

READ 436
Exit Slips
Exit Slip #1
Describe the assessments you will use for instructional level readers, define the level
(independent, instructional, frustration), and explain the factors that will influence
your grouping for instruction.
The three levels of reading are independent, instructional, and frustration.
Independent readers can be defined as students who are able to read at a comfortable level
on their own with high accuracy, fluency, and comprehension. It is important not to focus
on books within the students independent level because they are already competent in
that area. Instructional level readers can read with some accuracy, but are not yet
competent in fluency or comprehension at this level. This is where we need to focus our
efforts during reading: at a childs instructional level because they still require guidance to
improve. When students read a book at the frustration level, they have low accuracy in
vocabulary, fluency, and comprehension while reading. It is crucial to not focus on this level
for students because it can only hurt the child.
To assess students at the instructional level, there are several methods that can be
used. Informal Reading Inventories (IRI) can be taken while a student is reading a given
passage and identifying words to determine the level at which they are reading certain
things. Oral, silent, and listening comprehension can also be assessed, as well as oral and
silent reading rates (words per minute). Additionally, a simple running record should be
taken every couple of weeks.
When grouping readers for instruction, I would first determine their reading levels
and competence in comprehension, fluency, and words read correctly (WRC). I would
divide children into three or four groups (depending on what was needed to accommodate
the class) based on reading levels in certain areas (if they were in an independent,
instructional, or frustration level with certain passages). From there, I would then evaluate
personality conflicts within the classroom to determine whether or not I needed to adjust
groups to ensure efficient and stress free reading instruction for all students.
Exit Slip #2:
Define fluency and describe how you will teach it, including examples and resources
from class.
Fluency can be defined as freedom from word identification problems that might
hinder comprehension in silent reading or the expression of ideas in oral reading. To be
considered a fluent reader, children should be reading independent level books at a
relatively quick speed and should be using appropriate expression, allowing them to focus
on the meaning of the text and enjoy what they are reading.
To teach the expression part of fluency specifically, I love the idea of implementing
Readers Theater in large groups. Through Readers Theater, children are given books or
scripts, practice them, and begin to embody their characters. They then perform them (or
read them) in front of peers, emphasizing expression of lines. I would also allow children to

create props or costumes for this to make it a fun, interactive activity. For smaller group
expression instruction, I would let children read poetry, which allows them to quickly
recognize words that sound similar to one another. I would also consider recording
children as they read aloud individually, then play it back to them and allow them to
analyze it, seeing how they should improve for themselves.
To teach the speed portion of fluency specifically, I would use timed repeated
reading as one strategy. I would give children a short passage (or tongue twister) and
allow them to read it aloud a few times, timing them each time and seeing how they
improve. I would also create mad libs with them and then have them read it several times
while being timed. I personally love the mad libs strategy because it allows students to
practice parts of speech and speed, and is so fun at the same time!
Exit Slip #3
Compare word study to the method used when you learned to spell.
In effective spelling instruction today, many teachers use a method called word
study. In word study, children are typically introduced to a new word pattern (for example,
-th ending) on Monday of the week. They might sort words into this pattern with the
teacher and copy them down this day. On Tuesday, the students might first sort with the
teacher and then sort with a buddy. On Wednesday, the students might do activities like
speed sorting. On Thursday, they might apply their knowledge in a game. On Friday, there
would be the classic spelling test. Where this is a great method, it greatly differed from the
way I was taught to spell in elementary school.
When learning how to spell, I do not remember word study whatsoever. I remember
being given a list of new spelling words at the beginning of every week, copying them down
in my agenda, and memorizing them. My parents would call my spelling words to me
throughout the week, and my teacher might have some worksheets for us to complete,
filling in the blanks in sentences with the words. On Friday, there would always be a
spelling test and I would regurgitate what I had been told to memorize during the week. I
do not remember having in-depth study of spelling patterns and sounds, but I wish that I
had.
Exit Slip #4
Why do we use before, during, and after activities for comprehension? Name at least
one comprehension activity for each (before, during, and after) with resources from
class.
We use before activities for comprehension to get students thinking and predicting
about what they are about to read, as well as to cause them to activate prior knowledge
that may be helpful for them during the reading. An example of one of these activities is
story words, where the teacher picks out random words from the story for the students to
use to predict what the story is about.
During comprehension activities are helpful because it keeps students engaged with
the reading and causes them to think about what is happening currently in the story and
what may happen next. A during activity could also be story words. Students would check
off the story words on the list as they hear them and make connections in the book.

After comprehension activities are very useful because it allows them to draw
conclusions and important information from what they have read. It also forms as an
opportunity for teachers to see what they are getting from the reading and if they are
interpreting it well. An example of one of these activities is the Somebody, What, But, So
graphic organizer, where students pull information about a certain character into a
summary.
Exit Slip #5
Compare our writing activities to what you see in practicum.
In practicum (third grade), my teacher implements a decent amount of writing
instruction (that I see). All students have a journal that they write in. She has given some
writing assignments for them to discuss things that they have done, for example Safari
Park writing, where they had to write two paragraphs about their favorite things that they
saw on their field trip. They did not prewrite, edit, create drafts of, revise, or publish their
papers, but they did write them and brainstorm as a class beforehand.
In class, and in writing instruction as a child, I learned the processes of prewriting,
drafting, revising, editing, and sharing or publishing. I have not seen these in detail in my
practicum classroom, or in order necessarily. Currently, my students are basically working
on things like how to write, what an indent is, and how many sentences are in a paragraph,
which generally fall in the very early stages of writing. However, we have learned more
sophisticated stages as well in class that children will use in the later grades to become
well-rounded and competent writers.
Exit Slip #6
In class exit slip write your own information sheet for parents night (for
instructional level readers, grade of your choice). Use the handouts from class as an
example.
August 25, 2015
Dear Parents,
I am thrilled to have your child in my third grade class this year here at Lee Jackson
Elementary School. I would like to take this opportunity to share with you a preview of the
ways that I plan to approach reading instruction specifically this over the next nine months.
In our literacy instruction, we will address reading, writing, and spelling in a variety of
ways that will help your child achieve fluency, work on comprehension, become more
stellar writers, and spell like a champ!
In reading instruction, we will be working on fluency and comprehension. Fluency is
being able to read with expression and speed. We will work to achieve this this year by
reading tongue twisters, repeated reading, readers theater, poetry, and lots of practice.
Students will work in reading groups with me, individually, and with partners or small
groups in centers to work towards this. To gain comprehension abilities, or being able to
understand and make connections to stories and extract important information from
nonfiction texts, I will be implementing activities before read alouds (story words, prediscussion, K-W-L charts, etc.), during read alouds (discussion, follow along story words,

etc.), and after read alouds (K-W-L charts, rewriting story endings, etc.). These will help to
provide your children with strategies to use when pulling information from a text.
In spelling instruction, I will work with your children to make them more advanced
spellers by first creating spelling groups that they will work in for the year. Within these
groups, we will practice word sorts that focus on specific word features each week.
Students will work on these with me, partners, and individually, as well as play games and
do quick sorts in order to gain the most out of spelling time.
Finally, in writing instruction, we will be working on sentence structure,
punctuation, expository writing, letter writing, and more! We will be writing about
experiences we have as a class (i.e. field trips) in our journals, for example. Your child is
already an experienced writer and we will be working to become more descriptive and well
versed in sentence structure and various other mechanics.
I am excited to be embarking on the adventures that this year will bring with these
students and look forward to building partnerships with you as parents in order to provide
for your child a great deal of fun, meaningful, and educational experiences! Please feel free
to come with me with any questions or concerns.

Sincerely,

Morgan Sears
Third Grade Teacher