The assessment process is easier if the school has given me a good reading assessment kit, such as the DRA, Scholastic’s On the Mark, or a kit that came with the adopted reading program. However, an assessment kit only works if it matches with books that children will read during lessons. If it doesn’t match, then I do my own assessments as follows:

First, I choose several books out of my classroom library that are unfamiliar to students and set them aside for assessments. I level them using Fountas and Pinnell’s Guided Reading leveling system.[1]

Starting the second day of school, I have each student read the books to me. I take running records as the student reads.[2] The running records show me the student’s accuracy, fluency, and strategy use.

When I find a level that the student can read with at least 96% accuracy, I have student retell the story. I use the retelling to assess comprehension. When I first started running records and retellings, it helped me to audiotape the students. A question I try to answer is, “What is the highest level book that this student read with 96% accuracy and good comprehension?” This is how I determine a student’s independent reading level. The next couple of levels up is their instructional level - good for guided reading and partner reading. Above that is probably their frustration level - good for read alouds and shared reading.

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[1] Fountas, I. C., & Pinnell, G. S. (1999). Matching books to readers. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann. For grades K-3.
Pinnell, G. S., & Fountas, I. C. (2002). Leveled books for readers. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann. For grades 3-6.

[2] Clay, M. M. (1993). An observation survey of early literacy achievement. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann.