Chapter 5: Howard Street Tutoring Manual

Study Guide for Chapter 5 (Howard Street Tutoring Manual—Morris)

1. What grade is Curt in?

Curt is in 3^rd grade.

 

1. Look at the summary of scores in the table on page 170.  Notice that there are scores for the grade-level lists of words from the Word Recognition Test (Flash and Untimed) and scores for orally reading grade-level passages (accuracy of word reading, e.g. percentage of words read correctly and rate, expressed in number of words read per minute).

 

a1. What was the flash score for words at:

First-Grade Level	Second-Grade Level	Third-Grade Level
75%	50%	20%

 

b1. What was the accuracy score at:

1-2 Level	2-1 Level	2-2 Level
97%	90%	84%

 

c1. What was the rate score at: 

1-2 Level	2-1 Level	2-2 Level
65%	44%	36%

 

d1. Look at the spelling scores in Table 5 on page 172: What was the percentage correct score for: 

First-Grade Words	Second-Grade Words
60%	0%

 

Consider the expected scores in the following tables, then compare those expectations to the scores Curt produced.

 

a2. With the Word Recognition Test, flash scores are generally interpreted as follows: 

90-100%   indicates          Independent Level

60-85%     indicates          Instruction Level

Below 50%   indicates     Frustration Level

a3. Which grade-level flash score is the best choice for Instruction Level?

60-85%

b2. With oral reading accuracy, scores are generally interpreted as follows:

98-100%   indicates          Independent Level

65-97%     indicates          Instruction Level

Below 92%   indicates     Frustration Level

*Note: 92-94% accuracy is marginal; take a close look at Rate.

b3. Which grade-level accuracy score is the best choice for Instruction Level?

65-97%

c2. With oral reading rate, expected grade-level ranges are as follows:

 

Grade                          Words per minute

  1^st                                     45-85

  2^nd                                    80-120

  3^rd                                     95-135

c3. What do Curt’s rate scores indicate about his grade-level reading?

 

Curt is on a mid first-grade reading level.

d2. With spelling scores, around 50% correct indicates Instruction Level.

d3. What do Curt’s spelling scores indicate about his Instruction Level.

He reverted to the letter name stage because he failed to mark long vowels in many of the words.

 

Put all of these scores together, and what do they indicate Curt’s reading level to be?

Curt is a late first-grade to early second-grade reader.

 

1. Look at the spelling errors that Curt makes. What stage of word knowledge is Curt in?

He is in late letter name stage to early with-in word pattern stage.

 

Why do you pick this stage of development? What are the key characteristics?

 

Because Curt doesn’t mark some long vowels and he shows good knowledge of consonant clusters.

 

 

 

1. Describe partner reading.

 

First they look through the book, mainly at the pictures. They talk about what is happening and they make subtle predictions about what may happen. They then begin reading the book together, taking turns, and usually the tutor begins reading first.

 

1. Which is harder for a student, partner reading or DRTA?

I don’t feel that either tactic is harder than the other. They both are difficult in their own way. I think that since the DRTA is more independent reading it may be more tedious for a struggling reader. The DRTA also requires more for the child because they have to stay focused, make predictions, and answer questions.

 

1. In planning a DRTA, what is important about selecting places to stop?

You want to stop where children can make predictions and sum up their previous conclusions. Ask yourself, “At what point in the story am I able to anticipate an important upcoming event or plot turn.”

 

1. In planning a DRTA, what is important about deciding questions to ask? What kind of questions? How many?

Questions are important to keep the child focused and involved. There needs to be prediction questions and key idea questions. Nothing needs to be asked that will break attention from the story. Also, a question that may let the child connect to the events in the story is a good idea. There is not set number of questions to use. Use as many as it takes for the child to understand.