2. IRLA Resources
• Subscribe to the IRLA Canvas course:
course #: 5537
• Go to the American Reading Company site and
look through their resources
• Bookmark SchoolPace.com on your computer
6. Screen First? Your Choice!
• One option can be to screen your whole class
first and categorize them so that you can level
like students on the same day.
• You can also screen the students as you go.
8. Remember
Just because a student can master the entry
requirements, it does not necessarily mean you will
go onto the next level. Remember comprehension
is just as important as the foundational skills. Think
about- Can the student apply all the common core
reading standards to this text?
If the student cannot meet the entry requirements,
try the level below.
11. What do the colors mean?
• Yellow: patterns and ability to reason
• Green: 1G- sight words
2G- sight words and initial blends and
diagraphs
• Blue: 1B: decoding and vowel teams
2B: Look for known word parts,
chunking
12. What do the colors mean?
• Red: 1R- 3 letter blends, 3 syllable words,
move away from decoding
2R- multi-syllabic words, sustained
reading, chapter book habit
• White: acquiring literary vocabulary,
developing silent reading fluency
• Black: reading books in a series
13. What do the colors mean?
• Orange: increased vocabulary demands, able
to read multiple genres
• Purple: complex sentence structure and
assumes background knowledge
15. How do I choose a
power goal?
• In 1G – 1R phonics are
the priority
• 90% of power goals
come from entry
requirements
• Skill cards
16. What to consider when choosing a
power goal
• Where should they be? (grade level target)
• What is the priority of this color level?
• What do they need based on the conference?
24. Things to Remember:
• Conferences should be 5-8 minutes.
• Allocate conference slots equitably, not equally
(emergency readers should be conferenced with
more frequently).
• Work with students reading on the same level on
the same day when possible. This will help you
develop your expertise in this level.
• Post your conference schedule so that you and
your students know who you will conference with
each day.
25. Plan for 2 weeks
On Level –At least 1x every 2 weeks
At Risk –At least 2x every 2 weeks
Emergency –At least 3x every 2 weeks
You should be able to have 2-4 conferences each
day in your 30 minutes. With an average of 3
conferences a day, you have about 30 spots in a
2 week school calendar.
26. Let’s Practice Making a Class Schedule
Scenario:
You are a 3rd grade teacher
It is the third week of school
Practice:
Using the class list and 2 week calendar, find a
partner and make a 2 week conference schedule
for the class
28. What do students need to know when
they leave a conference?
1.Their color
2.Their goal (in language they
can understand)
3.How they can practice their
goal. Model!
29. Dates to Know:
• Independent reading routines are
implemented: Friday, 9/4/15
• All students leveled and entered into School
Pace: Friday, 9/11/15
• Conference schedules are being used and are
posted in your classroom: 9/14/15
On Level –At least 1x every 2 weeks
At Risk –At least 2x every 2 weeks
Emergency –At least 3x every 2 weeks
Editor's Notes
Allow students to create a book bin with multiple colors. Then give them time to read the books and fill out this form showing which color books felt easy, just right, and hard. When you call them to be leveled they van bring this form with them to give you an idea of where to begin.
Additionally, if the student was previously a Pasco County student in K-2 and sometimes 3rd last year, you can check School Pace to see what they ended the year on, and start from there.
If the student has previous IRLA data, you can start with the entry requirements of that level. If the student does not have previous data (all Kindergarten, new to Pasco, and most 4th and 5th graders) then you want to use the screener. *Watch video starting at 50 second mark*
If the student passes out of all phonics on the screener then begin with white vocabulary, and start focusing on screening vocabulary.
Give status of class handout
Point out that the colors are associated with a grade level and include grade level standards, however, they are also grouped by developmental reading stages. They should be looking for signs and clues of students mastering sight words and moving on to vowel teams and then putting it all together with chunking. Looking at students for their abilities using this information will help level them in a more efficient way and to provide them with power goals that are
Give time to share. “Ah ha’s”
Share questions and concerns.
Discuss: Skills cards not only allow you to see the primary focus of that color level, but they have goals in a friendly language.
Show them how to find skill cards on American Reading Company site
Make sure to mention to keep grade level in mind.
Possible example:
A student in 3rd Grade who is a “2 Blue” reader will not have a comprehension Power Goal. Their goal is to master the phonics that are keeping them below grade level. However a Kindergartener who is a “2 Blue” reader is far above grade level and who need to engage in comprehension at the Blue level.
So there are three things to consider when assigning Power Goals: Where should they be? What is the priority of this level? What do they need based on the conference?
Have everyone log into eIRLA to explore. Navigate through mine showing major points.