This document provides guidance on how to record a running record to assess a child's reading abilities. It explains that running records capture what a child says and does while reading continuous text to give an objective view of their strengths and progress. The basics of recording include noting correct and incorrect responses with codes on a recording sheet along with the text. Multiple examples demonstrate how to record substitutions, repetitions, self-corrections, and other behaviors. Reflection questions at the end discuss using running records to understand a child's reading and inform instruction.

1. Formative Assessment
Recording a Running Record
Download from Supporting Documents:
• 3 blank running record sheets
• Recording and Scoring of Student Behaviors
• Text of Bella’s Dinner

2. Why Running Records?
• Captures what a
child said and did in
reading continuous
text.
• Gives us an
objective picture of
the child’s strengths
and needs.
• Allows us to look at
the child’s progress
over time for
patterns that inform
our teaching.

3. Taking a Running Record
• Let the child know
you will be
observing and
taking notes.
• Don’t teach – try to
get as pure a look
at what the child
can do on his/her
own as possible.
• Use standard
recording
procedures

4. Recording Sheets

5. Basic Conventions
for Recording a Running Record
Student Says… Definition Teacher Records…
Correct Response Child reads exactly what is
in the text

Substitution Child replaces a word in the
text with another word or
attempt at a word
Child’s response
Text word
Repetition Child says the same thing
over again, whether correct
or not
R
Self-correction Child fixes an original error
with the correct word
SC

6. Recording with the Codes
R     bag
bowl
 fun/SC    
food
The child reads:
Bella Bella looked in the little bag.
“No fun food in here,” she said.
The text says:
The teacher records:
• When the child makes
a miscue, a line
separates what the
child says (on top)
and what the text
says (below)
• The teacher records
each line of text on a
separate line (or lines
as needed)

7. Let’s Try It!
Running Record Practice #1
Bella’s Dinner
By Michele Dufresne
Pioneer Valley
Pioneervalleybooks.com
RR Level 4; F&P Level C
64 words
This book is used by permission of Pioneer Valley Books

8. Page 2
The child reads:
“I am happy,” said Bella.

9. Page 4
The child reads:
Bella liked in the food bowl.
“No fun food in it,” she said.

10. Page 6
The child reads:
Bella liked looked in the big big bowl.
“No food in it,” she said.

11. Page 8-9
The child reads:
Bella liked looked and looked
for for food.
Bella looked and looked
and and looked for fun.

12. Page 10
The child reads:
Bella looked in on the top table.
“Oh!” said Bella.
“I can get food off the table!”

13. Page 12
The child reads:
“You you yum” said Bella.
“Yum, yum, yum!”

14. Check Your Recording
  happy  
hungry
Page 2
The child reads:
“I am happy,” said
Bella.

15. Page 4
 liked   food 
looked little
 fun/SC  it  
food here
The child reads:
Bella liked in the food bowl.
“No fun food in it,” she said.

16. Page 6
 liked/SC   big R 
looked
   it  
here
The child reads:
Bella liked looked in the big big bowl.
“No food in it,” she said.

17. Page 8-9
 liked/SC  
looked
 R 
   
 R   fun
food
The child reads:
Bella liked looked and looked
for for food.
Bella looked and looked
and and looked for fun.

18. Page 10
  in/SC  top/SC
on table
  
  get  off  
see on
The child reads:
Bella looked in on the top table.
“Oh!” said Bella.
“I can get food off the table!”

19. Page 12
You R /SC  
Yum
  
The child reads:
“You you yum” said Bella.
“Yum, yum, yum!”

20. Student Says or Does… Teacher Records… Definition
Omission ---------------
Word omitted
Child skips a word
Insertion Word inserted
---------
Child adds a word not in the
text
Sounding out n- n-
correct word
Child tries sounds to get to the
word
Repeated Repetition on one
word R 3
Child repeats the same word
more than once (number indicates
number of times repeated)
Appeal __A__
correct word
Child asks for help
You Try It
(Said by the teacher)
_____
Y
The teacher says “You try it” if
the child makes no attempt
Told
(Correct word is said by the teacher)
_____
T
After waiting 3 seconds with
the child unable to continue,
the teacher tells the word
More Conventions
for Recording a Running Record

21. Recording with the Codes
R2  ---   white 
in ----
 f-f   A  
food here Y T
The child reads:
Bella Bella Bella looked the little white bowl.
“No f-f-food in” - what’s that word?
The teacher replies: You try it.
The child says nothing for 3 seconds.
The teacher says: here.
The child reads: she said.
The text says:

22. Let’s Try It!
Running Record Practice #2
You need:
• A copy of the
book text
• Your blank
running record
sheet
• Notations chart

24. Check Your Recording
  h-ung  little 
hungry --
Page 2
The child reads:
“I am h-ung -hungry,” said little
Bella.

25. Page 4
     
 -- /R ----   
food T in
The child reads:
Bella looked in the little bowl.
“No f-f- (child then waits 3 sec.)
T: food
C: food here,” she said.

26. Page 6
     A / /
bowl/Y/T
  ----  R2 
in
The child reads:
Bella looked in the big – What’s that
word?
Teacher: You try it
Child: [no attempt]
Teacher (after 3 seconds): bowl
Child: “No food here,” she she she said.

27. More Conventions
for Recording a Running Record
Student says or does… Teacher records… Definition
Spelling out a word G-O-
go
Child says each letter name
Repeated phrase
R
Child repeats two or more
words together (draw around
what was repeated)
Repeated phrase with self-
correction on the rereading
SC
R
Child self corrects while
rereading (drop the sc arrow
where the child self-corrects)

28. Recording with the Codes
sc
 liked    R 
looked
 F-O      R
food
The child reads:
Bella liked in the little Bella looked in the little bowl.
“No F (says the letter F) O (letter O) food in here”
she said in here she said.
The text says:

29. Putting It All Together
Running Record Practice #3
Pg. 2 “I am here,” said Bella.
Pg. 4 Bella liked in the food bowl bowl bowl.
“No fun in here no food in here,” she
said.
Pg. 6 Bella licked the big white bowl.
“No food in here,” she said.
Pg. 8 Bella looked and looked looked and
looked
f-or for food.
Pg. 9 Bella looked and looked
and looked for food.
Pg. 10 Bella looked on the table.
“Oh!” Bella said Bella
“I see food on the table!”
Pg. 12 “Yum,” said Bella.
“Yum, yum, yum!”

30. Check Your Notations
The child’s reading:
Pg. 2 “I am here,” said Bella.
Pg. 4 Bella liked in the food bowl
bowl bowl.
“No fun in here no food in
here,” she said.
Pg. 6 Bella licked the big white bowl.
“No food in here,” she said.
Pg. 8 Bella looked and looked
looked and looked
f-or for food.
Pg. 9 Bella looked and looked
and looked for food.
Pg. 10 Bella looked on the table.
“Oh!” Bella said Bella
“I see food on the table!”
Pg. 12 “Yum,” said Bella.
“Yum, yum, yum!”

31. Reflecting on Recording Running
Records
Conclude this segment of the Formative
Assessment slide show by discussing with
colleagues:
• Any questions you have about recording a
running record;
• How will it be helpful to have your
notations recorded?