ESL- First Grade Language Arts, Small Group Instruction/Comprehension

Analysis and Instructional Decision Making:

The chart below shows the guided reading level of the five students in this small group
when pre assessed, using the Fountas & Pinnell Benchmark Assessment System (BAS). This
chart displays that the majority of students are at guided reading level A. Student A is non-verbal
and unable to be assessed for a guided reading level due to her lack of verbal skills.
Pre Assessment Data: Fountas & Pinnell
Student
Guided
Reading
Level

Student A

Student B

Student C

Student D

Student E

N/A

The chart below shows at what level the students were performing on day one when
reading The Fox on the Box. Students were assessed on their ability to use skills of prediction,
background knowledge, rereading, retelling, decoding, and their ability to comprehend the story.
Students were given a N/A if it was not applicable for the student, N for needs improvement, P
for progressing, or an M for meets expectations. This observation took place on day one when
new skills and knowledge were first being introduced. This data shows that one out of the five
students (Student C) was meeting expectations in almost all areas except for retelling and
comprehension. Three out of the five students (Student B, D, and E) are progressing or in need of
improvement in nearly all areas. Student A is non-verbal and cannot be observed in any areas
besides comprehension when using a modified assessment. Due to my inability to know her
critical thinking strategies when it comes to applying appropriate strategies of prediction,

background knowledge, rereading, and retelling, I can only rely on the information given through
her eye movements to assess comprehension.

Formative Assessment: Checklist- The Fox on the Box

Skills

Student A

Student B

Student C

Student D

Student E

Prediction

N/A

Background
Knowledge

N/A

Rereading

N/A

Retelling

N/A

Decoding

N/A

Comprehension

N/A= Not applicable

N=Needs Improvement

P=Progressing M=Meets Expectations

The chart below shows at what level the students were performing on day two when
reading Maria Counts Pumpkins. Students were assessed on the same set of skills including
prediction, background knowledge, rereading, retelling, decoding, and their ability to
comprehend the story using a checklist. This data shows that four of the five students (when
observed using their verbal skills) have made significant improvement in the skill areas assessed.
None of the students digressed. They remained either consistent or improved. Students A was
only assessed for comprehension due to my inability to know her critical thinking strategies

when it comes to applying appropriate strategies. I saw improvement in her comprehension as

she met expectations when assessed for her comprehension.

Formative Assessment: Checklist- Maria Counts Pumpkins

Skills

Student A

Student B

Student C

Student D

Student E

Prediction

N/A

Background
Knowledge

N/A

Rereading

N/A

Retelling

N/A

N/A

Decoding

N/A

Comprehension

N/A= Not applicable

N=Needs Improvement

P=Progressing M=Meets Expectations

The chart below shows the growth from the formative assessment quiz given on day one
and the two assessments given on day three. According to the data, most students exhibited an
increase in their performance from day one to day three. All assessments were scored out of ten
points, which translates to an easily acquired percentage (7=70%, 9=90%, etc.).

Growth From Day 1 to Day 3

Students E
Student D
Student C
Student B
Student A
0

2
Student A

10

12

Student B

Student C

Student D

Students E

Summative Maria Counts

Pumpkins

8.7

10

Summative Fox on the Box

10

10

10

10

Day 1 Worksheet

Scores out of 10

To determine whether their was student growth I used day threes assessments
percentages (independent from each other) and then subtracted the percentage earned from day
ones formative assessment. A positive percentage displays that there is evidence of student
learning from the formative assessment on day one to the summative assessment on day three. A
negative percentage shows that there was no growth or evidence of student learning from day
one to day three.

Percentage Changes From Day 1 to Day 3

Fox on the Box

Maria Counts Pumpkins

Student A

N/A

N/A

Student B

0%

-30%

Student C

0%

-10.3

Student D

10%

-20%

Student E

30%

30%

When comparing the changes between the summative assessment focusing on The Fox on
the Box and Maria Counts Pumpkins, I can conclude that students had significantly better
outcomes when referring to The Fox on the Box. Student A was unable to display growth due to
her significant needs. Students B and C did not show any growth from Day one. Students C did
not have room to grow as he scored 100% on day one. Meanwhile, Student B did have room to
grow and did not show any growth, thus not meeting MCCRS standards and essential skills for
this unit. Student B requires the most support to reach learning goals and objectives. On day one,
she received a 70% on her quiz as she could verbalize her thoughts but was not able to explain
once on paper. She takes an extensive amount of time to complete all tasks and requires
directions to be repeated multiple times, which causes her to fall behind her classmates. With
additional differentiated instruction and practice put into place, this student will be able to make
improvements. Students D and E both showed growth with a 10% and 30% increase from day
one.

The Fox on the Box was the story that was focused on the most as we spent all of day one
focusing on the strategies necessary to successfully read the story. Part of day two was also spent
reviewing The Fox on the Box as the formative assessments displayed that students needed more
practice navigating through the reading. The additional time allotted to practice using the various
strategies on The Fox on the Box can justify why there is the most change displayed in the chart
above.
To disaggregate the data based on the contextual factors of the school, the students for
this small group were either African American, culturally diverse and come from a low
socioeconomic background or Caucasian and from a middle class family. Three of the five
students had IEPs while two were identified as struggling reads. Four of the five students in this
small group are African American, culturally diverse and come from a low socioeconomic
background. Three of five of these students made significant progress while one student, who has
an IEP, remained consistent throughout the unit. One of the five students is Caucasian and comes
from a middle class family that is able to meet all of her needs due to her significant disabilities.
She also improved on her comprehension skills in comparison to day one of the lesson.
For future instruction, to aid students in demonstrating the necessary growth to meet
MCCRS standards, I would focus on additional scaffolded instruction for these specific students.
This already being a small group that is pulled aside for more explicit and differentiated
instruction, these students would be kept for an additional ten minutes to focus on a targeted
strategy that is of concern. I would refer back to my checklists to target the specific strategies
that need to be addressed. Each strategy would be focused on for ten minutes extra per day, until
students have gained the knowledge and skills necessary to achieve the desired outcome.

When comparing Maria Counts Pumpkins to day ones quiz, almost all students had a
negative percentage change besides Student E who had a 30% increase and was the only student
that met the MCCRS standards. The summative assessment used for Maria Counts Pumpkins
was in a different format than The Fox on the Box assessment, as it required students to match
eight events in sequential order. This is a difficult task for this group, which requires many
supports. Students showed a significant drop with a decrease in percentage from 10% to 30%.
Students thoroughly enjoyed this story more than The Fox on the Box. Through my observations
and checklist, students improved the most when utilizing their strategies when reading Maria
Counts Pumpkins. I can conclude that the results from this summative assessment are not
accurate in comparison to the observations I made and anecdotal notes taken.
To ensure that students are successful in completing the summative assessment for Maria
Counts Pumpkins I would first allow more time to read and review the story. Students spent
more time with The Fox on the Box, which can explain the growth with that assessment. The
format of the assessment would also be changed to be more simplified and easier to navigate.
Students had difficulty matching, as there were eight options to match.
From the data collected, I can conclude that the majority of the small group were
remaining consistent or making some growth from day one to the end of the unit. Using
checklists, anecdotal notes, a quiz, and the Fox on the Box summative assessment, students data
has been compiled successfully and accurately in a way that reflects on the overall quality of
instruction. With some minor adjustments to instruction as well as the Maria Counts Pumpkins
summative assessment, in the future, all students will prove to meet the MCCRS standards
essential skills and knowledge.