PM Reading Benchmark
This is a description of my experiences of conducting a PM Benchmark
Reading Assessment for my first time, on a grade 2 student. I first
describe the context of the benchmark, what a PM Benchmark is, how they
are conducted, who was involved, and why I conducted it. Following this I
rationalise why I think a benchmark is relevant as a professional
portfolio item, demonstrating how I have developed as a professional, as
well as an overview of student learning. I conclude with a final reflection on my experiences from conducting the assessment. All names mentioned within
this page have been replaced with pseudonyms to protect the individual’s
privacy.
Context:
What are PM Benchmark Reading Assessments?
Cengage Learning Australia Pty Ltd (2010) state that the PM Benchmark Reading Assessments “have been designed to explicitly assess students’ instructional and independent reading levels using unseen, meaningful texts... [they] provide accurately leveled fiction and non-fiction texts ranging progressively from emergent levels to reading age 12.”
Attachment 1 is of a sheet called Identifying a student’s reading level. This sheet informs teachers of how to determine what reading level their students are at and explains that:
“The information on a reading record identifies the cues and strategies that a student uses while processing print. Reading levels can be identified when accuracy and self-correction rates are calculated. When a student successfully searches for extra information to correct an incorrect response, this is recorded as a self-correction.”
Children who score between 95% and 99% are classified as Independent readers for that text. The text they are reading is too easy for them and they need to move up to the next number reading level. Children who score between 90% and 95% are classified as Instructional readers for that text. The instructional stage is best for students to learn new vocabulary. When a student progresses from Instructional to Independent reader on a text they can progress to the next number reading level. If a child scores below 90% they are known as Frustrated readers for that text. The text they are reading is too difficult for them and they need to be tested on a lower number reading level. See Attachment 1 for the full Reading Level Table.
How are PM Reading Benchmarks conducted?
The student and the teacher sit in a comfortable area with minimal distractions. Students read a set text from the number level that they were last classified as Instructional in. The teacher can flick through the book with the student and tell them the names of the main characters and a little bit about what the theme of the book is but they can’t help them with anything else, or any words the child has trouble with. The teacher has a sheet with the words from the book on it. The teacher puts a tick above every word that the child pronounces correctly. If a child says the wrong word then the teacher writes the incorrect word above the word on the piece of paper. If they child corrects themselves the teacher writes SC (self correction) next to the word. There are also comprehension questions that the teacher asks the student to ensure they have an understanding of the story. Once the benchmark has been conducted the teacher works out the students’ accuracy by dividing the number of words in the story by the number of errors made. They can also determine the students’ self correction rate by using the formula shown in Attachment 1.
The reading number level of the books that the students take home to read is the same as the Benchmark level that they are up to. If children read the correct level books at home, they should continue to progress up through the PM Reading Benchmark levels.
What I did:
I conducted a PM Reading Benchmark on a grade 2 student called Claire. We sat in my mentor teacher Sandra’s office away from the rest of the class. The reason I took this reading benchmark is because I had never done one before, and Sandra and I both thought it would be good practise for the future and a good experience for me. I began testing Claire at Level 16. Claire read the story The Classroom Play and scored 99% for this benchmark, making only one error. This classified her as an Independent reader so we moved straight to level 17 (see Attachment 2 for a copy of Claire’s level 16 Benchmark). Claire read the story The Greedy Dog and the Bone and scored 94.5% for this benchmark, making 7 errors. This placed her on the border of Instructional and Independent reader (see Attachment 3 for Claire’s level 17 Benchmark). As Claire was not quite ready to move up to the next level I stopped testing her at this point. Sandra tested Claire again at the same level a few weeks later and she quite easily progressed to level 18.
Rationale:
How the item demonstrates my development as a beginning teacher?
Holding a PM Reading Benchmark has provided me with a number of learning opportunities and has assisted with my development as a professional. This experience has taught me:
I required assistance from Sandra when I conducted the first benchmark with Claire. This involved assistance with filling out the reading record sheet, knowing what and where to tick, and where to write the errors and self corrections. It also involved assisting with determining Claire’s reading accuracy and reading level (easy/instructional/hard). I was then able to conduct the second benchmark independently and make my own conclusions about Claire’s results, without Sandra’s assistance.
After having practised PMP Reading Benchmarks I now feel more confident entering the teaching profession, knowing that I have a method of monitoring and assessing students’ reading levels.
Overview of student learning:
Claire’s reading progression is evident in this item. Before I tested her, she was an Independent reader of level 15 books and needed to be tested at level 16. She then advanced to another level when I tested her, from level 16 to level 17. Within a few weeks she had progressed to level 18. This shows that Claire’s reading capabilities are continuously developing and improving. For documentation of Claire’s progression from level 16 to level 17 see Attachment 2 and 3.
Final Reflection:
Conducting a PM Reading Benchmark contributed immensely to my development as a beginning teacher, especially in relation to students’ literacy learning and, in particular, reading levels. This event has increased my confidence as I enter the teaching profession, knowing that I am capable of assessing students’ literacy learning, and knowing that I am also able to learn new ways of assessing children’s learning quite quickly and easily. PM Reading Benchmarks appear to be a successful way of monitoring and assessing students’ learning, as they are relevant in the way that they relate to the work students are undertaking in school and at home, and ensure that children’s reading levels are continuously progressing.
Context:
What are PM Benchmark Reading Assessments?
Cengage Learning Australia Pty Ltd (2010) state that the PM Benchmark Reading Assessments “have been designed to explicitly assess students’ instructional and independent reading levels using unseen, meaningful texts... [they] provide accurately leveled fiction and non-fiction texts ranging progressively from emergent levels to reading age 12.”
Attachment 1 is of a sheet called Identifying a student’s reading level. This sheet informs teachers of how to determine what reading level their students are at and explains that:
“The information on a reading record identifies the cues and strategies that a student uses while processing print. Reading levels can be identified when accuracy and self-correction rates are calculated. When a student successfully searches for extra information to correct an incorrect response, this is recorded as a self-correction.”
Children who score between 95% and 99% are classified as Independent readers for that text. The text they are reading is too easy for them and they need to move up to the next number reading level. Children who score between 90% and 95% are classified as Instructional readers for that text. The instructional stage is best for students to learn new vocabulary. When a student progresses from Instructional to Independent reader on a text they can progress to the next number reading level. If a child scores below 90% they are known as Frustrated readers for that text. The text they are reading is too difficult for them and they need to be tested on a lower number reading level. See Attachment 1 for the full Reading Level Table.
How are PM Reading Benchmarks conducted?
The student and the teacher sit in a comfortable area with minimal distractions. Students read a set text from the number level that they were last classified as Instructional in. The teacher can flick through the book with the student and tell them the names of the main characters and a little bit about what the theme of the book is but they can’t help them with anything else, or any words the child has trouble with. The teacher has a sheet with the words from the book on it. The teacher puts a tick above every word that the child pronounces correctly. If a child says the wrong word then the teacher writes the incorrect word above the word on the piece of paper. If they child corrects themselves the teacher writes SC (self correction) next to the word. There are also comprehension questions that the teacher asks the student to ensure they have an understanding of the story. Once the benchmark has been conducted the teacher works out the students’ accuracy by dividing the number of words in the story by the number of errors made. They can also determine the students’ self correction rate by using the formula shown in Attachment 1.
The reading number level of the books that the students take home to read is the same as the Benchmark level that they are up to. If children read the correct level books at home, they should continue to progress up through the PM Reading Benchmark levels.
What I did:
I conducted a PM Reading Benchmark on a grade 2 student called Claire. We sat in my mentor teacher Sandra’s office away from the rest of the class. The reason I took this reading benchmark is because I had never done one before, and Sandra and I both thought it would be good practise for the future and a good experience for me. I began testing Claire at Level 16. Claire read the story The Classroom Play and scored 99% for this benchmark, making only one error. This classified her as an Independent reader so we moved straight to level 17 (see Attachment 2 for a copy of Claire’s level 16 Benchmark). Claire read the story The Greedy Dog and the Bone and scored 94.5% for this benchmark, making 7 errors. This placed her on the border of Instructional and Independent reader (see Attachment 3 for Claire’s level 17 Benchmark). As Claire was not quite ready to move up to the next level I stopped testing her at this point. Sandra tested Claire again at the same level a few weeks later and she quite easily progressed to level 18.
Rationale:
How the item demonstrates my development as a beginning teacher?
Holding a PM Reading Benchmark has provided me with a number of learning opportunities and has assisted with my development as a professional. This experience has taught me:
- what a PM Benchmark is
- why PM Reading Benchmarks are used
- how to use PM Reading Benchmarks
- how to determine what number reading level a student is at
- how to determine a student’s reading accuracy
- how to determine a student’s self correction rate
- how to determine whether a student finds a particular text easy, instructional or hard
I required assistance from Sandra when I conducted the first benchmark with Claire. This involved assistance with filling out the reading record sheet, knowing what and where to tick, and where to write the errors and self corrections. It also involved assisting with determining Claire’s reading accuracy and reading level (easy/instructional/hard). I was then able to conduct the second benchmark independently and make my own conclusions about Claire’s results, without Sandra’s assistance.
After having practised PMP Reading Benchmarks I now feel more confident entering the teaching profession, knowing that I have a method of monitoring and assessing students’ reading levels.
Overview of student learning:
Claire’s reading progression is evident in this item. Before I tested her, she was an Independent reader of level 15 books and needed to be tested at level 16. She then advanced to another level when I tested her, from level 16 to level 17. Within a few weeks she had progressed to level 18. This shows that Claire’s reading capabilities are continuously developing and improving. For documentation of Claire’s progression from level 16 to level 17 see Attachment 2 and 3.
Final Reflection:
Conducting a PM Reading Benchmark contributed immensely to my development as a beginning teacher, especially in relation to students’ literacy learning and, in particular, reading levels. This event has increased my confidence as I enter the teaching profession, knowing that I am capable of assessing students’ literacy learning, and knowing that I am also able to learn new ways of assessing children’s learning quite quickly and easily. PM Reading Benchmarks appear to be a successful way of monitoring and assessing students’ learning, as they are relevant in the way that they relate to the work students are undertaking in school and at home, and ensure that children’s reading levels are continuously progressing.
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