This article provides information to help you understand and take fluency assessments.
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UNDERSTANDING FLUENCY ASSESSMENTS
At various points within the English Language Arts K-2 courses, you will encounter fluency assessments. Each assessment has four parts. You will record yourself reading the name and sound of letters, words, and sentences.
Assessment = Evaluation
While the word assessment is in the title, these activities are not graded tests. Each part will be given a score, but the score does not factor into your grade average. The fluency assessments are an evaluation of the skills you have learned in the previous lessons. The score gives your teacher information about how much you have learned up to the point of the fluency assessment.
Letter Recognition
In this section, you will be given a set of both uppercase and lowercase letters of the alphabet. You are to say the name of each letter. You DO NOT need to say "uppercase" or "lowercase."
Sound Recognition
Each letter of the alphabet makes its own sound. In this section, you will say the sound each letter makes.
Word Recognition
In this section, you will be given a set of words to read. These are the sight words you have been learning. If you do not know a word, say “skip” and go to the next word. It is okay to skip words! Your teacher wants to hear all the words you do know in the set. It is also okay if you do not finish before the timer runs out.
Sentence Recognition
In this section, you are going to read sentences out loud. If you do not know a word, say “skip” and go to the next word. It is okay to skip words! Your teacher wants to hear all the words you do know in the story. It is also okay if you do not finish before the timer runs out.
NOTE: You have the option to read off of the screen or from a printed PDF version of the assessment.
For either option you choose, it is recommended that you follow the text with your finger to keep your place and a good pace.
RECORDING
IMPORTANT: Click Test Microphone before you begin each assessment. If your microphone is not detected, click on the link located in the assessment directions on the page to open the activity in a new window.
NOTE: To help reduce anxiety during the assessment, please click the box to the left of Hide Countdown Timer.
Make sure you are sitting comfortably in a quiet space and are free from distractions. When you are ready, click the Start Recording button. Speak clearly and follow the text with your finger as you read.
REMEMBER: If you do not know the name of a letter, the sound of a letter, or how to say a word, you may say "skip" and continue on. This is timed and the recording will stop after one minute. You are not required to finish each section within a minute. Please do not worry if you are unable to do this.
SUBMITTING YOUR FLUENCY ASSESSMENT
Submitting Using the Fluency Recorder
Once the recording is complete, you can submit your fluency assessment by adding any optional comments and clicking Submit Fluency.
IMPORTANT: If you would like to download a copy of the file, you need to click on the download icon prior to submission. Once you submit, you will no longer have the option to download.
Using the Submit Fluency button, you will not receive a submission confirmation or green checkmark until you navigate away from the submission.
TIP: Try clicking VIEW GRADE DETAILS in the Submission area to verify submission.
Submitting Using the Submission Field
Upload Submission Options
If you chose to download the recording and submit in the Submission area of the activity, you will have the option to select either Attach a file or Choose Google document when uploading your file.
Choosing Google document allows you to locate and upload your file from your Google Drive.
Choosing to attach a file allows you to browse your computer or external drive to locate and upload your file.
Once you choose your file, you may add comments for your teacher in the Comments field.
IMPORTANT: You must click the SUBMIT MY WORK button to send your assessment to your teacher. If you are not ready to submit your assessment, you can exit the activity and return to the assessment later.
TIP: Watch Submitting an Upload Assessment: Video for additional support of each question type.
Please note, the images that may be found in this resource may not match your screen.
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