EDTE 500

Literacy Assessment
Portfolio
Observation Days: Oct 4 & Oct 7, 2021

Grade 1 Student

By: Liliana Ballarin-Cass

Literacy Assessment Portfolio

Table of Contents

Content Page Number

Table of Contents Pg. 1

Overview of D Pg. 2-3

D.’s NLPS Primary Assessment of Reading Screener Pg. 4-7

D.’s Running Reading Record Pg. 8-9

D.’s Writing Sample Pg. 10

D.’s Recommended Next Steps & Instructional Strategies Pg. 11-13

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Overview of D.

D is a Grade 1 student at Ecole North Oyster Elementary. On our first day D, came in

with an excitement for reading and a curiosity about the table/desk we were sitting at. He was

exploring the underside of it and wondering how the piece below pulled out. Once redirected,

D was ready to share his enthusiasm for reading! Although he was still intrigued about the table

(crawling under the table to see the pieces/pulling out the drawer) he was engaged in short

conversation with me.

When talking about reading, D showed confidence in his reading abilities and shared his

favorite books to read are “Elephant and Piggie” written by Mo Willems, specifically the one

“Should I Share My Ice Cream”. He shared his reason for liking these books is because of the

speech bubbles, the pictures: “Sometimes the pictures tell the story!” and the silly stories. He

shared that at school he enjoys reading by himself although at home, he reads a lot more with

his mom. He explained he prefers to read at home because mum reads to him and he can read

to her. Which I believe contributes to his enthusiasm and confidence for reading! He enjoys

reading so much that he wants to be a librarian when he grows up, “To help people find books”.

Moving on to the NLPS Primary Assessment of Reading Screener, D flew through it and

demonstrated strengths in all aspects of the screener. He was quite confident with the screener

which prompted a couple reminders to remember to slow down, as I am also learning. D, also

excelled in the Running Record as was keen to get started! Once he saw the book “The Big

Plane” Leveled Reading 4, he immediately picked it up and was ready to demonstrate his

reading skills! When we moved on to writing, I noticed, although his confidence in reading is

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high, his confidence in his writing ability is quite the opposite. He was not as keen to discuss

writing when prompted with questions. His responses were short with little desire to elaborate,

where it came to reading he was excited to talk about it. For example, when asked ‘Do you like

writing?’ he responded with “yes… sometimes… no” when prompted more specifically ‘What

do you like about writing?’ He said, “Not that much.” D, shared that he finds coming up with

ideas and spelling of words for writing the most difficult. With lots of encouragement and

support D, drew a detailed picture and wrote short phrases about what he enjoys about the

playground.

It was such a treat to get to learn a little bit about D and hear his enthusiasm for reading,

his family and encouraging him on his fabulous printing!

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D.’s NLPS Primary Assessment of Reading Screener

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D.’s Running Reading Record

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D.’s Writing Sample

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D.’s Recommended Next Steps & Instructional Strategies

Strengths Stretches

● Self-confidence and enthusiasm for ● Confidence in writing

reading - Support with writing strategies
● Connects/associates digraphs to Stretching out sounds to spell
words words
- /th/ for “Like the” ● Risk taking with printing
- /ch/ for “Like choo choo ● Slowing down when reading
train!” - To support accurate
- /sh/ for “ Like my name __sh” comprehension of story
● Put individual sight words into short ● Practice with consonant digraph /kn/
meaningful phrases:
- Was: “He was playing football”
- You: “You are my best friend!”
● Strong concepts of print
● Demonstrated a pattern of solating
words within words for example:
- Slip
- Inside
● Letter and sound recognition
● Legible printing and appropriate
finger spacing
● Writing strategy:
- Understands the relationship
‘e’ has with words when it is at
the end

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Recommended Next Steps and Instructional Strategies
Next Steps Rationale
1. Building confidence ● Supporting D in building
in Writing/Printing his writing skills will help
him share his voice.
- This will support him in
expressing himself, his
ideas and experiences.
● Allows for students to
build agency over their
writing
2. Writing Strategies ● Strengthening the
development of student
writing skills allows
them to transfer their
knowledge to written
expression more as they
practice.
● Encourages students to
take risks and add more
detail into their writing.
3. New Levelled ● D, scored 100% accuracy
Reading Book on his Running Record
which tells me he is
Teacher Instruction
● Meaningful praise:
- For printing
- For risk taking
- Idea choosing
● Provide writing prompts
that he can connect
with/interested in or
excited about.
● Create opportunities for
journaling with a focus on
ideas not spelling
- Emphasising
spelling takes
practice!
● Try to figure out where
that anxiety might be
coming from.
● Provide opportunities for
students to turn and share
ideas before writing
● Write student ideas on the
board prior to writing
activity
● Create a word wall for
students to reference
● Provide student with
sentence stems to support
sentence fluency/flow
● Allow for student to draw
detailed pictures before
writing
● Encourage stretching out
words a couple times
before asking for help
● Sit with D and provide him
with a more challenging
book.
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ready for something ● D seems to really like
more challenging.
● An appropriate level of
challenge will benefit his
growth in reading
strategies and keep him
interested in reading
making references to
peers in his reading. I
wonder if providing him
the opportunity of being a
‘leader’ and support
struggling peers might
support his confidence
and could transfer over to
his writing.
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