Running Records

1. Running Records Guided Reading, Good First Teaching for All Children, Fountas & Pinnell

2. Running Records • Are tools for assessing reading behaviors. • Are used when students read aloud. • Are able to be analyzed for meaning, language structure, and visual (phonic) cues.

3. Uses of Running Records • To place children in appropriate texts. • To note reading behaviors the child knows and what (s)he needs to learn next. • To keep a record of change over time. • To make critical decisions about a child.

4. Interpreting Running Records • Does the child read from left to right, top to bottom, and return sweep? • Does the child use background knowledge? • Does the child self-correct? • Does the child use language structure? • Does the child search for meaning? • Does the child take risks?

5. The Three Reading Cue Systems • Meaning • Does it make sense? • Structure • Does it sound right? • Visual • Does it look right?

6. Taking a Running Record • Sit next to the child while he reads the text. • Code the behaviors on a separate form or blank piece of paper. • Tell him the word if he is stuck on a word.

7. Coding a Running Record • Make a check mark for each word read accurately. • Record mismatches with a line; write children’s behaviors above the line and text information below the line. • Examine the Conventions sheet for coding.

8. Scoring Running Records • Substitutions count as one error. • Multiple attempts at a word count as one error. • Omissions, insertions, and “tolds” count as one error. Repetitions are not errors. • Self-corrections are not errors.

9. Accuracy and Self-Correction Rates • Subtract the number of errors from total words. Divide by the number of words and multiply by 100 to get the accuracy rate. • For self-correction rate, add the number of errors and self-corrections and divide by the number of self-corrections.

10. Reading Levels • 95-99% easy text - independent level • 90-94% instructional text and level • Below 90% - difficult text and level

11. Analysis • Analyze the cues to determine the strategies the reader used and what must be taught next. • Questions to ask: • Does the reader use cues in relation to one another? • Does the reader search for more information to self-correct?

12. Practice • The next step is to practice taking a running record. • Be sure to notice what the child is doing during reading.