Using the Scholastic Reading Inventory as an Instructional Tool

Module 1Section 1

Teachers with accurate reading levels for students have the power……..

to have rigor and remediation

happen at the same time.

to plan for differentiated

instruction more effectively.

to meet each student on their

instructional level.

Course ObjectivesOverall goal of instruction: Increase the literacy rate of students across the curriculum by supporting lesson plan development utilizing SRI.

Specific objectives: Upon completion of this course, the learners will be able to:

Module 1

• Provide a rationale for using the SRI levels to plan instructional activities (affective domain).

Module 2• Retrieve reports and analyze data from reports to create flexible student groups (cognitive domain).

• Using the Lexile framework, select higher-leveled text to stretch students’ reading abilities so they may experience growth (cognitive domain).

• Use Lexile levels when selecting lower-leveled text to help to ensure comprehension for students less proficient (cognitive domain).

Module 3• Justify that students are reading books on their Lexile level and completing Reading Counts assessments for selected text (cognitive

domain).

• Collaborate with the media specialist to identify additional leveled texts, promote reading campaigns, and set up attainable reading goals for each student (affective domain).

Module 1 Description: This module focuses on understanding SRI and Lexile levels for learning.

In this module you will learn to:

• Understand the purpose and design of the SRI

• Understand how use Lexile levels

• Learn how to Lexile levels apply to common core standards, classroom text and real world text

• Learn the pro and cons of using Lexiles levels to plan instruction

• Learn how to generate three basic reports and use them to plan instruction

Module 1

Section 1

What is the SRI?

What is Scholastic Reading Inventory?• The SRI stands for Scholastic Reading Inventory. It is a computer adaptive

test for students K-12 that provides an assessment of reading. Results are reported in Lexile reading levels and are used to measure the students ability to comprehend literary and expository text. All questions are multiple choice and are fill in the blank style. The questions require students to recall facts or use inferential skills to identify the best answer choice. The questions are generated from a test bank with over 5000 questions.

• Students are presented with questions based on a reading passage. When students answer a question correctly, the next question gets harder and if answered incorrectly, the question gets easier. The questions continue until a strong level of certainty of the test taker’s ability is obtained and a score is provided based on the Lexile Framework for Reading.

• The SRI can be used as a stand alone assessment or part of Scholastic’s reading intervention program READ 180. The assessment can be given on any Mac, Ipad or PC. The SRI correlates to several state assessments such as the (TABE) Test of Adult Basic Education, Stanford Achievement Test, (ITBS) The Iowa Tests, and (TOEFL) Test of English as a Foreign Language.

• Test results are provided in Criterion-referenced and norm-referenced data. Criterion-referenced data can be used to plan instruction and text selection for students. The norm-referenced results are used to show how other students of the same age and grade performed on the assessment.

At the end of the assessment students are provided with a numerical level for reading called a Lexile. The Lexile is used to help teachers and students select the appropriate level of materials for instructional and independent reading. Lexile measures are reported between 0 and 1700L. If a student does not receive an numerical value the are considered a beginning reader the lowest level. Low values indicate easier-to-read texts, while higher values reflect more demanding text.

(You will learn more about Lexile measures in section 2.)

The chart below illustrates the expected growth in Lexile measure for a student with reading interventions over the course of a school year. Generally students with a lower

proficiency will demonstrate the most growth. Students reading on grade level or with a higher proficiency typically make smaller gains as the text becomes more complex.

Grades 3-5 Grades 6-8 Grades 9-110

20

40

60

80

100

120

140

160

25 Percentile50 Percentile75 Percentile

Lexile

Growth

The SRI helps educators to………

Forecast state test outcomesSet goals for growth

Help students demonstrate accountability

Gauge the effectiveness of a curriculum

Identify struggling readers Plan for instruction

Make meaningful interventions

in the RTI processDifferentiate instruction

6 Things students should know about the SRI.

Fiction and non-fiction passages are used.

Test items are drawn from a variety of content areas.

SRI derives its question bank from authentic passages of literature that

students encounter both in and out of school.

SRI test items do not require prior knowledge of ideas outside the

passage.

SRI does not test on vocabulary taken out of context, or require formal logic.

Students receive their Lexile at the end of the assessment.

Hopefully all student’s performance will increase over the school year. Occasionally students test

scores fluctuate due to internal and external factors.

Can you think of internal and external factors that may affect a

student’s performance?

Possible Internal FactorsRe- testing students to soon it is recommended to give the assessment every 8-9 weeks. Students must wait 30 days before the system will allow them to retest.Occasional the test needs to adapt to the students true reading levels resulting in a discrepancy in scores.

Possible External Factors• Lack of rest• Hunger• Distractions in the testing environment• Student’s emotional state of mind

How Students Experience the SRI 5

• Select interest • Take Quiz: 20-30 min• Test ends with the computer generating an

accurate reading level.• Students are shown their Lexile immediately.• They are given a Recommended Reading List

based on Lexile score.

Let’s try a few questions!

700L– 850L

Q. When I was talking to Donny Thunderbird, he told me about his relatives all over the reservation. He has cousins with no mother or father, but because they are members of the tribe, they will never be without a home. They will always belong to something.

The tribe is ______________.A. lostB. hugeC. famousD. supportive

400L– 550LQ. Cody’s room at home looked like a tornado had hit it. Boxes were piled everywhere. Some were open, with things falling out. Others were still taped shut.

The room was ___________ .A. messyB. smallC. emptyD. Bright

100L– 250LQ. He broke records every week. No one in the state had ever caught more passes. Or gained more yards. Or scored more touchdowns.

He was a _________ player.A. greatB. slowC. newD. last

SRI Reports

• SRI manages data and reports in the Scholastic Achievement Manager (SAM), the data backbone for all Lexile®-based Scholastic reading programs. SRI, in addition to automatically scoring and analyzing student performance data, provides educators with several reports and letters that support universal screening, instructional placement, progress monitoring, and AYP reporting needs.

*Note: You will analyze SRI reports in section 4*

Section 1 Review

1. State the purpose of the SRI.

2. What is the name of the measure for student reading levels provided from taking the SRI?

3. List three ways the SRI can help educators.

Review Answers

1. An assessment to determine the reading comprehension level of students grades K-12.2. Lexile3. Possible responses include: Plan instruction, select appropriate reading materials, identify struggling readers, differentiate instruction, set goals for students.

How to Administer the SRI Assessment to Students

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8kfZ9QzE2qA

Brown, C. [cabobrowns]. (2010, August 3). Reading Counts with Ms. Brown: Take Your Lexile Level to the Top [Video File]. Retrieved from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8kfZ9QzE2qA

ReferencesBrown, C. [cabobrowns]. (2010, August 3). Reading Counts with Ms. Brown: Take Your Lexile Level to the Top [Video File]. Retrieved from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8kfZ9QzE2qA

Scholastic, Inc. (2013). Scholastic Reading Inventory. Retrieved from http://teacher.scholastic.com/products/sri_reading_assessment/index.htm