LITERACY PROFILE

Literacy Profile
Katelyn Smith
Longwood University

Contextual Contextual Factors

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Areas
Community, E Elementary School
District, and  geographic location: Hanover County
School Factors  community population: 105,923 people
 school population: 393 students
 socio-economic profile: 47.3% economically disadvantaged, Title I
School, 42.8% free and reduced lunch
 other environmental factors: PK-5 ELL population 11.7%
th
Classroom 4 Grade Classroom
factors  physical features: Classroom of 22 students, individual desks, reading
area (minimal text selection)
 availability of equipment: 5 student computers, 5 iPads, Smartboard
 resources: classroom library, reference materials
 extent of parent involvement: text, phone calls, emails
 classroom rules and routines: 4th grade uses the Daily Five model
throughout their literacy block. During this time, the teacher meets
with three out of four reading groups each day. They use the Jan
Richardson model to help improve literacy skills at the students’
instructional level. Students have time to work on all components of
literacy development with independent work time. Students are
expected to use 10-15 minutes each day on independent word study
activities.
 grouping patterns: Fountas and Pinnell Benchmark Assessment
System is used to group students based off of their instructional
guided reading level. Teachers also use DSA data to support guided
reading instruction. She has four reading groups, but works with
three per day. Two groups meet with the teacher every day and the
other two groups alternate. This allows the teacher to focus on
working with students with the greatest need more often.
 scheduling: 4th grade has guided reading and Daily Five from 8:15 to
9:15 each day. This is then followed by interactive read alouds,
shared reading experiences, and explicit writing instruction.
 classroom arrangement: Every teacher has a kidney table to utilize
for small group instruction. This is where her guided reading
instruction takes place. She also has an additional table that is
smaller and round across the classroom that is used for
interventionist that push in to support struggling readers.
Student Student
Characteristics  age: 9
 gender: Male
 special needs: Student is a fraternal twin. His twin was diagnosed
with ADHD two years ago and is medicated. Mom and dad also have
a history of ADHD. He has not been assessed. He does receive literacy
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intervention within his classroom setting since he is not meeting

grade level expectations in reading.
 achievements/developmental levels: Student is currently reading
below grade level expectations and has not made any progress in
word study. In third grade, he did not pass the Virginia Reading SOL.
He did qualify for an expedited retake, but his parents did not give
consent. Student has received intervention services, with Tier II
supports, for three years.
 skills relevant to learning goals: He has great potential, but he has
difficulty containing his excitement and remaining focused on the
task at hand. He is able to decode words, but he struggles to use that
knowledge to encode words and expand his comprehension skills.
 culture: White student
 learning styles/modalities: He learns best with the use of visual aids
and kinesthetic modalities. This allows him to access the content on a
deeper level.
 attendance record: 4 absences and 12 days tardy
 disciplinary history: None to date

Instructional How do contextual characteristics of the community, classroom and

Implications students have implicated for instructional planning and assessment?

Student is a fraternal twin and is one of four boys. He has attended the same
elementary school since Kindergarten (five years). C has received
intervention support in the area of reading for the past three years. He is
generally approaching grade level expectation, but he tends to fall further
behind without continued support. He is making progress in reading, but he
is not making progress in word study. C did not pass his third grade Virginia
Reading SOL (390). According to his most recent reading benchmark, he is
reading instructionally on level O. He began the year on level N. The lack of
growth is concerning. At home it is a bit chaotic as mom is the only working
adult. Homework is generally not a priority. His parents understand that he
does need support to encourage valuable growth in his academics.
C’s classroom environment is a bit overwhelming, unstructured, and chaotic.
His teacher is generally not prepared for instruction and the room is filled
with unorganized clutter. The independent reading library in the classroom
contains older text selections and is not very diverse. This has caused some
challenges for students to stay in text and be engaged.

III: Assessment
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Student was assessed over three sessions in a one to one setting. The Elementary Spelling

Inventory (ESI) and the Qualitative Reading Inventory were the assessments used to gain an

initial baseline of his strengths and weaknesses. Student showed excitement towards tutoring and

expressed his personal concerns towards reading. He is easily distracted, or becomes side tracked

into other thoughts, and did need prompting to remain on task throughout each portion of the

assessment. He was engaged in the Word Recognition in Isolation portion of the QRI, but once

he figured out he was incorrect, he became more and more hesitant to identify the word. He

would then go back to the word and look at the examiners facial expression to determine if he

was correct. Student struggled to give details within the comprehension conversation and it was

evident that listening comprehension was more difficult than oral comprehension.

It was noticeable that fluency was a key factor as the passages became increasingly

difficult, which could relate to his lack of synthesizing and attention to detail in the

comprehension assessment. This could be due to the length of the session that took place after

the normal school day. His writing sample was typed and provided by his classroom teacher.

Sufficient details were not present and he was unable to develop a clear beginning, middle, and

end. His overall achievement, including strengths and weaknesses, on the given assessments

align with current classroom performance.

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IV: Data Analysis and Reading Levels

Section 1:

Initial assessment data above provided an overview of his strengths and areas need

improvement based off of his current grade level expectations. The Word Recognition in

Isolation (WRI) task was stronger when it was untimed and he was able to find parts of the word

he knew and decoded the word. The Word Recognition in Context (WRC) proved that he has

strong accuracy skills, but this then hinders his fluency rate as it is calculated in Words Per

Minute (WPM). This indicates that he needs to strengthen his orthographic mapping skills as it

will improve his sight word knowledge and fluency skills. Student struggled with

comprehension, especially in the listening component. His score improved and he was able to

provide additional details pertaining to the text when he had the opportunity to look back at the

passage.

His writing sample displayed his ability to maintain motivation when he is interested in

the topic and his ability to develop an initial idea. He did struggle to incorporate complex

sentences that supported a clear beginning, middle, and end. The Words Their Way Elementary

Spelling Inventory (WTW-ESI) indicated that he is in the middle within word pattern stage,

which aligns with his functional reading placement. Student initially began using but confusing

long vowels (ambiguous vowels and vowel teams). He was able to accurately write initial and

final consonants, short vowels, digraphs, and blends. As he continues to develop his literacy

skills, it was evident that addressing orthographic mapping skills could improve word
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recognition, fluency, comprehension, spelling, and writing. When considering all assessment

data above, his literacy learning is developing in synchrony, just not at the rate of his same age

peers.

Section 2:

Based off of the assessment data collected, he is reading instructionally at a third grade

level. His ability to recognize words in isolation was at 55% on both the third and fourth grade

WRI assessment. Although, this was still in the instructional range at the fourth grade level, his

WRC assessment, or ability to recognize words in context, was 96% at the third grade level and

91% at the fourth grade level. His oral reading rate was significantly below grade level

expectations at 67 WPM on an expository text. his oral comprehension at 50% on the fourth

grade passage, which is frustrational. He was able to comprehend with 88% accuracy on the third

grade passage. His WRI and WRC assessments proved that he was an instructional reader at the

third and fourth grade level, but as we look closer at his oral reading rate and comprehension

skills it is clear that his instructional level is third grade. It is appropriate to begin instruction

with third grade text to allow him to solidify his understanding of various comprehension

strategies and support fluency growth.

Section 3:

Assessment data and situational factors indicate strengths and weaknesses in his literacy

learning. Student instructionally reads expository and narrative text one year below his same age

peers. Although he can accurately read the words, his reading rate is close to half that of his

peers. This hinders his comprehension as the majority of his thinking goes into word recognition

and he struggles to develop detailed or accurate descriptions as it relates to the text. He will often

take longer to read text due to his close attention to accuracy. It has caused him to take longer on
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his classroom assignments and he will often times submit his work late or not at all. Student’s

classroom is chaotic and lacks meaningful instruction during his literacy block and he struggles

to remain focused. When he is presented with quality and explicit literacy instruction, he would

be reading at the same instructional level as his peers.

V: Instructional Goals & Instructional Plan

Comprehension &
Word Knowledge Fluency Writing
Vocabulary
Goals: Goals: Goals: Goals:
 We will first  Connor will increase  Connor will be  Connor will
work on his fluency by able to give a compose a
common long reading familiar text clear retelling of complete
vowels since this with expression and the text and paragraph that
is an evident intonation. This will identify conflict includes a clear
area that he is include focusing on and resolutions beginning,
using but text with repetitive that are present. middle, and end.
confusing. It is patterns.   He will also be  He will use
appropriate to  Increase his sight able to make text appropriate
begin instruction word bank to to world spacing after
at this point and improve fluency. connections and punctuation and
we will begin describe his incorporate
with a sort that Recommended understanding complex
focuses on long supporting activities: and begin sentences that
o patterns. He  Word bank (high thinking beyond include expanded
will be able to frequency and sight the text with the details pertaining
read, sort, and words) flash cards support of to the topic.
write words that daily and games essential  Connor will
contain common  Daily rereading of at questions.  begin to vary the
long o patterns. least one familiar text beginning of his
 After the initial to begin and then Recommended sentences to
sort, I will work moving to two or supporting activities: entice his
on long i more  Visualization and audience to
patterns with  Echo reading or illustration continue reading
emphasis on – teacher model then  Teacher directed more. 
igh as this was a student  prompts
feature that he  Text phrasing  Venn diagrams or Recommended
needs other graphic supporting activities:
strengthening in. organizers  Scaffolding sentence
He will be able starters
to read, sort, and  Adjective activities
write words that  Graphic organizers
contain common  Teacher modeling of
long i patterns. stretching sentences
 He will begin to and reviewing
use his spacing that proceeds
knowledge of punctuation
common long
vowels and other
vowels
throughout
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independent
writing tasks.

Recommended
supporting activities:
 Word hunts
 Writing for sounds
 Blind sorts
 Writing sorts
 Additional games
and activities (WTW
text)

Lesson Reading for Word Knowledge Comprehension Writing

Fluency

1 Text title: N/A General feature: Introduce Essential Task: N/A

(Word Text source: Long Vowel o Question
Study N/A Sort categories: What role do animals
Only) Text level: N/A CVCe, oa, ow play in our Skill focus:
environment? N/A
Skill focus: N/A Activity: Vowel Spin
Game (WTW)
Activity: N/A

2 Text title: What General feature: Text title: Protecting Task: Key
is a Zoo Long Vowel i the Kakapo Word
Nutritionist? Sort categories: VCe, Text source: LLI (F&P) Summary
Text source: igh, CVCC Text level: O
Scholastic Short
Read Activity: Blind Sort Content focus: Skill focus:
Text level: N Protecting Endangered Conventions
Species and Ideas
Skill focus:
Inflection and Skill focus: Questioning
Rate w/VIP

Activity: TRR
series w/ student
graph

3 Text title: North General feature: Text title: Animals in Task: Key
Pole Discoveries Other Long u Danger: Polar Bears Word
Text source: Sort categories: oo, Text source: EPIC! Summary-
ReadWorks ew Text level: O Impact
Text level: N
Activity: Writing Sort Content focus: Survival Skill focus:
Skill focus: + Vowel Spin Review of Species Ideas,
Intonation & with learned features Conventions,
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Rate Skill focus: Word Choice

Determining Importance
Activity: TRR
series w/ student
graph

4 Text title: Back General feature: Text title: Bald Eagles: Task: Main
From the Brink Dipthongs A Chemical Nightmare Idea Summary:
Text source: Sort categories: oi, Text source: EPIC! Is the Bald
ReadWorks ow, ou Text level: P Eagle
Text level: O Important to
Activity: Writing Sort Content focus: Bald the
Skill focus: Eagle’s environment?
Orthographic Importance/Contribution Why?
Mapping & to U.S. Skill focus:
Expression Ideas, Word
Skill focus: Questioning Choice
Activity: TRR
series w/ student
graph

5 Text title: Sea General feature: Text title: Green Sea Task: Main
Turtles in Dipthongs Cont. Turtle Migration Idea Summary:
Trouble Sort categories: -ow Text source: EPIC! How can nature
Text source: (row), -ow (owl), -ou Text level: P or specific
ReadWorks (out) plant life
Text level: O Content focus: support
Activity: The Spelling Environmental Impact survival among
Skill focus: Game (WTW) on Species (other plant sea turtles?
Orthographic and animal life)
Mapping & Skill focus:
Attend to Skill focus: Making Word Choice,
Punctuation Connections Sentence
Fluency
Activity: TRR
series w/ student
graph

VI: Evidence of Research Base: Individualized Instructional Goals

Appropriate and relevant goals were identified based off of assessments and effective

research based practices. Word knowledge goals were developed based off of the Words Their

Way: Elementary Spelling Inventory results. Gunning describes the importance of providing

spelling instruction that aligns with the development and specific need of the student (Gunning,
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2018). As he is using but confusing long vowels, this was identified as his initial developmental

need. He struggles to identify the appropriate pattern due to the multiple patterns that represent

one sound, which can be challenging at the ‘Within Word Pattern’ stage (Bear, 2015). Overall

literacy development is strengthened as knowledge of orthography grows and research clearly

describes the importance of developing reading, writing, and spelling in synchrony (Bear, 2015).

Kilpatrick describes fluency as reading quickly, accurately, and with prosody (Kilpatrick,

2015). It is imperative that he is able to add more sight words to his vocabulary, which will allow

him to improve his fluency rate. With sufficient orthographic mapping skills, he will be able to

store printed words into his long term memory and connect it to spoken words (Kilpatrick,

2015). This then aligns directly with his word knowledge goals, in both fluency and sight word

vocabulary, and continues to support overall literacy growth.

Extensive research also indicates that fluency can impact reading comprehension

(Kilpatrick, 2015). As his sight word vocabulary improves, he will be then be able to shift more

of his working memory on comprehension and less on decoding skills (Kilpatrick, 2015). In

supporting his goal of determining importance and thinking beyond the text, it is imperative that

we focus on schema as it also supports his growth in reading for meaning (Gunning, 2018). As

he progresses through tutoring sessions, comprehensions strategies that specifically target his

area of need are embedded in the reading lesson. A few beneficial strategies for Student will be

identifying main ideas and key details, summarizing, and inferencing as described by Gunning.

This will then allow him to synthesize information in non-fiction text and begin to make

connections.

As we focus on writing, we are focusing on the development of ideas while still

supporting accessing his schema to write a summary that includes complex sentences. Gunning
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is very clear when he discusses that as we work with students on writing, it is important to shift

the focus to their ideas and their current understanding of the writing process (Gunning, 2018). It

is easy to identify the struggles that students have with usage and mechanics. As I continue to

work with the base knowledge that he has of the writing process, he will be able to compose

sentences, or even fluid paragraphs that support word choice as he builds on his understanding of

concepts or texts he reads. Written conversations will allow him to process his thinking, engage

in the modeling process, and connect to his interests (Gunning, 2018).

As we continue to learn more about literacy through quality research, it is important that

instruction is approached in a manner that intertwines and allows students to make connections

among all areas of literacy development, including writing.

VII: Tutoring Log

Tutoring sessions were scheduled based off providing flexibility for his family. We met

on a Monday or Thursday afternoon at the school he attends. This was determined on a weekly

basis due to additional commitments among his siblings. Two of our sessions were interrupted as

mom or dad arrived prior to the conclusion of our lesson. This was merely due to me finding a

balance as we moved through each portion of the session. As I became comfortable, the sessions

became fluid. He did attend the sessions for more than the suggested time each day.

Tutoring Log:

Feb. 10, 2020 Assessment Part I- 1.25 Hours

Feb. 13, 2020 Assessment Part 2: 1.25 Hours
Feb. 17, 2020 Finalize Assessments/ Lesson 1: Word Study-
0.75 Hours
Feb. 28, 2020 Lesson 2: Comprehensive- 1.25 Hours
March 5, 2020 Lesson 3: Comprehensive- 1.15 Hours
Mar. 13, 2020 Lesson 4: Written Plan--Unable to complete
due to COVID-19
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VIII: Literacy Lessons & Reflections

Throughout our lessons, I learned additional information about him that was beneficial in

tailoring the focus to meet his needs. Although he was not too far behind his same age peers,

these one-on-one sessions drastically boosted his confidence. He opened up fairly quickly which

allowed me to dive in and determine the literacy learning that was working and what I needed to

change in order to support his growth.

In the beginning, it was difficult to keep him engaged in the learning towards the end of

the lesson. This was due to my lack of time management as I was long winded and needed to be

more explicit and direct in the session. As I began explicitly modeling the word study and

reading strategies, we were able to move through the lesson fluidly and with purpose. I also

determined that it was much more effective to align the strategies that he was taught in the

classroom setting with our lessons. For example, as we were determining importance he was able

to use sticky notes to document his thinking and align it with his knowledge of the main idea and

details.

Although the long range plan was a strong basis for his specific needs, I did make minor

changes within the lessons based off of continued progress monitoring. His writing was the most

effective progress monitoring tool as it focused on the text. I was able to gather information

about his comprehension, writing, and word knowledge. He was able to develop a short

summary based off of his reading that contained complex sentences. This was accomplished by

shifting his writing focus to his knowledge and ideas and away from his frustration of proper

spelling as described by Gunning (Gunning, 2018). If more sessions were possible, I am sure the

long range plan would continue to be adapted based off of further progress monitoring data.
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Overall, I feel like our time together allowed him to become more confident in his overall

literacy development.

IX: Progress Monitoring & Post Assessments

OMIT: Insufficient data available due to limited number of sessions

X: Evidence of Research Base - Goals

Based off of continuous progress monitoring and reflective teaching practices, Connor

would benefit from receiving additional literacy support in the classroom setting. He is not

drastically behind his same age peers and he will be able to reach an appropriate developmental

level as long as he is supported and provided with quality instructional opportunities.

As he continues to participate in guided reading sessions, his classroom teacher should

provide instruction within a small group setting that matches his developmental level (Gunning,

2018). This will ensure that he is receiving explicit instruction, especially comprehension

strategies and word learning, based off his current instructional stage. Within the classroom, he

should also have access to a wide variety of engaging texts that support his independent and

instructional functional levels. Motivation has been a gateway to his success and his current

classroom library did not provide relevant or engaging books.

Although I would not recommend retention, he would benefit from participating in a

quality summer school program. This will allow him to continue to receive explicit literacy

instruction and hold onto the strategies and knowledge he obtained within the school year

(Gunning, 2018). As a struggling reader, he would potentially be able to catch up to his peers and

benefit from continued parental involvement.

Finally, he would be a great candidate for peer tutoring. He would be able to collaborate

with a peer on an informal basis to support and expand his literacy learning. Gunning also
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identifies that this would also allow both students to learn from one another (Gunning, 2018).

This recommendation could improve his comprehension and vocabulary skills.

Although these recommendations are not extensive and matched to a specific program,

they match his current development and will support his overall growth. He thrives off of

positive praise and encouragement.

XI: Report Writing

Name: Connor Eyler

Grade: 4th grade
Tutor’s Name: Katelyn Smith
Dates of Tutoring: February 10 – March 5, 2020

Connor attended 3 out of 6 after-school tutoring during the spring semester of 2020. Connor
participated in sessions that included oral reading practice to build fluency and silent reading to
foster reading comprehension. Writing instruction and practice complimented the
comprehension work. Word knowledge was also addressed in the tutorial; Connor studied
various long vowel patterns.

Informal reading assessments conducted at the beginning of the semester showed Connor to be
reading on a third grade level. His word recognition in isolation showed that he knew most
second grade words but approximately half of a sample of third and fourth grade words. His oral
reading rate was slow (80 words per minute) and lacked fluency. An analysis of his oral reading
miscues showed that he sometimes miscalls simple function words (e.g., what for want). His
spelling did not meet grade level expectations. Notable spelling errors included long vowel
patterns (e.g., FLOUT: float) and ambiguous vowels (e.g., SPOUAIL: spoil).

Assessments were not able to be administered at the end of the tutorial due to unforeseen
circumstances. Based off of progress monitoring, Connor was beginning to make connections
among texts and use comprehension strategies to support his understanding. His ability to expand
and clearly form ideas in writing showed much improvement as he confidence was boosted. In
addition, his word knowledge was growing slowly as he was introduced to various vowel
patterns, including ambiguous vowels.

It has been a pleasure working with Connor this spring. Attached is a list of books that would be
appropriate for Connor to continue practicing throughout our Learn From Home period and
during the summer.

Report Prepared by: Katelyn Smith

________________________
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Katelyn Smith
Graduate Student
Longwood University
Reading, Literacy & Learning Program
Book List

 Chocolate Fever by Robert Kimmel Smith

 Clementine Series by Sarah Pennypacker

 Who Would Win? Series by Jerry Pallotta

 I Survived Series by Lauren Tarshis

 The Last Kids on Earth Series by Max Brallier

 Eerie Elementary Series by Jack Chabert

 Dragon Master’s Series by Tracey West

 The Bad Guy’s Series by Aaron Blabey

 Disaster Strikes Series by Marlane Kennedy

 Who Was? Series by Joan Holub

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References

Bear, D., Invernizzi, M., Templeton, S., & Johnston, F. (2015). Words their way: Word study for

phonics, spelling and vocabulary instruction (6th Ed.), Boston, MA: Prentice

Hall/Pearson.

Gunning, T. (2018).  Assessing and correcting reading and writing difficulties (6th edition).  New

York, NY:  Pearson.

Kilpatrick, D. (2015). Essentials of assessing, preventing, and overcoming reading difficulties.

New Jersey: Wiley & Sons, Inc.