PM Benchmarks allow us to uncover a student's independent and instructional reading levels. We use this assessment to sit alongside a student and listen to them read as we take a reading record and note each student's reading strategies and behaviours. Through the use of retelling indicators and comprehension questions we are able to understand the student's level of comprehension. When we analyze running records, we are able to:
We know that each child is so much more than a reading level and we can use the valuable information gained from administering PM Benchmarks to match students to appropriate text for independent reading, and to guide our instructional moves in the classroom.
- note student strengths
- plan for next steps
- target our small-group instruction
We know that each child is so much more than a reading level and we can use the valuable information gained from administering PM Benchmarks to match students to appropriate text for independent reading, and to guide our instructional moves in the classroom.
Using PM Benchmark Kits in Your ClassroomReading is making meaning from print and we want our students to make meaning from everything they read. Benchmarking allows classroom teachers to determine the complexity of text to which a student can successfully apply these three reading processes:
1. Decoding – Identify or decode the words in print 2. Comprehension – Construct an understanding or meaning 3. Fluency – Coordination of decoding and comprehension so reading is automatic and accurate SD22 Primary teachers are regularly assessing their readers using systematic and scheduled benchmarking of all students along with their daily, ongoing observations. Teachers gather evidence of student reading competencies in one-on-one conferences and in small-group instructional settings. Primary teachers rely on their professional judgement, using both a timely PM Benchmark as well as their ongoing observations when determining a benchmark level to input into EdPlan Insight. What Do Teachers Input into EdPlan Insight?
Instructional Level (90-94% accuracy): Text that is appropriate for small-group reading instruction. Frustration Level (89% and below): Text that is too difficult and will frustrate the reader. In EdPlan, we communicate the student's independent reading level. If this is not an appropriate assessment to use with a student, please leave the PM field in EdPlan blank (it will auto-fill n/a for students in Grade 1-5).
Example: (99-8) / 99 x 100 = accuracy rate 91/99 x 100 = accuracy rate .919 x 100 = 91.9%, or 92% *92% accuracy rate indicates an instructional level of text for a student In EdPlan, the accuracy rate would need to be between 95-100% because we are communicating a student's independent reading level.
Check out the PM Benchmarks Overview slides under SD22 Resources for more info! Why Do Teachers Input Benchmark Data into EdPlan Insight?
Coming Soon: Videos of SD22 teachers modelling PM Benchmark administration |
SD22 ResourcesPM ResourcesAll schools have a variety of PM Benchmark Kits:
PM Benchmark Kit 1PM Benchmark Kit 2PM Benchmark RAR 2010PM Benchmark Literacy Assessment 2020 |