Fountas and Pinnell

Alison, Stan, Mary

Literacy AssessmentsFountas and Pinnell

Fountas and Pinnell

“We have worked hard to create resources that enable teachers to root instruction in rationales and to meet the needs of each child as a unique learner.”

–Fountas and Pinnell

History

• The Benchmark System 1 and 2 and The Continuum of Literacy Learning were developed after twenty years of research and working with teachers

• It started when Irene Fountas and Gay Su Pinnell began working in Reading Recovery in the 1960’s. This lead them to believe that comprehensive plans and interventions helped struggling readers achieve

History (Cont.)

• They began writing Guided Reading: Good First Teaching for All Students • They wrote this to find a way to match

leveled books to readers for small group and individual instruction

• They kept writing in response to questions that teachers were asking

History (Cont.)

• Then, they came up with the A-Z gradient for texts

• It took them three years to write the new Guided Reading book that included the A-Z Gradient because they had to figure out what each student should be able to do at each level• This turned into Guided Reading section of

Continuum of Literacy Learning

• The leveled texts then led to small group instruction that broke off into levels

History (Cont.)

• Then, they convinced Heinemann to create quality children’s books for a change• Most leveled texts were terrible books• They wanted good books

Overview of Fountas and Pinnell

• Fountas and Pinnell is a leveling system based on a gradient of text difficulty from levels A-Z . Jason Hillman, executive director of Ohio State’s literacy collaborative defines Fountas and Pinnell as, “Irene Fountas and Gay Su Pinnell have developed an intervention model that can be implemented in any school. A teacher works with three students for a period of 18 weeks with the goal of bringing them to grade level. It is designed to supplement a good classroom literacy program and Reading Recovery as part of a comprehensive literacy approach”.

• It consists if twenty-six points on a gradient from the easiest level to the most challenging level.

• It is assesses the appropriate texts from kindergarten to grades twelve and above.

Overview (Cont.)• Data can be collected through universal screening

and progress monitoring

• Data can also be collected using assessments such as Running Records, miscue analysis and observation surveys.

• Kingsley Junior High teacher Barb Hartseil says the program, “tests for basic literal interpretation, I ask about the author and why or motives, comprehension all 3 levels. Fluency scores depend upon decoding, phrases, word by word, acknowledge punctuation”.

Running Record

• Anthony Rebora explains that, “Literacy Collaborative teachers take daily ‘running records’ in which they listen to students read short passages and document where they need improvement” (35).

• Teachers then use a levled-text system to benchmarks tudents’ devleopment against expectations and norms.

Leveled Text for Running Record

Description of Materials

• 3 systems of materials:

• Orange system: A through C

• Green System: Levels A through J

• Blue System; Levels C through N

Materials (Cont.)

• All 3 systems have lessons around these quantities of leveled books

• Orange Collection: 70 books

• Green Collection: 110 books

• Blue Collection: 120 books

Effectiveness of Fountas and Pinnell

• Validity- It provides an extensive text leveling system from A-Z, as a benchmark assessment to determine the instructional level of your students.

• Reliability-The texts are analyzed by Fountas and Pinnell where benchmark books were actually created to precisely match the gradient, and they were independently analyzed using the same process.

Effectiveness (Cont.)Why it’s not biased…..

•Books to use for guided, independent, and take-home reading.

•Opportunities to read and reread closely, to think, discuss, and deepen comprehension.

• Fluency practice with increasingly more challenging texts.

•Expansion of academic vocabulary and knowledge.

• Expanded language knowledge for ELL

Framework-Driven

Anthony Robora in his article Turning Teachers into Coaches states, “A longitudinal study done by Stanford University found that the program boosted primary-grade students’ reading skills by an average of 32 percent over three years. Other studies have tied Fountas and Pinnell to standardized tetst score gains (incuding mong English-language learners), advances in student writing skills, improvements in sintructional quality, and positive changes in both teachers’ and students’ perspectives on literacy instruction” (34).

Reliability and Validity

• Reliable and Valid:• Considerable internal evidence for the reliability and

validity of the measure.• Currently no external reviews published concerning

the technical qualities of this assessment tool.

• From the publisher:• “The Fountas and Pinnell Benchmark Assessment

System texts were demonstrated to be both reliable and valid measures for assessing students’ reading level”.

Discussion about the effectiveness of the assessment

(Validity and Reliability, sources of bias)

• Barb Hartseil commented on these topics in the teacher interview stating, “”It is fairly easy to use, the more experienced the teacher is, it becomes easier. To follow the regulated pattern, Fountas and Pinnell does not see the mass amount of errors as appropriate. A child could be making great strides but still have a lot of errors. I hate when I have to follow protocol and test for the “red” students, because it is the “yellow” target students that would be a sign of RTI. But the district only mandate that personnel teach “red” labeled students””.

“An analysis of Two Reading Intervention Programs: How Do the Words, Texts, and Programs Compare?” A article

written in The Elementary School Journal.

• Compared first-grade versions of the intervention programs’ texts and teacher guides, since first grade is a critical year for establishing successful beginning reading skills.

• Findings:

• In LLI phonics lessons, the sounds associated with vowel letters are not always explicitly taught. Since LLI texts are not highly decodable, at-risk students may not gain sufficient experience in the application of the letter- sound knowledge they are taught.

• The LLI program appears to be in alignment with a meaning-emphasis philosophy.

• LLI texts feature a relatively high repetition of words, which may lead to increased sight-word vocabulary.

Costs• Fountas and Pinnell Kit Costs…

• Benchmark Assessment System 2, 2nd Edition• Web/School: $375.00

• Professional Development for District Literacy Coaches:

Six days of intensive LLI professional development (3 days followed by 3 follow-up days). Either Ohio State or Lesley University

$2,500 per teacher and the purchase of an Orange, Green, or Blue System per participant.

$250 (plus shipping) Fountas and Pinnell Benchmark Assessment System Grades K–2, Levels A–N (Strongly recommended)

Training Teachers for F&P

Benchmark Professional Support • Onsite support from Heinemann-Trained

Consultants• They address:

• Determining students' reading levels based on the Fountas and Pinnell A-Z Text Gradient

• Assessing and understanding students' reading performance

• Connecting assessment to instruction.• System 1 is grades K-2• System 2 is grades 3-8

Building In-School Capacity

• All districts using this assessment are required to have an in school literacy coach. Rebora explains that, “Coaches, who are generally given reduced teaching loads, receive more than a year of graduate-level training from Literacy Collaborative staff before the program is even implemented in schools” (36).

Training (Cont.)

Participants Learn:• The thinking behind the Fountas & Pinnell

Benchmark Assessment System,• Provides training on how to administer

and analyze the assessment• Helps participants understand

instructional and grouping implications

Teacher Interview about training.

• Barb Hartseil, seventh grade teacher at Kingsley Junior High. “We were actually trained by two in regular ed and two special ed literacy coaches in the district, we watched a series of videos on Fountas and Pinnell, used the kit on each other; it took around two days. Resembled a “hand me down” philosophy of training, the literacy coaches were trained much more by their successors than we were. The district focuses on training teachers who do not have full loads, such as the art teacher, computer, ELL aid. In regards to training for children, they are first introduced to it by just me explaining why we are reading the books and the instructions about the assessment structure. The principal is aware they we use it, but I am not certain that he has been trained”.

Prezi

• Here is a modified presentation taken from a real school district.

• https://prezi.com/zc56fipvc4al/fountas-and-pinnell-benchmark-assessment-training/

Fees For On-Site Professional Development

• Fees are determined by the number of participants and the duration of the training. Travel expenses for each trainer (airfare, hotel, meals, and rental car) are an additional cost to be paid by the district. They do not include the cost of any required books or materials, which will be selected by the faculty trainer and the district, based on topics and the district's needs.

• After speaking Jason Hillman, executive director of the LLC (Leveled Literacy Intervention), he stated most schools partake in the standard two day event. He explained that, “Day 1 involves, conducting effective assessment conferences. Teachers learn how to code, score, and analyze reading records. Lastly, they determine students' independent and instructional reading levels”.

• “On day 2, we group students for reading instruction with The Continuum of Literacy Learning to plan lessons. Teachers also utilize the Data Management System for on-line record keeping”.

• Primary, Intermediate, and Middle School Offerings

• Cost/Day Participant Range

• $2,750 1–30

• $3,750 31-50

• $5,250 51-75

Components of the F and P Kit

• Grades 3–8, Levels L–Z

• 30 Books (15 Fiction and 15 Nonfiction)

• Assessment Guide 2*

• Assessment Forms Book

• Assessment Forms CD-ROM*

• Optional Assessments Item Book

Components of the F and P Kit

• Data Management CD-ROM*

• Professional Development DVDs*

• The Continuum of Literacy Learning: A Guide to Teaching, 3-8*

• 30 Student Folders*

• F&P Calculator/Stopwatch*

• Benchmark Assessment System Student Folders (30-pack)

Components (Cont.)

With Demonstration, Guided Practice, and Discussion, Teachers Learn…

•Administer, code, and score a Benchmark reading assessment•Figure out independent, instructional, and placement levels for students using the Fountas and Pinnell A-Z Text Grade•Examine a child's reading performance, including reading comprehension, reading rate, and word analysis-to assess the reader's current processing system•Assess reading fluency using a specific rubric•Administer a selection of other literacy assessments, such as word analysis, print concepts, and reading overview•Determine the instructional implications for both whole group and differentiated, small-group instruction.

Teachers can also sign up for seminars to learn more about Fountas and Pinnell through HeinemannThe following is a list of links to seminars:

• Leveled Literacy Intervention (LLI) Intermediate Systems, for Grades 3-4, Levels L-T Professional Development

• Benchmark Assessment System Professional Development• Role of the Administrator in the Implementation of Benchmark

Assessment• Leveled Literacy Intervention (LLI) Professional Development• Role of the Administrator in the Implementation of Leveled Literacy

Intervention• Introduction to The Continuum of Literacy Learning• Genre Study• When Readers Struggle: Teaching That Works• Guided Reading• Literacy Beginnings: Grades PreK-K• Teaching Comprehension, Genre, and Content Literacy• Teaching for Comprehending & Fluency• Phonics Lessons and Word Study Lessons• Fountas & Pinnell Sistema de evaluación de la lectura (SEL)

Fountas and Pinnell for Students with IEPs

• In 2009-2010, 824 students with IEPs from kindergarten through fifth grade received leveled literacy intervention over 18.5 weeks.• 61.4% made considerable progress after using Fountas and Pinnell• A small percentage made no growth at all• The 61.4% moved up at least three reading levels• The results suggest that the Fountas and Pinnell Leveled Literacy

Intervention is an effective intervention for struggling readers with IEPs

• Kingsley Junior High strives for full inclusion with this assessment. Barb co-teachers literature composition and math as a special education teacher. Students with IEPs and regular students both are included in the intervention stage.

• For Students with ELL, there is some considerations. There are self-contained programs where they go back and forth speaking each language. A different book set needs to be used.

Results from Study

Considerations for those with special needs or available

accommodations (i.e. ELLs, students with IEPs)

• Quoted directly from Barb Hartseil.“There are no special considerations given to students with IEP’s. In our district a student with an IEP will be tested if they have reading goals and if they fall into the warning category on the reading portion of the MAP assessment that is given 3 times per year. There are no specific accommodations given, except as a teacher, if I am having a difficult time finding a level I will break the testing session into multiple sessions so the student doesn’t have to read more than 2 books at any one session”.

Our Opinions

• Alison

• Mary

• Stan

Stan’s• “As a future middle school teacher finding the time to test a student would be a struggle. When I interviewed Barb

Hartseil, a 7th grade learning behavioral specialist, she stated each lesson requires 20-25 minutes and “It is hard to pull a student from class, music, or gym because we need an entire class period to do two readings”. Thus, I imagine many teachers do not code as the program suggests nor do they assess the M-V-S errors. The effectiveness of the assessment is definitely reduced by the number of times identified students read the stories. In middle school, if students do not have adequately developed phonics base, they will struggle. The success of Fountas and Pinnell partly depends on if the student knows the sounds of letters and letter combinations to help decode words as he/she reads. Furthermore, classroom teachers might find it difficult to implement this assessment due to the extra demands it places on their planning as well as classroom management. In a positive light, lessons are clearly planned out and the teacher manual has a script for insturctors. The system uses this structure to incorperate explicit instruction in phonological awareness, phonics, flunecy, comprehension, and expansion of oral language. This is a beneifit to students who need structure, routines, and predicitability. It also provides teachers with great examples of language and phrases to use when working with struggling readersI do like this program. It seems pretty comprehensive. Each level has fiction & non-fiction texts. When I took the practice assessment, I noticed that the comprehension questions offer a good range of literal and inferring questions. The program also includes several additional assessments if teachers need to better pinpoint strengths/weaknesses. The kit comes with a computer program to track student’s progress as well as alerts teachers to what student’s need more practice with.

• The results are simple, quickly produced and help inform reading instruction. I appreciate how the student is involved in his/her own learning. This program gives students ownership of where they are at and where they need to go as well as what specific skills require further development. Personally, I do not see much room for innovaiton. The assessment seems particularally stiff and over time I can see students dreading being required ot complete the same task over and over again. They get to choose the genre, and then they alternate to get their interests. “Tell me about you read”

• My teacher philopshy centers around creativeness so this assessment does not mesh well with my ideals. I do see many positives though for Fountas and Pinnell though and now understand why it is popular among districts.

Positives

• More personalized interactions with staff, including follow-up meetings and training days.

Negative• Program is highly demanding on teachers. Barb said that,

“during the first year, teachers tended to be overwhelmed by all the new information used during training. Teachers need to be prepared to devote significant time and attention to reorganizing their classroom routines around this assessment”.

• Decision-making is typically hierarchical, may cause a clash between school culture norms. Not everyone’s voices would be heard, or some classroom teachers might not support coaches or principals.

• Cost. Rebora provides an astonishing statistic, “Schools pay approximately $25,000 over three years to implement Fountas and Pinnell, with most of that amount going toward the coach’s training” (37).