Running Records:
A Record of Oral Reading
Running Record
Common Standards
Format and conventions
 Based on what you observed
 Calculating /scoring
 Interpreting or analyzing

Why do a Running Record/
Record of Oral Reading?
Summarize a reader’s understanding of
written language
 Identify student’s strengths and
weaknesses
 Identify a reading level
 Monitor student’s progress
 Pinpoint and make decisions about
grouping and teaching

Accurate Reading
Accurate reading is recorded with a check
mark for each correct word.
    

The dog ran down the street.
No Errors
Substitutions
Substitutions are recorded with what the
reader says on top and the correct word on
the bottom.

cat  
 
dog
The dog ran down the street.
Substitution = 1 Error
Repetitions
Repetitions are a recording of words or phrases repeated.
A line is drawn above what is repeated with the letter
“R” placed at the point where the child stopped to go
back and repeat.

__________ R
   
The dog ran down the street.
No Error

Self Corrections
Self corrections occur when a previous error is correct. This
is written as SC (self-correction).

cat |SC 
dog|



The dog ran down the street.
No Error
Omissions
If no response is given to a word, it is recorded with a dash
over the word omitted.
 

down
-
 
The dog ran down the street.
Omission=1 Error
Insertions
If an extra response is given, it is record over a
dash.



 
big

The dog ran down the street.
Insertions=1 Error
Told
If the child balks, unable to proceed because he is aware
he has made an error or cannot not attempt, he is told the
word-written T.
  
dig |  
down | T
or  
ran | T
The dog ran down the street.
Told = 1 Error
- |

Appeals
An appeal for help from the child is turned back to the
child for further effort before using T. (say “try it”)
  
- | A|

down| | T
or

- | A| run
ran | |

The dog ran down the street.
Appeal = 1 Error if wrong answer or T given
Try That Again
Sometimes the child gets into a state of confusion and it is
necessary to assist. Put brackets around the first words
that caused confusion and , enter the TTA, then begin a
fresh record of the problem text.
 Then  run dust that   TTA =1 Error
The
ran down the
  run   
ran
The dog ran down the street.
One Error
Sounding Out
Sometimes students decode words in ways
that are not natural or fluent.

d/o/g




The dog ran down the street.
Reversals
Sometimes kids read words and in the
process reverse the words.






The god ran down the street.
dog
This is counted as an error
Let’s Practice doing a
Running Record
Quick Tips for Oral Reading
Substitution
Error
Repetition
Not an error
Self-correction
Not an error
Omission
Error
Insertion
Error
Reversal
Error
Sounding Out
**Error if sounded out incorrectly
Teacher Told Word Error
Long Pauses
Not an error
Names
Error only once
Recording Fluency Not an error
Practice Running Records…
•
Group practice: Item
•
Group Practice 2: Item 9
•
Group Practice 3: All conventions
Analyzing errors and
Self-corrections




Consider the behavior up to the point of
error
Self-corrections –what did the student
use to automatically correct the error
Analyze errors first and then the selfcorrection
What did the student use:
meaning, syntax or visual information
Sources of information

Meaning/Semantics
◦ Uses pictures or illustrations
◦ Background knowledge
◦ At word, phrase sentence level

Structure/Syntax
◦ Does it sound right/could you say that way
◦ Tense agreement
◦ Story structures

Visual
◦
◦
◦
◦
Does it look right?
Used initial, medial, end
Clusters, chunks
One to one
Time to Analyze our Records!
Whole Group
and
Partner work
Data is Key….
You cannot personalize learning
without data.
Phil Stubbs