Assignment 4
Needs Assessment
By
Noverene Taylor
CUR 0526
CA2
Educational Research for Practitioners
Nova Southeastern University
May 19, 2007
Dr. Gretchen Donndelinger
Reading Comprehension Needs Assessment Instrument
Reading Comprehension is a part of everything our students do, both in and out of class.
Some of our students, though, are not reading to comprehend text at a level that will
enable them to reach all their academic goals. In an effort to assist these students we are
asking you to kindly answer the questions on this instrument. The information gathered
will help us to focus on designing a reading comprehension intervention program that
will enhance students’ academic achievements. Thank you for your usual support!
SECTION 1: Background Information
Place a tick beside the most appropriate response for numbers 1-4.
1)
Level of qualification
(a) trained teacher certificate
(b) trained teacher diploma
(c) Associates degree
(d) Bachelors Degree
2)
Number of months/years as an educator
(a) 1-11 months
(b) 1 -3 years
(c) 4-6 years
(d) 7-10
(e) 11 or more years
3) I have attended reading comprehension professional development training within the
last
(a) 6 months
(b) 18 months
(c) 3-5 years
(d) 6-10 years
(e) never attended
4) Please tick any professional development trainings you have had in reading
comprehension instruction since your college education. Tick all that applies.
__ Workshops – topics:
__ Seminars – topics:
__ Self-study – topics:
__ Continuing education classes – topics:
SECTION 2: Classroom information
5) What percentage of your students is reading?
____at grade level
6)
____1-2 levels below grade ____3-4 levels below grade,
What percentage of the students reading below grade level do you think could
benefit from a reading comprehension intervention program?______________
7)
What methodologies/strategies are you currently using to help the struggling
readers improve their reading comprehension skills, for example, reciprocal
teaching? Please list at least five on the lines provided.
1
_________________________________________________________
2
_________________________________________________________
3
_________________________________________________________
4
_________________________________________________________
5
_________________________________________________________
SECTION 3: Struggling Readers
Using a scale from 1-5, rate the following with 5 indicating strongly agree, and 1
strongly disagree.
5
Reading should be taught as a process.
The children with poor reading comprehension skills often receive low grades
The children with poor reading comprehension skills are often easily frustrated
The children with poor reading comprehension skills often have difficulty
completing assignments
The children with poor reading comprehension skills have low self-esteem
The children with poor reading comprehension skills have behavioural
problems
The children with poor reading comprehension skills do not like to attend
school
The children with poor reading comprehension skills cannot read a simple
passage on their own and are at least two levels below grade level.
4
3 2 1
The children with poor reading comprehension skills need individualized
instruction
The children with poor reading comprehension skills also experience writing
difficulties.
The children with poor reading comprehension need special help to get them
up to speed with their regular classmates.
The children with poor reading comprehension skills are interested in learning
how to read much better.
The children with poor reading comprehension skills do not show much
interests in learning
The children with poor reading comprehension skills cannot read on their own
The struggling readers always respond to inferential and literal questions.
The struggling readers responds mostly to recall comprehension questions
SECTION 4: Instruction
Using a scale from 1-5, rate the following with 5 indicating strongly agree, and 1
strongly disagree.
5
I have received adequate help from the literacy supervisor on planning
instructional activities to meet struggling readers’ needs.
I have sought/received assistance on my own to help the struggling readers
in my class.
I have received/sought assistance in implementing individualized reading
programs to meet the struggling readers’ needs.
I received professional development support to assist me in planning and
meeting struggling readers’ needs.
I can provide more opportunities for my students to integrate their use of
literacy through reading, writing, listening, speaking, viewing, and
representing visually.
It is important to provide struggling readers with opportunities in all
aspects of literacy for example, as readers, writers, thinkers, reactors, or
responders.
It is important to create individualized programs to address the strengths
and needs of struggling learners.
I create a literate environment that fosters interest and growth in all aspects
of literacy.
I provide opportunities for learners to select from a variety of written
materials, to read extended texts, and to read for many authentic purposes.
4
3
2
1
I use instructional technologies to support reading comprehension.
I teach students to monitor their own word identification through the use of
syntactic, semantic, and grapho-phonemic relations.
I use phonics to teach students to use their knowledge of letter/sound
correspondence to identify sounds in the construction of meaning.
It is important to know principles for diagnosing reading difficulties.
I teach students to use context to identify and define unfamiliar words.
I provide direct instruction and model when and how to use multiple
comprehension strategies, such as retelling and narrative thinking
I teach students to connect prior knowledge with new information.
I teach students strategies for monitoring their own comprehension.
I communicate with students about their reading comprehension strengths,
and areas for improvement, and ways to achieve improvement.
I communicate with parents about their child/ren’s reading comprehension
strengths, and areas for improvement, and ways to achieve improvement.
Whole language instruction is an effective instructional approach for
students with severe comprehension problems.
Reading comprehension instruction for struggling readers should be
balanced, that is, include phonics, and whole language instruction.
SECTION 5: Assessment of comprehension and any other issues
What types of instruction in assessment of comprehension skills of struggling readers do
you include in your class? Check all that apply.
____Concepts about print
____Miscue analysis
____Reading inventories
____Standardized assessments
____Other (please state) ______________________________
Please list any issues related to reading comprehension instruction for struggling readers
not included in this survey that you consider to be important.
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
Thank you for participating!