Concept of Word (COW) A firm COW in text requires the following: 1. an accurate and consistent speech-to-print match when finger-point reading a memorized text (Part A) AND 2. the ability to remember words previously seen in context (Part B) In order to monitor progress of both skills, the COW Quick Check is split into two parts: Part A Part A of the COW Quick Check measures a student’s ability to match speech to print. Scores on this task also reflect a student’s application of early literacy skills while interacting with text including alphabetic recognition, letter sound knowledge, beginning sound awareness, and phonemic awareness. The format of Part A demonstrates the components of an effective concept of word lesson that should be used often with emergent readers: frequent echo and choral reading of nursery rhymes, modeling finger-pointing to words while reading aloud, self-correcting errors in pointing, and identifying individual words in text. Student progress toward COW in text can then be monitored in the classroom by using the format of the finger-point reading and Word ID tasks presented in Part A. Part B Once a student is able to match speech to print routinely in class and in at least three consecutive COW Quick Checks (Part A), it is recommended to check the firmness of his or her COW by administering Part B. Part B of the COW Quick Check assesses a student’s ability to recognize words from the nursery rhyme when presented in isolation on a word list. By learning the rhyme orally, choral and echo reading the rhyme, and practicing finger-pointing to the words, students have encountered the words many times in context. Some students are then able to recognize the words from the rhyme in isolation by combining their automatic knowledge of letter sounds with their memory for the words in the context of the rhyme. Students who demonstrate the “pick up” of words on the post-test word list that were previously not recognized on the pre-test have a firm COW. Updated on: 1/28/2009 © 2009 by The Rector and The Board of Visitors of the University of Virginia. All Rights Reserved. COW Part A: Speech-to-Print Match Materials • • • • COW Picture Sheet, select 1–10 (for student) COW Text Sheet, select 1–10 (for student) COW Part A: Student Score Sheet (for teacher) COW Part A: Student Progress Chart (for teacher) Administration Notes • • • • The COW Quick Check is administered individually. The rhymes are numbered one through five and increase in difficulty. Part A includes Pointing and Word ID. Once a child is able to match speech to print (Part A) routinely in class and in at least three consecutive COW Quick Checks, it is recommended to check the firmness of his or her COW by administering Part B and using a different rhyme. Instructions Memorizing the Rhyme 1. Students must know the rhyme “by heart” prior to assessment. Use the COW Picture Sheet to teach the rhyme orally (without text). This can be done as a whole class, small group, or individual activity using the COW Picture Sheet only. 2. Say, “We’re going to learn a rhyme. Listen and watch as I say the rhyme that goes with the pictures.” Point to each picture as you say the rhyme and ask the student to (a) say the rhyme with you, (b) echo your recitation, picture by picture, and (c) say the rhyme alone. Repeat oral choral and echo recitation using the picture prompts as many times as necessary to get a verbatim recitation. Pointing 1. Show the student the COW Text Sheet for the memorized rhyme and say, “Now we will read the words to the rhyme you just said. This page has the rhyme written down in printed words.” 2.Read the rhyme to the student while pointing to each word clearly as you read it. 3. Say, “Now let’s read it together. Eyes on the page. Read it with me as I point to each word.” Choral read the entire rhyme together while pointing to each word. 4.Echo read the entire rhyme, line by line. Say, “Now we will take turns reading each line of the rhyme. First I’ll read a line and touch each word. Then you will read the same line and touch each word. Ready?” 5. Ask the student to touch the words while “reading” the rhyme independently. Say, “This time I want you to do what I did. Point to each word as you say the rhyme. Be sure to touch each word as you say it.” 6. Score the child’s finger-pointing on the entire rhyme before beginning Word ID. Record the score on the COW Part A: Student Score Sheet. Updated on: 1/28/2009 © 2009 by The Rector and The Board of Visitors of the University of Virginia. All Rights Reserved. COW Part A: Speech-to-Print Match Word ID 1. Target words are bolded and underlined on the COW Part A: Student Score Sheet. 2. After the student has read/finger-pointed to the entire rhyme, point to the first target word in the first line on the COW Text Sheet and ask the student, “What word is this?” 3. Continue to point to the target words in order on the COW Text Sheet and ask the student, “What word is this?” 4. Score the student’s Word ID on the COW Part A: Student Score Sheet. Scoring Points (Award per line) Student’s Pointing Characteristics 0 points no left-to-right directionality 1 point points generally from left to right but does not consistently use a discernable unit (word, syllable, letter, white space) 2 points points to a different letter each time a different word is said 3 points points rhythmically to stress beats or syllables 4 points points to words but gets off track on two-syllable words 5 points gets off track on two-syllable words but self corrects immediately 6 points points to each word correctly as it is said POINTING 1.Note that the Pointing scoring is different from the PALS-K COW task because it uses a rubric. Score the student’s finger-pointing using the following rubric: Word ID 1. The student is awarded one point for each word identified correctly. Only single word responses (e.g., teddy as opposed to teddy bear) are correct. Self-corrections are counted as correct. 2. Calculate the COW Part A score by adding the Pointing and Word ID scores together. 3. The maximum possible score for Part A is 32. 4. Write the date and record the student’s score on the COW Part A: Student Progress Chart. Updated on: 1/28/2009 © 2009 by The Rector and The Board of Visitors of the University of Virginia. All Rights Reserved. COW Part B: Memory for Words Seen in Context Materials • • • • COW Word List, select 1–10 (for student) COW Text Sheet, select 1–10 (for student) COW Part B: Student Score Sheet (for teacher) COW Part B: Student Progress Chart (for teacher) Administration Notes • The COW Quick Check is administered individually. • The rhymes are numbered one through five and increase in difficulty. • Part B should be administered to students who are able to match speech to print routinely in class and in at least three consecutive COW Part A Quick Checks. • Part B includes a pre-test word list, working with the rhyme in text, and a post-test word list. • If administering Part A before Part B, choose a different rhyme for Part B because the child has already interacted with the text. Instructions Pre-test Word List 1. Show the student the Pre-test Word List. Say, “Here is a list of words. Put your finger on the first word on the list. See if you can read each word. If you don’t know it, skip it and go to the next word.” 2. Score the Pre-test Word List on the COW Part B: Student Score Sheet. 3. Consider stopping administration if the student scores 7 or higher on the Pre-test List. Students who score 7 or higher on the Pre-test Word List probably have a COW because they already can recognize some words. Memorizing the Rhyme 1. Students must know the rhyme “by heart” prior to assessment. Use the COW Picture Sheet to teach the rhyme orally (without text). This can be done as a whole class, small group, or individual activity using the COW Picture Sheet only. 2. Say, “We’re going to learn a rhyme. Listen and watch as I say the rhyme that goes with the pictures.” Point to each picture as you say the rhyme and ask the student to (a) say the rhyme with you, (b) echo your recitation, picture by picture, and (c) say the rhyme alone. Repeat oral choral and echo recitation using the picture prompts as many times as necessary to get a verbatim recitation. 3. Show the student the COW Text Sheet and say, “Now we will read the words to the rhyme you just said. This page has the rhyme written down in printed words.” 4.Read the rhyme to the student while pointing to each word clearly as you read it. 5. Say, “Let’s read it together now. Eyes on the page. Read it with me as I point to each word.” Choral read the entire rhyme together while pointing to each word. Updated on: 1/28/2009 © 2009 by The Rector and The Board of Visitors of the University of Virginia. All Rights Reserved. COW Part B: Memory for Words Seen in Context 6.Echo read the entire rhyme, line by line. Say, “Now we will take turns reading each line of the rhyme. First I’ll read a line and touch each word. Then you will read the same line and touch each word. Ready?” 7. Ask the student to touch the words while “reading” the rhyme independently. Say. “This time I want you to do what I did. Point to each word as you say the rhyme. Be sure to touch each word as you say it.” Post-test Word List 1.Return to the list of words. Ask the student to identify any words on the list s/he knows. Say, “Now I’ll show you the same list of words that you saw before we learned the rhyme. Put your finger on the first word on the list. See if you can read any of them now. If you don’t know a word after trying your best, skip it and go to the next word.” 2. Score the Post-test Word List on the COW Part B: Student Score Sheet. Scoring 1. Only the Pre- and Post-Test Word Lists are scored in Part B. Finger-pointing is not scored. 2. To score the Pre- and Post-test Word Lists, mark a check in the box beside the word if the student identified it correctly. Write down incorrect answers or leave the box blank. 3. Calculate the COW Word List score by adding the Pre-test and Post-test Word List scores together. 4. The maximum possible score for Part B is 20. 5. Write the date and record the student’s score on the COW Part B: Student Progress Chart. Updated on: 1/28/2009 © 2009 by The Rector and The Board of Visitors of the University of Virginia. All Rights Reserved. Part A, 1–3 COW Part A: Student Score Sheet Student 1: Twinkle, Twinkle Date: ____________ Pointing Rubric Word ID Twinkle, twinkle, little star, 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 0 1 2 How I wonder what you are. 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 0 1 2 Up above the world so high, 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 0 1 2 Like a diamond in the sky. 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 0 1 2 TOTAL /24 /8 ____________ + ____________ = ____________ / 32 Pointing Word ID Part A Total 2: Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear Date: ____________ Pointing Rubric Word ID Teddy bear, teddy bear, turn around. 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 0 1 2 Teddy bear, teddy bear, touch the ground. 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 0 1 2 Teddy bear, teddy bear, turn out the light. 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 0 1 2 Teddy bear, teddy bear, say goodnight! 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 0 1 2 TOTAL /24 /8 ____________ + ____________ = ____________ / 32 Pointing Word ID Part A Total 3: On Top of Spaghetti Date: ____________ Pointing Rubric Word ID On top of spaghetti 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 0 1 2 All covered with cheese, 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 0 1 2 I lost my poor meatball 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 0 1 2 When somebody sneezed! 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 0 1 2 TOTAL /24 /8 ____________ + ____________ = ____________ / 32 Pointing Word ID Part A Total Updated on: 1/28/2009 © 2009 by The Rector and The Board of Visitors of the University of Virginia. All Rights Reserved. Part A, 4–5 COW Part A: Student Score Sheet Student 4: It’s Raining, It’s Pouring Date: ____________ Pointing Rubric Word ID It’s raining, it’s pouring, 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 0 1 2 The old man is snoring. 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 0 1 2 He bumped his head, and went to bed, 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 0 1 2 And couldn’t get up in the morning. 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 0 1 2 TOTAL /24 /8 ____________ + ____________ = ____________ / 32 Pointing Word ID Part A Total 5: Alligator Pie Date: ____________ Pointing Rubric Word ID Alligator pie, alligator pie, 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 0 1 2 Oh, how I love my alligator pie! 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 0 1 2 Take away the green grass, take away the sky, 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 0 1 2 But please don’t take away my alligator pie! 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 0 1 2 TOTAL /24 /8 ____________ + ____________ = ____________ / 32 Pointing Word ID Part A Total Updated on: 1/28/2009 © 2009 by The Rector and The Board of Visitors of the University of Virginia. All Rights Reserved. Part A, 6–8 COW Part A: Student Score Sheet Student 6: Hush, Little Baby Date: ____________ Pointing Rubric Word ID Hush, little baby, don’t say a word. 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 0 1 2 Mama’s gonna buy you a mocking bird. 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 0 1 2 If that mocking bird don’t sing, 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 0 1 2 Mama’s gonna buy you a diamond ring. 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 0 1 2 TOTAL /24 /8 ____________ + ____________ = ____________ / 32 Pointing Word ID Part A Total 7: Little Boy Blue Date: ____________ Pointing Rubric Word ID Little Boy Blue, come blow your horn. 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 0 1 2 The sheep’s in the meadow, the cow’s in the corn. 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 0 1 2 Where is the boy who looks after the sheep? 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 0 1 2 He’s under the haystack, fast asleep. 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 0 1 2 TOTAL /24 /8 ____________ + ____________ = ____________ / 32 Pointing Word ID Part A Total 8: Way Down South Date: ____________ Pointing Rubric Word ID Way down South where bananas grow, 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 0 1 2 A grasshopper stepped on an elephant’s toe. 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 0 1 2 The elephant cried, with tears in his eyes, 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 0 1 2 “Pick on someone your own size!” 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 0 1 2 TOTAL /24 /8 ____________ + ____________ = ____________ / 32 Pointing Word ID Part A Total Updated on: 1/28/2009 © 2009 by The Rector and The Board of Visitors of the University of Virginia. All Rights Reserved. Part A, 9–10 COW Part A: Student Score Sheet Student 9: Kookaburra Date: ____________ Pointing Rubric Word ID Kookaburra sits in the old gum tree. 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 0 1 2 Merry, merry king of the bush is he. 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 0 1 2 Laugh, Kookaburra, laugh, Kookaburra, 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 0 1 2 Gay your life must be! 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 0 1 2 TOTAL /24 /8 ____________ + ____________ = ____________ / 32 Pointing Word ID Part A Total 10: Little Miss Muffet Date: ____________ Pointing Rubric Word ID Little Miss Muffet sat on a tuffet 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 0 1 2 Eating her curds and whey. 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 0 1 2 Along came a spider who sat down beside her, 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 0 1 2 And frightened Miss Muffet away. 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 0 1 2 TOTAL /24 /8 ____________ + ____________ = ____________ / 32 Pointing Word ID Part A Total Updated on: 1/28/2009 © 2009 by The Rector and The Board of Visitors of the University of Virginia. All Rights Reserved. Part A COW Part A: Student Progress Chart Student Date Range Teacher Date Mastered 32 30 28 26 COW Speech-to-Print Score* 24 22 20 18 16 14 12 10 8 6 4 2 0 Date *The COW Speech-to-Print score includes both the Pointing and Word ID scores. Rhyme: ______________________________________________________________________ Date: ____________________ Rhyme: ______________________________________________________________________ Date: ____________________ Rhyme: ______________________________________________________________________ Date: ____________________ Rhyme: ______________________________________________________________________ Date: ____________________ Rhyme: ______________________________________________________________________ Date: ____________________ Updated on: 1/28/2009 © 2009 by The Rector and The Board of Visitors of the University of Virginia. All Rights Reserved. Part B COW Part B: Student Progress Chart Student Date Range Teacher Date Mastered Firm COW 20 19 18 17 16 COW Memory for Words Score* 15 14 13 12 11 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 0 Date *The COW Memory for Words score includes both the Pre-test and Post-test Word List scores. Rhyme: ______________________________________________________________________ Date: ____________________ Rhyme: ______________________________________________________________________ Date: ____________________ Rhyme: ______________________________________________________________________ Date: ____________________ Rhyme: ______________________________________________________________________ Date: ____________________ Rhyme: ______________________________________________________________________ Date: ____________________ Updated on: 1/28/2009 © 2009 by The Rector and The Board of Visitors of the University of Virginia. All Rights Reserved. Part B, 1–5 COW Part B: Student Score Sheet Student 1: Twinkle, Twinkle Word List Date: ______ Pre-test Post-test 2: Teddy Bear Word List Date: ______ Pre-test Post-test 3: On Top of Spaghetti Date: ______ Word List star bear top how ground cheese you teddy lost twinkle light somebody up say on high turn poor little goodnight all sky touch meatball what around my like the when TOTAL /10 ______ + ______ = ___________ /20 Pre-test Post-test Part B Total 4: It’s Raining, It’s Pouring Date: ______ Word List Pre-test TOTAL /10 Post-test 5: Alligator Pie Word List pie morning take get sky old alligator up please went how bed away he grass man love raining green /10 /10 ______ + ______ = ___________ /20 Pre-test Post-test Part B Total Updated on: 1/28/2009 /10 ______ + ______ = ___________ /20 Pre-test Post-test Part B Total and TOTAL /10 TOTAL TOTAL Pre-test Post-test /10 /10 ______ + ______ = ___________ /20 Pre-test Post-test Part B Total Date: ______ Pre-test Post-test /10 /10 ______ + ______ = ___________ /20 Pre-test Post-test Part B Total © 2009 by The Rector and The Board of Visitors of the University of Virginia. All Rights Reserved. Part B, 6–10 COW Part B: Student Score Sheet Student 6: Hush Little Baby Word List Date: ______ Pre-test Post-test 7: Little Boy Blue Word List Date: ______ Pre-test Post-test 8: Way Down South Word List ring horn bananas baby Blue toe sing fast South bird corn way that haystack elephant you meadow grow if sheep size little boy grasshopper say little down don’t where tears TOTAL /10 /10 ______ + ______ = ___________ /20 Pre-test Post-test Part B Total 9: Kookaburra Word List Date: ______ Pre-test Post-test TOTAL Word List must down is away king came old her bush little sits on tree eating gum and he spider /10 ______ + ______ = ___________ /20 Pre-test Post-test Part B Total Updated on: 1/28/2009 TOTAL Pre-test Post-test /10 /10 ______ + ______ = ___________ /20 Pre-test Post-test Part B Total 10: Little Miss Muffet Date: ______ sat /10 /10 ______ + ______ = ___________ /20 Pre-test Post-test Part B Total of TOTAL /10 Date: ______ TOTAL Pre-test Post-test /10 /10 ______ + ______ = ___________ /20 Pre-test Post-test Part B Total © 2009 by The Rector and The Board of Visitors of the University of Virginia. All Rights Reserved. Updated on: 1/28/2009 COW: Picture Sheet © 2009 by The Rector and The Board of Visitors of the University of Virginia. All Rights Reserved. 1 1 COW: Text Sheet Twinkle, twinkle, little star, How I wonder what you are. Up above the world so high, Like a diamond in the sky. Updated on: 1/28/2009 © 2009 by The Rector and The Board of Visitors of the University of Virginia. All Rights Reserved. Part B, 1 COW: Word List star how you twinkle up high little sky what like Updated on: 1/28/2009 © 2009 by The Rector and The Board of Visitors of the University of Virginia. All Rights Reserved. Updated on: 1/28/2009 COW: Picture Sheet © 2009 by The Rector and The Board of Visitors of the University of Virginia. All Rights Reserved. 2 2 COW: Text Sheet Teddy bear, teddy bear, turn around. Teddy bear, teddy bear, touch the ground. Teddy bear, teddy bear, turn out the light. Teddy bear, teddy bear, say goodnight! Updated on: 1/28/2009 © 2009 by The Rector and The Board of Visitors of the University of Virginia. All Rights Reserved. Part B, 2 COW: Word List bear ground teddy light say turn goodnight touch around the Updated on: 1/28/2009 © 2009 by The Rector and The Board of Visitors of the University of Virginia. All Rights Reserved. Updated on: 1/28/2009 COW: Picture Sheet © 2009 by The Rector and The Board of Visitors of the University of Virginia. All Rights Reserved. 3 3 COW: Text Sheet On top of spaghetti All covered with cheese, I lost my poor meatball When somebody sneezed! Updated on: 1/28/2009 © 2009 by The Rector and The Board of Visitors of the University of Virginia. All Rights Reserved. Part B, 3 COW: Word List top cheese lost somebody on poor all meatball my when Updated on: 1/28/2009 © 2009 by The Rector and The Board of Visitors of the University of Virginia. All Rights Reserved. Updated on: 1/28/2009 COW: Picture Sheet © 2009 by The Rector and The Board of Visitors of the University of Virginia. All Rights Reserved. 4 4 COW: Text Sheet It’s raining, it’s pouring, The old man is snoring. He bumped his head, and went to bed, And couldn’t get up in the morning. Updated on: 1/28/2009 © 2009 by The Rector and The Board of Visitors of the University of Virginia. All Rights Reserved. Part B, 4 COW: Word List and morning get old up went bed he man raining Updated on: 1/28/2009 © 2009 by The Rector and The Board of Visitors of the University of Virginia. All Rights Reserved. Updated on: 1/28/2009 COW: Picture Sheet © 2009 by The Rector and The Board of Visitors of the University of Virginia. All Rights Reserved. 5 5 COW: Text Sheet Alligator pie, alligator pie, Oh, how I love my alligator pie! Take away the green grass, take away the sky, But please don’t take away my alligator pie! Updated on: 1/28/2009 © 2009 by The Rector and The Board of Visitors of the University of Virginia. All Rights Reserved. Part B, 5 COW: Word List pie take sky alligator please how away grass love green Updated on: 1/28/2009 © 2009 by The Rector and The Board of Visitors of the University of Virginia. All Rights Reserved. Updated on: 1/28/2009 COW: Picture Sheet © 2009 by The Rector and The Board of Visitors of the University of Virginia. All Rights Reserved. 6 6 COW: Text Sheet Hush, little baby, don’t say a word. Mama’s gonna buy you a mocking bird. If that mocking bird don’t sing, Mama’s gonna buy you a diamond ring. Updated on: 1/28/2009 © 2009 by The Rector and The Board of Visitors of the University of Virginia. All Rights Reserved. Part B, 6 COW: Word List ring baby sing bird that you if little say don’t Updated on: 1/28/2009 © 2009 by The Rector and The Board of Visitors of the University of Virginia. All Rights Reserved. Updated on: 1/28/2009 COW: Picture Sheet © 2009 by The Rector and The Board of Visitors of the University of Virginia. All Rights Reserved. 7 7 COW: Text Sheet Little Boy Blue, come blow your horn. The sheep’s in the meadow, the cow’s in the corn. Where is the boy who looks after the sheep? He’s under the haystack, fast asleep. Updated on: 1/28/2009 © 2009 by The Rector and The Board of Visitors of the University of Virginia. All Rights Reserved. Part B, 7 COW: Word List horn Blue fast corn haystack meadow sheep boy little where Updated on: 1/28/2009 © 2009 by The Rector and The Board of Visitors of the University of Virginia. All Rights Reserved. Updated on: 1/28/2009 COW: Picture Sheet © 2009 by The Rector and The Board of Visitors of the University of Virginia. All Rights Reserved. 8 8 COW: Text Sheet Way down South where bananas grow, A grasshopper stepped on an elephant’s toe. The elephant cried, with tears in his eyes, “Pick on someone your own size!” Updated on: 1/28/2009 © 2009 by The Rector and The Board of Visitors of the University of Virginia. All Rights Reserved. Part B, 8 COW: Word List bananas toe South way elephant grow size grasshopper down tears Updated on: 1/28/2009 © 2009 by The Rector and The Board of Visitors of the University of Virginia. All Rights Reserved. Updated on: 1/28/2009 COW: Picture Sheet © 2009 by The Rector and The Board of Visitors of the University of Virginia. All Rights Reserved. 9 9 COW: Text Sheet Kookaburra sits in the old gum tree. Merry, merry king of the bush is he. Laugh, Kookaburra, laugh, Kookaburra, Gay your life must be! Updated on: 1/28/2009 © 2009 by The Rector and The Board of Visitors of the University of Virginia. All Rights Reserved. Part B, 9 COW: Word List of must is king old bush sits tree gum he Updated on: 1/28/2009 © 2009 by The Rector and The Board of Visitors of the University of Virginia. All Rights Reserved. Updated on: 1/28/2009 COW: Picture Sheet © 2009 by The Rector and The Board of Visitors of the University of Virginia. All Rights Reserved. 10 10 COW: Text Sheet Little Miss Muffet sat on a tuffet Eating her curds and whey. Along came a spider who sat down beside her, And frightened Miss Muffet away. Updated on: 1/28/2009 © 2009 by The Rector and The Board of Visitors of the University of Virginia. All Rights Reserved. Part B, 10 COW: Word List sat down away came her little on eating and spider Updated on: 1/28/2009 © 2009 by The Rector and The Board of Visitors of the University of Virginia. All Rights Reserved.