4/25/11 BCPS-Elementary Reading
Record of Oral Reading Guidelines: DRA and Rigby PM Benchmark
Rigby PM Benchmark
Number of Errors
Reading Behavior
How to Record
Accurate Reading
Told
Mark every word read correctly with a check mark.
If a student makes no attempt, he is instructed to try it. If
there is still no attempt, the word is told and a T is written
below the line.
If a child is unable to proceed because he is aware he has
made an error and cannot correct it he is told the word.
The reader’s appeal, either verbal or nonverbal, is first
turned back to the child for further effort, say “You try it.”
Record an A above the line.
Use a caret to record added word(s).
Record as a “dash”.
No error
A told word is counted as one error.
Repetition
Self-Correction
Substitution
Insert “R” and an arrow to indicate word(s) repeated.
Write “SC” after substitution.
Record all attempts and errors by showing the student’s
responses above the text.
“Try That Again”
If the student appears confused, help by saying, “Try that
again.” Surround the muddled text in brackets and mark
TTA next to the text. Child rereads text.
Record letter sounds and use slash marks to show how
words were segmented.
Write the way the word was pronounced directly above
the text.
Recorded by a slash /. Pauses of four different lengths are
represented by / // //
#
Repetitions are not counted as errors.
No error
Multiple incorrect attempts are counted as one error.
 If the student makes an error and then substitutes this word repeatedly, it
is counted as an error each time.
 Substitution of a proper name is only counted as an error the first time
(even if various alternate substitutions are made).
 Substitutions involving contractions (child reads I’ll instead of I will) count
as one error.
Bracketed text counts as only one error. On the rereading of the text every
error will count.
Appeal
Insertion
Omission
Sounded Out/
Broken Words
Mispronunciation due to
speech or dialect
Pauses
The appeal does not count as an error. The child’s response after the appeal
determines if an error is counted.
Each inserted word is counted as one error.
Each omission is counted as one error.
Words sounded out incorrectly are counted as one error.
No error
No error
Follows guidelines in An Observation Survey of Early Literacy Achievement, Marie Clay, 1993
 Notations in book:
Compound words are counted as one word.
Hyphenated words are counted as one word.
Sounds such as brmm brmm are not counted as words.
Numbers shown in numeral form, e.g., 1, 2, 3 are not counted as words; however when they are spelled out, e.g., one, two three, they are counted.
4/25/11 BCPS-Elementary Reading
Rigby PM Ultra Benchmark
Reading Behavior
How To Record
Number of Errors
Accurate Reading
Told
Mark every word read correctly with a check mark.
If a student makes no attempt, he is instructed to try it. If
there is still no attempt, the word is told and a T is written
below the line.
If a child is unable to proceed because he is aware he has
made an error and cannot correct it he is told the word.
The reader’s appeal, either verbal or nonverbal, is first
turned back to the child for further effort, say “You try it.”
Record an A above the line.
Use a caret to record added word(s).
Record a “dash” above the word.
No error
A told word is counted as one error.
Appeal
Insertion
Omission
Repetition
Self-Correction
Substitution
“Try That Again”
Sounded Out/Broken
Words
Mispronunciation due to
speech or dialect
Pauses
Place an “R” after a single repeated word; for a phrase or
more of text repeated draw a line to the point to which the
child returned. Note the number of repetitions if more
than once.
Write “SC” after self-correction.
Record all attempts over the accurate word.
If the student appears confused, help by saying, “Try that
again.” Surround the muddled text in brackets and mark
TTA next to the text. Child rereads text.
Record letter sounds and use slash marks to show how
word was segmented.
Write the way the word was pronounced directly above
the text.
Recorded by a slash /. Pauses of four different lengths are
represented by / // //
#
The appeal does not count as an error. The child’s response after the
appeal determines if an error is counted.
Each inserted word is counted as one error.
Each omission is counted as one error.
If a line or sentence is omitted, each word is counted as an error.
If pages are omitted they are not counted as errors. The number of words
on the omitted pages must be deducted from the Running Words total
before calculation.
No error
No error
Multiple incorrect attempts are counted as one error.
 If the student makes an error and then substitutes this word repeatedly,
it is counted as an error each time.
 Substitution of a proper name is only counted as an error the first time
(even if various alternate substitutions are made).
 Substitutions involving contractions (child reads I’ll instead of I will)
count as one error.
Bracketed text counts as only one error. On the rereading of the text every
error will count.
No error unless what is said is matched to a different word.
No error
No error
Follows guidelines in An Observation Survey of Early Literacy Achievement, Marie Clay, 1993
4/25/11 BCPS-Elementary Reading
DRA
Reading Behavior
How to Record
Number of Errors
Accurate Reading
Told
Mark every word read correctly with a check mark
If a student makes no attempt, he is instructed to try it. If
there is still no attempt, the word is told and a T is written
below the line.
If a child is unable to proceed because he is aware he has
made an error and cannot correct it he is told the word.
The reader’s appeal, either verbal or nonverbal, is first
turned back to the child for further effort, say “You try it.”
Record an A above the line.
Use caret to record added word(s)
Record a “dash” above the word.
No error
A told word is counted as one error.
Appeal
Insertion
Omission
Repetition
Self-Correction
Substitution
Try That Again
Sounded Out/Broken
Words
Mispronunciation due to
speech or dialect
Pauses
Place an “R” after a single repeated word; for a phrase or
more of text repeated draw a line to the point to which the
child returned. Note the number of repetitions if more
than once.
Write “SC” after self-correction.
Record all attempts over the accurate word.
If the student appears confused, help by saying, “Try that
again.” Surround the muddled text in brackets and mark
TTA next to the text. Child rereads text.
Record letter sounds and use slash marks to show how
word was segmented.
Write the way the word was pronounced directly above
the text.
Recorded by a slash /. Pauses of four different lengths are
represented by / // //
#
The appeal does not count as an error. The child’s response after the appeal
determines if an error is counted.
Each inserted word is counted as one error.
Each omission is counted as one error.
If a line or sentence is omitted each word is counted as an error.
If pages are omitted they are not counted as errors. The number of words
on the omitted pages must be deducted from the Running Words total
before calculation.
No error
No error
Multiple incorrect attempts are counted as one error.
 If the student makes an error and then substitutes this word repeatedly,
it is counted as an error each time.
 Substitution of a proper name is only counted as an error the first time
(even if various alternate substitutions are made).
 Substitutions involving contractions (child reads I’ll instead of I will)
count as one error.
Bracketed text counts as only one error. On the rereading of the text every
error will count.
No error unless what is said is matched to a different word.
No error
No error
Follows guidelines in An Observation Survey of Early Literacy Achievement, Marie Clay, 1993
4/25/11 BCPS-Elementary Reading
DRA 2
Reading Behavior
Accurate Reading
Insertion
Told
Appeal
Omission
Reversals
Repetition
Self-Correction
Sounded Out/
Broken Words
Substitution
Mispronunciation due to
speech or dialect
Pauses
Numerals &
Abbreviations
How to Record
Number of Errors
No Notation
Use a caret to record added word(s).
Insert a “T” above word(s) told.
If a child is unable to proceed because he is aware he has
made an error and cannot correct it he is told the word.
The reader’s appeal, either verbal or nonverbal, is first
turned back to the child for further effort, say “You try it.”
Record an A above the line.
Circle omitted word.
No error
Each inserted word is counted as one error.
Each told word is counted as one error.
Use the reversal symbol when words are read reversed.
quickly agreed
Insert “R” and an arrow to indicate word(s) repeated or
underline word(s) repeated.
Insert “SC” after substitution
When a word is pronounced as two words use slash marks
to show how the word was segmented.
Record all attempts and errors by showing the student’s
responses above the text.
A reversal is counted as one error.
Write the way the word was pronounced directly above
the text.
Insert a W above the places, or use slash marks, where
student pauses.
Note these miscues
The appeal does not count as an error. The child’s response after the appeal
determines if an error is counted.
Each omission is counted as one error
Repetitions are not counted as errors.
Self-Corrections are not counted as errors.
Words segmented incorrectly are counted as one error.
Multiple incorrect attempts are counted as one error.
 If the student makes an error and then substitutes this word repeatedly, it
is counted as an error each time.
 Substitution of a proper name is only counted as an error the first time
(even if various alternate substitutions are made).
 Substitutions involving contractions (child reads I’ll instead of I will) count
as one error.
No error
No error
No error
Follows guidelines in An Observation Survey of Early Literacy Achievement, Marie Clay, 2002