Running Records
Guided Reading,
Good First
Teaching for All
Children, Fountas
& Pinnell
Running Records
Are tools for assessing reading
behaviors.
 Are used when students read aloud.
 Are able to be analyzed for meaning,
language structure, and visual (phonic)
cues.

Uses of Running Records
To place children in appropriate texts.
 To note reading behaviors the child
knows and what (s)he needs to learn
next.
 To keep a record of change over time.
 To make critical decisions about a child.

Interpreting Running Records
Does the child read from left to right, top
to bottom, and return sweep?
 Does the child use background
knowledge?
 Does the child self-correct?
 Does the child use language structure?
 Does the child search for meaning?
 Does the child take risks?

The Three Reading Cue Systems

Meaning
–

Structure
–

Does it make sense?
Does it sound right?
Visual
–
Does it look right?
Taking a Running Record

Sit next to the child while he reads the
text.

Code the behaviors on a separate form
or blank piece of paper.

Tell him the word if he is stuck on a word.
Coding a Running Record
Make a check mark for each word read
accurately.
 Record mismatches with a line; write
children’s behaviors above the line and
text information below the line.
 Examine the Conventions sheet for
coding.

Scoring Running Records
Substitutions count as one error.
 Multiple attempts at a word count as one
error.
 Omissions, insertions, and “tolds” count
as one error. Repetitions are not errors.
 Self-corrections are not errors.

Accuracy and Self-Correction Rates


Subtract the number of errors from total words.
Divide by the number of words and multiply by
100 to get the accuracy rate.
For self-correction rate, add the number of
errors and self-corrections and divide by the
number of self-corrections.
Reading Levels

95-99% easy text - independent level

90-94% instructional text and level

Below 90% - difficult text and level
Analysis
Analyze the cues to determine the
strategies the reader used and what must
be taught next.
 Questions to ask:

–
–
Does the reader use cues in relation to one
another?
Does the reader search for more information
to self-correct?
Practice

The next step is to practice taking a running
record.

Be sure to notice what the child is doing during
reading.