The Pile Protocol offers a way to sort students into groups: fluent AND accurate, accurate but not fluent, not fluent and not so accurate, not fluent and really not accurate.
So now that you know kids can read fast (or slow) and well (or not so well), what do you do next? Now what?
I offer you the Diagnostic Assessment.
There are many Diagnostic Assessments floating in the reading world. The CORE Phonics Survey gives good information (the whole test available as a PDF here). I also like the Decoding Diagnostic Survey. Sometimes reading curriculums offer diagnostic assessments that align with their program (such as Words their Way).
Giving students a diagnostic assessment allows you to further decide what a student needs.
So if a child is not able to read accurately or fluently, it means they have some ‘holes’ in their reading skills. The diagnostic assessment allows us to find the holes and fill them. All of the holes affect a child’s ability to read grade level text to support comprehension.
At my building we just completed the arduous process of looking at each child’s diagnostic assessment and making instructional decisions. Here’s what we did:
- We completed the Pile Protocol using the benchmark/universal screener data.
- For students who fell into the Decoding Issues categories, we administered and scored a diagnostic survey.
- We grouped students by their skill deficits using a spreadsheet (one aligned to the DDS Data Sheet, one aligned to the Core Diagnostic Survey).
- Once students were grouped, the teachers at our building each took a group.
- We adjusted groups so create appropriate sizes (ideally, benchmark level groups are larger, while students who have the most need are in smaller groups).
- The teachers used their knowledge of curriculum and chose research based intervention strategies and materials to provide intervention support to students below benchmark. For students who are above benchmark, teachers created extension and enrichment opportunities. Our Grade Level rti Worksheet helped us organize the groups.
- We planned 30 minutes for each grade level to provide these interventions.
- Because we are doing a skill based ‘walking’ model, teams needed to talk about some nitty gritty details. These are the things, that left unaddressed, could sink the RTI ship. We decided as a grade level our expectations for moving to groups. Here are some things to consider:
- How will students line up?
- How will students walk in the hall?
- Where will students sit?
- If students need materials, will they stay in the RTI classroom or bring the materials with them?
- How will students return to class?
If you do not have a school-wide model, you can still use the diagnostic assessments to determine small groups during your literacy block. If you are doing a workshop model, this will give you a more specific idea of which skills students need to work on. You can formulate activities based on these needs.
It’s been said students speak to us through their data. It’s our job to listen, and do something about it.