Elementary Reading Programs
Houghton Mifflin
The Houghton Mifflin Reading Series is based on the most respected scientific research in order to deliver effective instruction in the five key areas of reading: phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary and comprehension. Students engage in award-winning literature by favorite authors and illustrators. These stories are found in the grade-level anthology and leveled readers. After each theme, students are assessed on skills and strategies. Teachers use this information to guide instruction, to monitor and document student progress, and to screen and diagnose reading abilities.
Based on their academic needs, students are placed in reading groups: below level, on level and above level. These groups help teachers target their instruction so all students are working at their correct reading level.
The Houghton Mifflin Reading Series supports the following strategies in kindergarten through fifth grade.
| Reading Strategy |
Description |
| Predict/Infer |
- Think about the title, the illustrations, and what you have read so far.
- Tell what you think will happen next or what you will learn.
- Try to figure out things that the author does not say directly.
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| Question |
- Ask questions that can be answered as you read or after you finish reading.
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| Monitor/Clarify |
- Ask yourself if what you are reading makes sense or if you are learning what you want to learn.
- If you don’t understand something, reread, read ahead, or use the illustrations.
|
| When you come to a word you don’t know |
- Look carefully at the word.
- Look for word parts you know and think about the sounds for the letters.
- Blend the sounds to read the word.
- Ask yourself: Is it a word I know? Does it make sense in what I am reading?
- If not, ask yourself: What else can I try?
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| Summarize |
Think about the main ideas or the important parts of the story.
Tell in your own words the important things you have read.
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| Evaluate |
Ask yourself:
- How do I feel about what I read?
- Do I agree or disagree with it?
- Am I learning what I wanted to know?
- How good of a job has the author done?
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Click here for reading activities by Houghton Mifflin
Integrated Data System Assessments
*See the 'Integrated Data System' chart below for the district's implementation plan for administering these assessments.
*All assessments were chosen based on their ability to accurately predict reading achievement and to empower teachers to make the best instructional decisions for their students.
MAP (Measure of Academic Progress)
MAP, or Measure of Academic Progress, is a computer-based assessment that is administered to all students twice a year in the areas of reading and math. Understanding each student’s academic level gives teachers the power to help them excel. MAP computerized adaptive assessments provide educators with the detailed information they need to build curriculum and meet their students’ needs. Click on ‘MAP’ to learn more about this assessment.
Fluency Assessment
AIMSweb is designed to monitor the progress of students in the areas of oral reading fluency. This assessment identifies how many words per minute a student can correctly read on a grade level passage.
At Kindergarten, it measures letter and sound fluency. A student needs to not only be able to identify a letter or sound, but they also need to do it quickly and effortlessly.
National, Illinois and local norms are used to make instructional decisions for students. Click on ‘Fluency Assessment’ to learn more about this assessment.
Developmental Spelling Assessment
Words Their Way is the developmental spelling assessment administered to all kindergarten, first, second and third grade students. This assessment rates students on their application of essential phonetic and vocabulary patterns. Spelling stages are identified based on the results of this assessment, and teachers can then compare these stages to their same age peers across the United States.
Text Leveling
All kindergarten, first and second grade students are administered a text leveling assessment until they reach text level 24. The text levels range from 0-24 and document how accurately a student reads increasingly difficult text. When a student successfully reads text level 24, or mid second grade level, this assessment is discontinued. Teachers then compare these text levels to their same age peers across the United States.
Phonemic Awareness Assessment
The Yopp-Singer Phonemic Awareness assessment is used at the kindergarten level. This assessment is administered 1:1 and consists of 22 words. Students are given words one at a time, and they are instructed to orally isolate each sound. For example, if the word is cat, the student would respond by saying the sounds /c/ /a/ /t/. This is an essential skill for students as they learn to read and write and is also a strong predictor of future reading and writing success.
High Frequency Word Assessment
Kindergarten and first grade students are administered a high frequency word assessment to determine if they have mastered words that will frequently occur in their grade level text. These words do not follow phonetic patterns and must be memorized. This list would include words like ‘the,’ ‘said,’ and ‘would.’ This is an essential skill for students as they learn to read and write and is also a strong predictor of future reading and writing success.
District Writing Assessments
Students are administered district-created writing prompts at consistent time periods to assess students' ability to write for different purposes.
Houghton Mifflin Theme Tests
These tests are given after completing each unit. They measure the students' use of comprehension skills and strategies along with word skills, spelling, grammar, and writing. A variety of formats are used including: open-ended questions, multiple choice questions, and students' self-evaluation.
Integrated Data System Assessments
Click here to download the chart.
Reading Support Programs
District 308 offers reading support to identified at-risk and academically talented readers.
For information about programs for at-risk readers, click here.
For information about programs for academically talented readers, click here.
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