[MOSAIC] forward from Michele

[ginger/rob]

I am forwarding this from Michele donford4 at comcast.net
Ginger
moderator
++++++++++++
I am a 5th grade teacher in a K-5 school that is in the second year of 
Reading First.  This year all students were given the DIBELS assessment.  We 
are also required to ability our students and move them according to their 
reading levels.  Prior to a month ago, 4th and 5th grade teachers used the 
state reading assessment from last year to decide on which reading group to 
place them in and adjusted within a couple of weeks.  Starting about a month 
ago, our principal changed our groups based only on the middle-of-the-year 
DIBELS score.  I am teaching a group of 30 students who scored at the 
highest levels of fluency.  Some are identified gifted others are reading at 
or above their grade level.  I lost 10 students who had met or exceeded last 
year's state reading assessment to lower groups based only on their fluency 
levels; comprehension was never considered.

Prior to the change I had been using literature to teach reading, working my 
way through the comprehension strategies.  At the time of the change we were 
mandated to use the Scott Foresman Reading Street curriculum solely.  We 
were told that reading chapter books "would not be a good use of their 
time."  I must, therefore, fill their independent time with worksheets.  We 
were told yesterday that they could not independently read at any time 
during their reading time as silent reading would not help to increase their 
oral fluency rate.  All students must partner read with both reading aloud 
at the same time.

I have kids who have lexile scores in the 900s...this is so completely 
ridiculous that I feel as though I have been dropped into the Twilight Zone. 
I am looking for research at I can use at the school and district level that 
will add some flexibility to our program.  I have no reason to believe the 
principal will change her mandates without someone above her telling her to. 
Our school is 100% free/reduced lunch with almost 70% English Language 
Learners.  Our parents don't typically speak up, although I'm working on 
that.

So, there it is.  I understand that this may be a trend, but I'm hoping 
there is some research about how important oral fluency is, also, as that is 
what we use in the "real world" as literate people.

Many thanks for any help you can provide,

Michele Ford
5th grade, Oregon