Week Three Assignment Three

What is QRI5?

            QRI5 is an individually administered informal reading inventory or IRI that is designed to provide information about conditions under which students can identify words and comprehend text successfully and conditions that appear to result in unsuccessful word identification or comprehension. (Leslie and Caldwell, 2011) The QRI5 assessment focuses on questions that ask for word identification, fluency and comprehension. It is used to assess reading in grades Pre-K through 12^th.

What is the purpose of using QRI5?

            Informal assessments are one of the best ways to assess our students. This is when we see our students in their most comfortable environment. Our students can show that they are able to identify words, comprehend what they are reading and reading with fluency by participating in QRI5. It provides a graded word list and numerous passages that are designed to assess students’ oral reading and silent reading. We use QRI5 to help document student growth over a period of time. This is not a formal assessment and therefore does not have standards linked to it.

Have you seen similar assessment activities like QRI5? What are they?

            I have not seen many links to QRI5 in my educational career. The only thing that I could compare the QRI5 assessment to something I have seen and worked with is a Running Record. In a running record, our students are being assessed on word recognition, fluency, and comprehension. On the other hand we are formally assessing out students by sitting them down one by one and grading them based on the performance they put on for you.

What is your impression of QRI5?

            I believe the QRI5 is a great way to assess our students. I am a huge supporter in informal assessment because I believe our students should show progression over a period of time. In order to steer away from standardized testing and the pressure of assessments on our students, the QRI5 helps students be assessed without knowing that they are actually being assessed. I especially like that the passages are broken down by grade level. I am excited to learn more about QRI5 and be able to implement the idea in my classroom.