Diagnostic Literacy Case Study Report

RED 4341
Emma Ritter

Background Information
Esme is a 10 year old girl in fourth grade. Currently, Esme is in B Honor Roll and passed
STAAR testing for writing but got a 57 for reading. She is meeting grade level
expectations.
Esme lives with her grandparents, her mother and her aunts; she does not have any
siblings. Her first language is English and it is used within the home; however, she uses
Spanish when speaking with her grandparents. Since first grade, Esme has been receiving
tutoring for help with her reading and writing. Esme has been attending Dolphin Terrace
Elementary School since she began going to school. She has never been moved around to
different schools.
The purpose of this case study is to determine Esmes literacy strengths and weaknesses.

Assessments Administered
Test Administered: Elementary Spelling Assessment (ESI)
Feature Guide for ESI_________________Student/Total
Initial & Final Consonants:
7/7
Short Vowels:
5/5
Digraphs:
5/6
Blends:
7/7
Long Vowels:
5/5
Other Vowels:
6/7
Inflected Endings:
5/5
Syllable Junctures:
3/5
Unaccented Final Consonants:
4/5
Harder Suffixes:
4/5
Bases or Roots:
3/5
TOTAL
54/62
Number of Words Spelled Correctly: 18 words
Estimated Spelling Stage: Late Syllables & Affixes (power score based on chart on p.28
in Helman et al. textbook)
Test Administered: Phonics Assessments
Application of Phonics Skills in Context: Raw Score/Total Score
Beginning Single Consonants:
16/16
Ending Single Consonants:
13/13
Beginning Consonant Blends:
7/7
Ending Consonant Blends:
8/8
Beginning Consonant Digraphs:
4/4
Ending Consonant Digraphs:
1/1
Short Vowels:
5/5
Long Vowels:
5/5
Vowel Combinations:
14/14
73/73
65 Mastery

Assessments Administered
Test Administered: Structural Analysis Assessments
Subtest 1: Application of Structural Analysis Skills in Context
75/80 (72)
Raw Score/Total Score (M)
Subtest 2: Hearing Word Parts
5/5
(4)
Subtest 3: Inflectional Endings
10/10 (9)
Subtest 4: Prefixes
20/20 (18)
Subtest 5: Suffixes
10/10 (9)
Subtest 6: Compound Words
5/5
(4)
Subtest 7: Affixes
9/10
(9)
Subtest 8: Syllabication
9/10
(9)
Test Administered: Graded Word Lists
Raw Score/ Total Score
Grade 2
10/10
Grade 3
10/10 - Independent Level
Grade 4
8/10 - Instructional Level
Grade 5
8/10
Grade 6
8/10
Grade 7
5/10 - Frustration Level
Test Administered: Oral Reading Passages
Title
Accuracy
Grade One: Saturday with Grandpa
0 miscues/IND
Grade Two: The Star Llama
5 miscues/INST`
Grade Three: Julies Race
3 miscues/INST
Grade Four: Amelia Earhart
9 miscues/INST
Grade Five: Margaret Mead
41 miscues/FRUST

WPM
121
97
96
88
77

CWPM
121
94
95
85
68

Test Administered: Estimate of Reading Comprehension Level

Raw Score/Total Score
Grade 3
5/6
Grade 4
5/6
Grade 5
3/6

Assessments Administered
Test Administered: Elementary Reading Attitude Survey
Raw Score/Total Score
Recreational Reading
33/40 - 82.5%
Academic Reading
23/40 - 57.5%
Reading Attitude Total
56/80 - 70%
Test Administered: Literature Quick Write
Title: The Velveteen Rabbit
Author: Margery Williams
Assessment Interpretation
Elementary Spelling Assessment (ESI) Feature Analysis
Esme spelled 18/25 words correctly on the Elementary Spelling Inventory. Esmes power
score of 18 places her in the Late Syllables & Affixes Pattern stage. She made the
following spelling errors:
-Digraphs - 5/6 misspelled: marced/ marched
-Other Vowels - 6/7 misspelled: spole/spoil
-Syllables & Junctures - 3/5 misspelled: rippen/ripen; seler/cellar
-Unaccented Final Syllable - 4/5 misspelled: seler/cellar
-Harder Suffixes - 4/5 misspelled: fourturnet/fortunate
-Bases or Roots - 3/5 misspelled: sivalize/civilize; oppestion/opposition
Decoding: Phonics Assessment
Esme read the short passage with 100% accuracy. There seemed to be no issues when it
came down to decoding the different sounds/phonics components used within the
passage..Due to performing at the mastery level on the phonics assessment there was no
need for further testing.
Decoding: Structural Analysis Assessments
Esme had no difficulty reading Winter in the Countryside and applying structural
analysis skills while reading. However, she did have difficulty reading The
Disappearance of Flint and applying structural analysis skills while reading this passage.
Since Esme had difficulty applying structural analysis skills in inflectional endings and
syllabication, we went ahead and administered subtests 3-8 for more information.
On subtests 2-8, Esme demonstrated mastery of hearing word parts, combining
inflectional endings, prefixes, suffixes and affixes with root words, identifying compound
words, and lastly syllabication.
4

 On subtest 7, Esme had difficulty pronouncing the word raytion.She had difficulty
separating the affix from the root word and blending the separate parts. Esme also had a
difficult time pronouncing the word impeachable on subtest 8 for the same reason.
Graded Word Lists
Esme immediately recognized all the words on the grade 2 and grade 3 word lists. She
had two errors (decided, interrupted) on the grade four word list. Esme missed two words
(scanty, acquainted) on the grade five list, and also two words (apparatus, relativity) on
the grade six word list. Three words (dominion, impetuous, condescend) were missed on
the grade seven word list.With this information we can determine that Esmes
independent level is grade three, instructional level is grade four, and lastly her
frustration level is grade seven.
Assessment Interpretation
Grade-level Oral Reading Passages
Esme had no miscues on the grade one passage. However, she did have five miscues on
the grade two passage with mispronunciations of sight words. When it came to the grade
three passage, Esme had three miscues as well as nine miscues on the grade four passage.
Based on the oral reading passages, grade 1 is Esmes Independent reading level &
grade 2-4 is Esmes Instructional reading level.
At the grade five level, Esme had 41 miscues that were 29 mispronunciations, 10
omissions, and 3 words inserted. Based on the oral reading passage, grade 5 is Esmes
Frustration reading level.
Fourth grade students are expected to read 140-170 correct words per minute. On the first
grade passage, Esme read with appropriate phrasing and expression. On the fourth grade
passage, Esme mainly had difficulty with proper names. Esme is considered below fourth
grade level fluency expectations since she read 85 CWPM on the fourth grade passage.
Estimate of Reading Comprehension Level
The purpose of the reading comprehension level estimate is to determine the highest level
at which Esme could not answer 3 out of the 6 comprehension questions correctly. Esme
orally read the grade one through grade five passages and she correctly answered all the
grade one and two comprehension questions. On the grade 3 passage, Esme answered 5/6
comprehension questions correctly; she had difficulty with the inference question.On the
grade 4 passage, Esme had difficulty comprehending the literal understanding of the first
question. On the grade 5 questions, there was difficulty with the inference question as
well as the evaluative understanding question. Based on the comprehension assessment,
Esme can read third to fourth grade level material successfully.
5

Elementary Reading Attitude Survey

On the Elementary Reading Attitude Survey, Esme scored 33 on recreational reading and
23 on academic reading. Esme had a positive attitude towards recreational. In school,
Esme likes reading aloud sometimes in class. She does like learning from books and
reading time.
Assessment Interpretation
Literature Quick Write
Esme enjoyed listening to the book, The Velveteen Rabbit during the first reading, we
took turns all together and the second time, Esme read the book independently.
For writing traits, Esme had a below average score for the clear, well organized ideas. For
the use of written conventions & spelling, and sentence variation & use of transition
words she scored unacceptable. Lastly, she had a score of acceptable on the uses
vocabulary words; Esme used some of the vocabulary about the rabbit, the word real and
fairy from the book in her writing.
Esmes scores for each writing trait are presented in the rubric below:
Score

TRAITS

Clear, well organized, well developed ideas.

Her ideas were organized because she did state the setting and characters and then
went from problem to solution but she was not specific enough in order for it to be a
good summary. She really did not have a conclusion or supporting ideas either. She
was very vague and lacking details when it came to the problem as well as the
solution.

Sentence variation in paragraphs

Esmes quick write was all two big sentences. Instead of being several sentences about
the story.

Word choiceuse of text vocabulary

Esme included some of the vocabulary words from the book. The words she did pick
out from the book were: rabbit, fairy and real. Since the book is about a velveteen
rabbit, we would have liked to have seen that in her summary.

Editing for grammar, usage, & mechanics.

There was no punctuation and Esme had only two run on sentences for the summary.
Instead of spelling out the word were, she used the word where.

Research-Based Instructional Recommendations

1. Esme is a fourth grade student in El Paso, Texas who likes reading Harry Potter books. Based
on the oral reading passages, grade 1 is Esmes Independent reading level & grade 2-4 is Esmes
Instructional reading level. Based on the oral reading passage, grade 5 is Esmes Frustration
reading level. When Esme reads the story with someone else and then to herself a second time,
she retains more of what happened in the book. This re-reading strategy will be a helpful strength
for Esme.
2. Esme is in the late Syllables & Affixes Pattern spelling stage; she spelled all short and long
vowel words. Esme has difficulty spelling words with syllable junctures that involved doublet
patterns of p and l. Word study instruction needs to include a review of word sorts with syllable
junctures with doublet patterns. Word study focus should also include connections between
spelling-meaning with homophones, multi-syllable words beginning with 2-syllable high
frequency words, and plural/past tense inflectional endings (Helman, Bear, Templeton,
Invernizzi, & Johnston, 2012).
3. Esme has difficulty with syllable junctures and bases or roots when it comes to spelling. She
easily spells words with initial and final consonants, short vowels, blends, long vowels and
inflected endings correctly. It is recommended that Esme write the words she is misspelling
frequently in the context of sentences or stories, rather than writing the word over and over in
isolation.
4. Esme successfully decoded words with prefixes and suffixes when root words were identified
for her. She needs instruction with decoding two syllable words containing one common affix.
Games such as Dig Up the Root on page 141 and the Prefix and Suffix Chart on page 142 in the
Cockrum & Shanker textbook would support Esmes ability to decode and pronounce
multisyllabic words.
5. Esme was having some trouble with her basic sight words. The best way to provide this
reinforcement is to have Esme read over over simple student or teacher constructed sentences or
stories that contain the new words and to do lots of reading in easy books. It is essential to
provide Esme with ample practice in authentic reading. It is not enough to simply have her read
these words from lists or flash cards. The goal is to permanently implant these words in Esmes
mind so that she can instantly retrieve them when reading. Direct instruction of the words
followed by focused practice in reading the words in isolation, phrases, sentences, and stories is
7

the most effective way to help students master basic sight words. Games and exercises should be
used only to motivate students and provide additional practice (Cockrum & Shanker, 2012).
6. Comprehension is an area where Esme needs additional help. There are several ways to help
her out with this. In order to help her out with comprehension, after she reads a passage, we can
discuss it with her. Another quick method of estimating a readers understanding of a passage is
to ask her questions about the passage. Have her retell the contents of the passage to you. It is
often best to have the student read both narrative and expository selections to see if she can
comprehend both types of material. He would benefit from this because this would help her
focus and recall what she read and be able to recite it back to someone or write a summary about
it (Cockrum & Shanker, 2012).
7. Writing instruction should include pre-writing strategies to build background knowledge about
the topic and revising strategies to add more details. For writing proficiency, Esme should
participate in pre-writing activities that help her organize her ideas; semantic maps can help her
organize her ideas according to the main ideas & supporting details. She would also benefit
from brainstorming techniques to build background knowledge & vivid vocabulary about the
topic. (Fountas, I. & Pinnell, G.S. , 2001).
8. To improve Esmes attitude toward reading in class, she needs scaffolded reading experiences
with pre-reading activities to build vocabulary and background knowledge. This will help her be
more engaged and wanting to learn more about a subject and be able to write and understand
more about it. She also needs supported silent reading during reading, and after reading
discussion of texts. This will also aid her in staying focused on what she just read (Fountas, I. &
Pinnell, G.S. , 2001).
Reading & Writing Goals for Instruction/Intervention
& Grade Level ELA/R TEKS
The following goals will strengthen Esmes reading & writing ability:
1. Increase rate, accuracy, and expression features of oral reading.
TEKS Fluency (1) Students read grade-level text with fluency and comprehension.
Students are expected to read aloud grade-level stories with fluency (rate, accuracy,
expression, appropriate phrasing) and comprehension.
2. Improve Emses use of reading strategies while reading by using a literature journal.
TEKS Writing/Expository and Procedural Texts (A) create brief compositions that:
(i) establish a central idea in a topic sentence; (ii) include supporting sentences with
simple facts, details, and explanations; and (iii) contain a concluding statement; (B) write
letters whose language is tailored to audience and purpose (e.g., a thank you note to a
friend) and that use appropriate conventions (e.g., date, salutation, closing); and (C) write
8

responses to literary or expository texts and provide evidence from the text to
demonstrate understanding.
3. Improve Emses understanding, ability to make inferences and draw conclusions about
the structure and elements of nonfiction.
TEKS Reading/Comprehension of Informational Text/Persuasive Text. Students
analyze, make inferences and draw conclusions about persuasive text and provide
evidence from text to support their analysis. Students are expected to explain how an
author uses language to present information to influence what the reader thinks or does.

The following goals will strengthen Emses reading & writing ability:
1. Improve Emses ability to spell and decode multisyllabic words.
Word Study Activities from Helman et al., Word Sort with Diphthongs
(pp.181182); Word Sort with Ambiguous Vowel Sounds (pp. 182-183); Word
Sort with Endings dge, ge (pp. 186-187); Introduction to Two Syllable Words
(pp. 187-188); Word Sorts for Past Tense Endings (pp. 190-191); Syllable
Juncture in VCV and VCCV (Doublet) Patterns (pp. 210-211); Final Unaccented
Syllables -er, -or, -ar (pp. 213-214); Spanish and English Hard and Soft g and c
(pp. 216-218); Comparatives -er and -est (pp. 220); Taking Words Apart (pp.
221-222)
TEKS Oral and Written Conventions/Conventions. (A) use and understand the
function of the following parts of speech in the context of reading, writing, and
speaking:
(i) verbs (irregular verbs);
(ii) nouns (singular/plural, common/proper);
(iii) adjectives (e.g., descriptive, including purpose: sleeping bag, frying pan) and
their comparative and superlative forms (e.g., fast, faster, fastest);
(iv) adverbs (e.g., frequency: usually, sometimes; intensity: almost, a lot);
(v) prepositions and prepositional phrases to convey location, time, direction, or
provide details;
(vi) reflexive pronouns (e.g., myself, ourselves);
(vii) correlative conjunctions (e.g., either/or, neither/nor); and
(viii) use time-order transition words and transitions that indicate a conclusion.
Reading & Writing Goals for Instruction/Intervention
& Grade Level ELA/R TEKS
1. Improve Esmes pre-writing strategies
9

TEKS Writing/Writing Process - (A) plan a first draft by selecting a genre appropriate
for conveying the intended meaning to an audience and generating ideas through a range
of strategies (e.g., brainstorming, graphic organizers, logs, journals).
2. Improve Esmes revision & editing (spelling and grammar) of written drafts.
TEKS Writing/Writing Process - (B) develop drafts by categorizing ideas and
organizing them into paragraphs; (C) revise drafts for coherence, organization, use of
simple and compound sentences, and audience; (D) edit drafts for grammar, mechanics,
and spelling using a teacher-developed rubric; and (E) revise final draft in response to
feedback from peers and teacher and publish written work for a specific audience.

References
Cockrum, W. & Shanker, J. (2012). Locating & Correcting Reading Difficulties, 10th Ed.
Boston, MA: Pearson.
Fountas, I. & Pinnell, G.S. (2001). Exploring the writers terrain: Writer talks, writers
notebooks and investigations. In Guiding Readers & Writers Grades 3-6: Teaching
Comprehension, Genre, & Content Literacy (pp.423-439). Portsmouth, NH:
Heinemann.
Gainer, J., Valdez-Gainer, N., & Kinard, T. (2009). The elementary bubble project:
Exploring critical media literacy in a fourth-grade classroom. The Reading Teacher,
62(8), pp. 674-683. Newark, DE: International Reading Association.
Helman, L., Bear, D., Templeton, S., Invernzzi, M., & Johnston, F. (2012). Words their
way with English learners: Word study for phonics, vocabulary, & spelling. Boston,
MA: Pearson.
Kelly, M. & Clausen-Grace, N. (2007). Introducing the metacognitive teaching
framework. In Comprehension shouldnt be silent: From strategy instruction to
student independence. (pp. 3-20). Newark: DE: International Reading Association.
Texas Essential Knowledge & Skills for English Language Arts & Reading (Elementary).
www.tea.state.tx.us/teks.

10