Using Diagnostic Reading Assessments in the ELA Classroom

Using Diagnostic Reading Assessments in the ELA Classroom

By Tracee Orman

I spent over 20 years in the ELA classroom and I have a confession to make...I did not start using diagnostic reading tests until I was forced to after teaching for 15+ years. 😳 

To be honest, I never really saw the need to use them. Usually the teacher from the previous year provided me with information about the students and test scores, so I didn’t even think of a pre-test or diagnostic exam to start the year. But once I started using them, I found so many benefits and wondered why it took me so long. Diagnostic tests are great for:

✅ establishing a baseline of strengths and weaknesses for each student

✅ identifying learning gaps

✅ lesson planning and targeting instruction to the areas your students need it the most

✅ placing students with appropriate groups/partners

✅ collecting data to show student growth (which is the reason I was forced to use them for my teacher evaluation)

and most importantly,

✅ improving your students’ reading skills.

One problem I did have with the district-provided (aka textbook publisher) tests is that they were incredibly long and did not completely align with our standards. I honestly hated taking an entire class period (or more) for the exam. In addition, their scores weren’t entered into the grade book, so after awhile I truly wondered if my students were even trying on them.

I developed these shorter, more succinct exams in which each question is clearly aligned with a reading standard (and identified on the answer sheet). The tests are each 20 questions and the reading passages are short. You won’t have to give up an entire class period and you will get targeted results upon grading.

So when and how should you use them?

If you’ve already started school, no worries--it’s never too late to give a diagnostic exam! While ideally you’d give it before any instruction, you can administer it in between units or anytime. 

1️⃣ Give your first test early in the year (not the first day and maybe not even the first week--try to establish a rapport with your students first). This will establish your benchmark for students. You will be able to tell for which skills (whether it’s determining a theme, inferring, evaluating the impact of word choice, distinguishing fact/opinion, etc.) your students may need additional instruction. If your students all scored extremely well on the first test, you may need to level up a grade. Give them a second test at the higher grade level and use that for your benchmark.

Do NOT count this as a grade. If you must enter something in the grade book, give your students a completion grade (meaning, 100% if they completed it). However, you should keep track of their score for your records so you know when you give the next one if they have improved or not. I love using my student data trackers (you can get them in either Google Sheets or Microsoft Excel formats). You input the score and it will track whether students are improving or not on the next assessment.

2️⃣ Once you establish a baseline, you can use the information you collected from the diagnostic test to cater to your students’ needs. If you noticed several students missed the same question that assessed a certain standard, you should plan to reteach or cover that skill in your instruction. Being able to target your instruction more precisely is one of the reasons I wish I had started using diagnostic tests much sooner.

3️⃣ Throughout the school year (midterms, end of the quarter, etc.), have students take additional reading exams. They should be the same level as the diagnostic tests because you want to try to show improvement from the beginning of the year. Remember, these are benchmarks for data purposes and should NOT be graded exams. To incentivize it for students, you can give a completion grade.

If you are using the data tracker, it will automatically tell you if your students showed improvement, stayed the same, or declined. All of this information is helpful in targeting your instruction or identifying any students who may need more one-on-one help or services. Having this data was especially helpful for my students with IEPs (individual educational program). Our special education teachers were able to use the data to assist in writing their IEPs for each student. 

4️⃣ Use the data you collect at parent/teacher conferences. It helps to show parents where their child started the year and where they currently are. It can help reassure them that their child is learning.

5️⃣ Use the data for your own feedback: in which areas might you be lacking? Which skills have your students mastered and therefore no longer need to keep teaching it? You can customize your instruction accordingly based on your students’ results.

6️⃣ Use the reading assessments leading up to standardized tests to pinpoint areas your students may be struggling.

I could go on about the benefits of the assessments but I also want to state that they should be used in moderation. I firmly believe in allowing creativity and critical-thinking to thrive in your classroom but there are times when it is necessary to use these types of assessments.

My friend Bonnie from Presto Plans also offers some great reading passages for practice here:

Reading Comprehension Passages

Thanks for reading and I hope you all have a great school year!

-Tracee

First Week Wins: 5 Back-to-School Icebreakers to Build Classroom Community

By The Daring English Teacher 

As a secondary ELA teacher, that first week back at school can be quite challenging. You want to engage your students, get to know them, and make them feel welcomed while at the same time establishing your classroom as a place of learning, growth, and rigor. It’s a tough feat to accomplish, but it is possible.

When I plan my first few days of a new school year, I like to think about all of my learners. Some students will naturally be more outgoing, while others will be shy. Some will want to talk about their elaborate vacations, while others will be embarrassed that their family couldn’t afford one. Some will come to the new school year excited, and some will bring not-so-distant memories of trauma into the room. And for that reason, I like to incorporate some quiet, independent work time with the fun and exciting getting-to-know-you icebreakers. Doing so helps many of the new students in my classroom get used to their new space.

Here are some of my favorite icebreakers and back-to-school activities (including a few of my go-to resources!) that help build a welcoming classroom community right from day one while also supporting students who might be less apt to open up on the first day.

Attendance Questions - A Daily Dose of Classroom Community

Instead of a traditional “here!” or “present,” I like to start the day with a simple, low-pressure attendance question. These are quick prompts that invite students to share just a little something about themselves, and there is no right or wrong answer.

At the start of the new school year, rather than asking an open-ended question, I like to give them quick “would you rather” or “this or that” attendance questions to simplify the process. As the school year progresses and you build community, you can then ask more exciting questions because the students will be more comfortable with each other.

My Would You Rather Attendance Question Slides are a huge hit because they’re fun, quirky, and totally stress-free. Questions like “Would you rather be able to talk to animals or speak every language?” break the ice and encourage students to talk to one another in class.

You can grab my Would You Rather Attendance Question Slides in a year-long bundle with this Community Building Classroom Attendance Questions bundle.

Classroom Quilt – Building a Visual Community

Creating a Classroom Quilt is the perfect activity for creating a visual classroom display that connects students. Each student decorates a square of a paper "quilt" with their name and information about them. I tell them to make the quilt an authentic representation of who they are.

During this time, I like to play some calming background music and give students some time to catch up with friends as they complete their quilt squares. This provides students with some much-needed time to decompress during the stressful first week of school.

Then, we stitch the classroom quilt together on a bulletin board and keep it displayed all year long. This activity is also a perfect way to decorate for Back to School Night. Parents love coming in, finding their child’s square, and seeing their child included in the community.

My Back to School Quilt Activity comes with printable squares and directions, and the final product becomes a colorful, collaborative display of our classroom identity. It’s an easy win for building a sense of belonging and pride in the space.

Create Paper Chain Connections

Do you remember making a paper chain as a child to help you count down the days to something exciting? The paper chain connection is a fun twist on that idea, and you can get this activity immediately delivered to your inbox by clicking on this link here!
For this activity, have students select the paper chain design they prefer. They’ll write their name in the space provided and then decorate the rest of the chain in a way that really shows who they are!

Once students have decorated their paper chain links, have them move around the room to find similar connections. After providing students with some time to chat, link up the chain together using tape, glue, or staples, and us the paper chain as a classroom decoration that is inclusive of all of your students! You can access this free activity here!

Stacking Cup Challenge

The stacking cup challenge is another great collaborative activity to have your students complete in your classroom during the first week of school. I like to have students complete this challenge after I assign their new seats as a way to get to know their new tablemates.

This challenge really shows students just how important communication and collaboration are. I always have my students complete the stacking cup challenge toward the beginning of the school year and also when we move seats to allow students to get to know and work with their new table mates.

To facilitate the stacking cup challenge in your classroom, you will need plastic cups (the red plastic ones work well), rubber bands, and string. Each team will receive six cups, a rubber band, and however many pieces of string you’ll need so that each student grabs onto one piece of string. I like doing the challenge in groups of four. However, grouping students in groups of six provides an extra challenge. Tie each piece of string to the rubber band, and then have students work toward stacking the cups in a pyramid using only the strings.

Chit Chat Cards – Structured Small Talk

Another way that I like to build community and break the ice in my classroom is by engaging my students in structured small talk through the use of chit chat cards. These cards come with student-friendly questions that are open-ended, and they make small talk easy for students.

These cards prompt students to engage in meaningful but light-hearted conversation. Topics range from favorite books to silly hypotheticals to personal goals.

Looking for more ideas for the beginning of the school year? Check out our previous blog posts!

• 5 Activities to Create a Positive Classroom Culture
• Mindfulness in the ELA Classroom
• 5 Ways to Build Classroom Community

Other resources for building community and breaking the ice:

• Back to School Icebreaker Stations
• Back to School Classroom Norms Stations
• Back to School Escape Room

English Classroom Decor Ideas for Middle and High School

By Presto Plans

Are you looking forward to the fresh start a new school year brings? For many of us, that new beginning starts with setting up our classrooms. Even in middle and high school, a well-designed space can spark curiosity, support learning, and help students feel like they belong. Most importantly, classroom decor doesn't need to break the bank to be effective!

In this post, I'm sharing my practical and creative English classroom decor ideas for middle and high school students. Whether you're setting up a room from scratch or simply looking for a change as you begin a new school year, these budget-friendly suggestions support engagement, learning, and build a sense of community. Let's dive into some ways that you can bring fresh energy to your middle or high school ELA classroom this school year!

1. Add Humor to Spark Engagement

Classroom decor doesn't have to be serious to be effective—in fact, I find that a touch of humor can help to spark conversations and hook students into learning. A creative English is Weird display can be changed and updated throughout the year and can provide a fun springboard for other learning activities. 

Similarly, posters that encourage students to play with language by considering various grammar quirks are often a hit with middle and high school students. I find that these small touches can help to create a positive classroom culture and make students feel welcome.

You can also borrow from funny memes related to books (or authors) to create an inspiring space for middle and high school students. One of my favourite English classroom decor ideas is to build an attention-grabbing display that ties in with your current unit. This can be especially helpful if you're looking to make a complex text—like Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet, for example—more accessible to a teenage audience. 

2. Visible Learning Supports

Some educational philosophies—including Reggio Emilia—refer to the classroom environment as a "third teacher." With this in mind, I like to consider how wall space and bulletin boards can be used to reinforce what students are learning. For example, a display that includes definitions and examples of various types of figurative language is a valuable reference point for students (and could help you avoid answering the same questions over and over again!).

Likewise, displays featuring anchor charts and essay outlines can help students develop more independence as they build their reading and writing skills. I love this type of display because it isn't seasonal or specific to a particular unit. Students can continue to refer to these visuals as needed throughout the year—and you don't need to worry about changing out your bulletin board when things get busy!

3. Create a Literacy-Focused Environment

One of my favourite English classroom decor ideas involves setting up an inviting classroom library. In my experience, even students who say they "don't like reading" can usually be won over with a bit of gentle persistence. An environment that encourages students to pick up a book can make a big difference—especially if you want to encourage a culture of reading.

There are many different ways to set up your classroom library, but here are some of the tips that work well for me:

• Display books on front-facing bookshelves (students really DO judge books by their covers!) 
• Offer creative or flexible seating options 
• Create a cozy atmosphere with soft lighting or a simple rug 
• Rotate book displays to match student interests, current units, or monthly themes

If you're just starting to build your classroom library, don't panic! Some schools and districts have rotating book collections they lend out to classrooms, which are often themed around high-interest topics. Some teachers also have a lot of success on community buy-and-sell social media pages—many families are happy to donate gently-loved books to a classroom library!

4. Use Interactive Displays

I'll never forget the decor ideas I learned when setting up my very first classroom. One idea that stuck with me was the importance of making the walls work for the learning. When students interact with the decor, it becomes part of the educational experience. Interactive displays invite students to directly engage with the classroom environment, helping them take greater ownership of the space and fostering a strong sense of community.

Some of my most successful interactive displays include:

• Goal Board: At the beginning of the year, students post two goals—one personal, and one academic—to a classroom display board. Throughout the year, they periodically check in and reflect on their progress and set new goals for themselves.

• What Should I Write About?: This display is intended to bust writers' block! I like to include a variety of different prompts, including quotes, interesting visuals (photos, illustrations), comic strips, and more! Depending on your focus, you might want to provide several prompts related to one common theme, or you might prefer to keep things a bit more free-form!

• Weekly Writing Challenge: One of my favorite ways to help students build writing skills is with a structured Writing Challenge activity. Every couple of weeks, reveal a new writing prompt to the class, and spend some time (from 15 minutes up to an hour, depending on the task) writing. Over the year, students will practice a huge range of writing skills, including descriptive, persuasive, and informative writing, as well as poetry, narrative writing, and more!

• Vocabulary Word Wall: This flexible and interactive display helps students keep track of various vocabulary terms related to a specific unit of study, or words they encounter throughout the year. My favourite vocabulary word walls involve students displaying the word in a creative way (like stylizing the "W" in "wind" as a sailboat), including a definition and an example sentence.

5. Leave Space for Student Work

Displaying student work isn't just for elementary school classrooms. I believe that it is important to make room for students to see themselves reflected in the classroom. At the beginning of the school year, I like to dedicate a bulletin board or blank wall for displaying writing samples, creative projects, or even one-sentence responses to a prompt. 

Leaving space open also gives you flexibility to change up your displays throughout the year, keeping things fresh for your students and for you! I find that displays featuring student work are an especially big hit during parent-teacher conferences or when multiple classes of students use the same space. They love to check out each others' work and see what other classes have been up to!

There you go! As the new school year gets underway, I hope these creative English classroom decor ideas help you set up a fabulous learning space for your middle and high school students (and for you, too!). Happy decorating!

Looking for more resources and ideas to start the school year off right in middle or high school ELA? Check out these great links from my friends here at the Secondary English Coffee Shop!

Essay Writing Classroom Bulletin Board from The Classroom Sparrow

ELA Classroom Quote Posters from The Daring English Teacher 

Literary Analysis Posters from Room 213

Poetry Bulletin Board Bundle from Tracee Orman

Activities for engaging first days of school

Back-to-school season can be an exciting time for those who like school, but for many of our students, it can be a time they dread. But fear not! Those of us here at the Secondary English Coffee Shop have crafted some lessons and activities that can help all students feel excited that they landed in your class on the first day of school.

1. Team-Building Activities That Students Love

I always find the first few days of class a bit tiring for students. New teachers, new routines, and new rules! To keep my students engaged and excited, I created this Back to School Escape Room. Students work together to complete school-themed challenges. This is a great way to kick off your school year, as these activities promote communication, cooperation, and team-building skills. This activity is truly one of the best team-building activities to start a new school year. 

~ The Classroom Sparrow

2. Build Skills AND relationships at the same time

I am a huge proponent of the importance of building climate in a classroom, and so I devoted lots of time to it. However, I know some teachers worry about the judgment they will face if they spend too many days on back-to-school activities.

That's why I created a series of climate-building activities that also give your students an introduction to or review of some of the skills and ideas they will be using in your English class all year. The first activity uses Stand Up Stations, where students help create the norms and expectations in your classroom. Next up, they explore some common elements of fiction while creating the Story of Your Class. Finally, they will practice skills for writing intros and conclusions while they reflect on what they want the year to be like for them. You can grab them all in the bundle and get a detailed explanation on how they all work together!

~ Jackie, from ROOM 213

3. Back-to-School Stations for the First Day of School

Get your students moving around the first week of school with this engaging Back to School Stations activity. Your new students will explore the classroom and the course syllabus and also help create some classroom decor this this engaging activity that promotes a positive classroom community. 

You can choose to have students complete all of the stations in one day or spread them out over a series of days to plan your perfect first week of school! This resource includes five different classroom stations your ELA students are sure to love! 

~ Christina, the Daring English Teacher. 

4. The Classroom Challenge

Kick off the school year on a positive note with this engaging Back to School Activities Classroom Challenge! Designed to foster connection, teamwork, and creativity, this challenge offers 20 activities that encourage kindness, collaboration, and self-expression among students. From icebreaker games to collaborative projects, each activity is designed to promote a positive classroom community and allow students to share their ideas and opinions in a supportive environment. Whether you choose to implement these challenges daily, weekly, or monthly, this resource provides a versatile and fun way to build rapport among students and establish a welcoming classroom atmosphere from the start. 

- Bonnie, from Presto Plans

5. Unique Get-To-Know-You Activity for the First Week

Try something different this year (and have some ready-made classroom decor) with this fun and unique get-to-know-you activity: Back to School Letter Project. 

Students choose a letter that represents them (it could be associated with their name, or a favorite team, etc.). Then they follow the prompts (you can use my prompts or create your own in my editable version) to decorate their letter. On the back, they'll write a quick paragraph on why they chose that letter.

You can display the letters on a board, wall, or in the hallway, so the students can learn about their classmates. It's a fast way to get to know your students AND learn about their writing skills. I included a grading rubric.

~Tracee Orman 

Back-to-school Tips for Middle & High School English

 

How did that happen soooo fast? For some of you, it's almost time to get ready to go back to school, and as we all know, that transition from rest & relaxation to the routines of the first week of school can be wild! So, the teachers here at the Secondary English Coffee shop want to share some of their best tips for making the back-to-school transition as smooth as it can be.

If you're still mid-vacation, awesome! Bookmark this for later.

1. Welcome Students with Engaging and Interactive Decor

Decorating our middle and high school classrooms can be a challenge. My absolute favorite way to show students how much literature/poetry is all around us is by challenging them to guess whether a line is from a popular song or a poem. My bulletin board packs include not only the visuals that you can use as classroom decor, but a fun student "quiz" and a presentation you can project after taking the quiz. I offer a FREE mini pack with 10 examples you can try out your first week back at school. 

~Tracee Orman

2. Establish a Consistent Bell-Ringer Routine 

As you head into a new school year, consider establishing a bell-ringer routine as a consistent way to build routines and reinforce a wide range of ELA skills! I recommend mixing up the focus by rotating between grammar, vocabulary, figurative language, quote response, and video journals to keep students engaged while providing a low-pressure space for practicing essential skills. Not only that, but bell-ringers are an excellent way to help settle the class in those first few minutes to help you maximize your instructional time. Grab 4 free weeks of bell-ringers here to get you started. 

~Bonnie from Presto Plans