Deana Schuler

LITC 524

Professional Resource Review

 

Developmental Continuums:

A Framework for Literacy Instruction and Assessment K-8

Bonnie Campbell Hill

Christopher Gordan Publishers, Norwood, Massachusetts: 2001

 

What is the book about?

This book was designed for teachers who are interested in implementing a reading and writing continuum. However, it is also extremely useful to teachers who are not using developmental continuums. The book begins with a thorough explanation of continuums and the benefits they provide for students, parents, and teachers. After reading the first few chapters, the reader will see the wealth of information continuums provide about how readers and writers develop. The author walks the reader through the entire process of implementing continuums into their reading and writing program. Information on how to get started, organize information, and share the information collected is presented. One chapter is dedicated to case studies, which are extremely helpful in describing each stage of the continuum. There are also book lists organized by continuum stages. The book places a strong emphasis on the importance of having enough visible evidence that students have mastered skills before marking them on the continuum. To assist the teacher in implementing the continuum, the author gives examples of the various assessment tools that can be used to measure continuum descriptors, such as anecdotal notes, reading conferences, response journals, parent surveys, running records, and spelling development. There is an abundance of excellent information on anecdotal notes and checklists as well as student self-evaluations, an important component to the developmental continuum. After reviewing this book, the reader will be ready to successfully use developmental continuums to "guide their teaching, assess students, and communicate with families". This book would be extremely useful for new as well as veteran teachers in grades kindergarten through eighth, teaching reading, and writing.

 

Essential Beliefs

• The heart of assessment should be the information that teachers collect on an ongoing basis in their classrooms.
• Literacy learning, as well as all learning occurs on a continuum. The purpose of using a continuum is to monitor progress and growth in order to support further learning.
• Whether it's a language challenge, a learning disability, issues at home, or other factors, using continuums can help describe specifically what the child already can do in order to develop a plan for supporting the student's next steps.
• It’s important to keep in mind that assessment should inform and guide ones teaching and learning.

 

Golden Lines

• A continuum is like a map showing where students have gone and where they're going. The stages are like the signposts along the way (p.1).
• Rather than closing doors with low grades or test scores, you can provide honest feedback, yet still celebrate growth and set realistic goals for learners' next steps (p.10).
• Like anthropologists or ethnographic researchers, teachers continually collect information about students. Unlike anthropologists, however, teachers are also participants and not merely observers in the world of the classroom (p.279).