This post was originally posted on September 21, 2023 on my old blog.

Reading is a fundamental skill that opens doors to almost everything else in life. For educators and parents, understanding a student’s reading level and progress is essential to provide effective support and ensure they reach their full potential. One valuable tool in this journey is reading diagnostic data.

In every setting that I have worked in the last decade (plus), the school has provided a diagnostic test. I can only write about how I have handled using data when a diagnostic is available. While the diagnostic has changed, the amount of data that it provides is overwhelming. When I first started teaching, I barely used it because I didn’t know how. In the years since, I’ve learned a lot and I would like to explain some of the ways that I use the information that our reading diagnostic provides now.

I am absolutely not an expert though. There is still so much that could be done with this information.

Reading diagnostic data comprises assessments, tests, and evaluations that measure a student’s reading skills. These assessments may include fluency, comprehension, vocabulary, and phonics tests. By analyzing the results, educators and parents gain insights into a student’s strengths and weaknesses in various aspects of reading.

1. The first thing that I do after students take our reading diagnostic is look at the overall level of readers. Ours is color coded and it would be impossible not to see whether a student is on level, above, below or far below their current grade level reading placement. After that, I pinpoint the students that this data tells me will need extra support from me, those students who scored in the far below category.

2. I look at these students’ historical results, or the way they scored on past tests. If their current score is not comparable to data from previous school years, I continue investigating. Usually this involves a conversation with the student. If the student admits that they didn’t try their best on their diagnostic test, I ask if they would be willing to retake it and then I re-assign the diagnostic test. Sometimes these conversations go well and the student does a great job on their retake and I have more accurate data. However, sometimes the conversation does not go well and the student is unwilling to do it again. It’s not fun so I get it but I know not to even try to reset the test. When that happens, I use the historical results for my next steps.

3. For all of my students, I utilize an individualized worksheet to gather all of my information into one place. It includes the student’s name, their score breakdown and goals that I will try to focus on when teaching them. I organize these into binders that I use for conferences. My conference binders would fill up another entire blog post though.

The diagnostic that I am most familiar with provides us with six separate scores for: phoneme awareness, phonics, word recognition, vocabulary, comprehension of literature, and comprehension of informational texts. Instead of looking at the overall level, I like to look at how their scores break down into these categories.

Ideally, my middle schoolers will have tested out of the first three categories. However, I do usually have at least a handful of students that are still at the elementary level when it comes to phonics. If that is the case, I know that I will need to work with them outside of regular class time to start to bridge the gap in their reading abilities.

The last three categories provide the most insight into tailoring my whole class instruction. For example, if a student is on grade level or just one grade level below in two of the three categories, I know that I can go ahead and expect grade level work from them and tailor my instruction to meet that expectation. However, if they are way behind in one category, bringing their average level down, I have some hurdles to jump.

Lets work under the assumption that I am teaching 7th grade. My 7th grade student scored at a 5th grade reading level, overall, on their diagnostic. However, when I look at the breakdown, they are really scoring at a 6th grade level in both vocabulary and reading literature. It is their informational text score that is bringing their average down to a 5th grade because they only scored at a 3rd grade level there. Therefore, I know that this student needs extra support when it comes to reading informational texts but can absolutely handle and even thrive with our regular 7th grade coursework.

4. After looking at and understanding each student’s score (yep, I do that), I start having conversations with them. I show my students the data and tell them, these are the things that we will work on in class and these are the things that you should do to practice on your own.

I usually plan independent work, like a project or activity at the beginning of the year so that students can work independently while I pull students aside, one by one, and have these conversations at our conference table.

I would tell my 7th grade student with the all-over-the-place score breakdown that they should really make a point to read informational texts during our independent read time. I offer them the caveat that for every one or two fun books, they should pick one book that is more challenging to help meet our goal of getting them to a grade level reading score.

5. Additionally, the diagnostic should break down each subcategory into specific skills that a student needs to master in order to move on. These are the things that I include in my own notes but don’t really discuss with the students. These become my goals for teaching the student. And from there, my next steps are to put this information into a spreadsheet.

I’m sure you are wondering why I don’t just do this to start. And I totally should (I might get there someday) but I am a paper and pencil planner. I lose things online. So, with that being said, the only reason I use the spreadsheet at all is so that I can filter the results and see how many of my students, in each class, need the same interventions. I use the spreadsheet throughout the year to create groups.

6. One last thing that I added this year is to share this information with my colleagues. Of course, I have always shared overall reading levels. However, this year, I tried to share more detailed information.

The 7th grade student who is reading informational texts at a 4th grade level will not be able to distinguish facts from opinions. They will not be able to analyze data in a graph. And so on.

I am still working on how to effectively share this information.

Throughout the year, I will continuously use this information to create units, whole class lessons and small group instruction, as well as pull students into specialized tutoring. We will also track progress through mid-year and end of the year diagnostics, and celebrate gains, as well!

Reading diagnostic data is a powerful tool that can guide educators in supporting students on their reading journey. By using the data to tailor instruction and track progress, we can create a nurturing environment where students can thrive as confident, capable readers. Reading is the gateway to a world of knowledge and imagination, and with the right support, every student can unlock its treasures.