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Home : 2008 : Jan : 18
When answering the question please state which series you are tallking about duh LOL. I really appreciate and treasure your insight. Reading Series is like shopping for a dress that you buy and can not try it on until you are walking out the door.:) 1. Is it DIBELS related and how? Yes, it is built into the information in the teacher's manual 2. Is there controlled vocabulary ( stories are built on the vocabulary or do you just get new words from the story)? There is vocabulary for each week. The vocabulary is listed in the student's basal. There is an introductory "story or article" which uses the vocabulary and they are highlighted. 3. Is there different genre ( I think I have it right - different types of literature) Yes, there are different genre. Every three weeks there is a non-fiction Time for Kids selection. The first grade series is HIGH in non-fiction. 4What type of assessments do you have? Do they correlate to the districts benchmarks. The series is very high in testing. Actually I feel that I am teaching the test as I plan for the required basal instruction each week. The series contains a comprehension test and a state achievement test aligned to the state benchmarks. The benchmarks are included in each week's goals and plans. 5. Is the manual simple to understand or is the manual all pictures with alot of lingo and it takes 3 manuals to say 1 thing? The manual is set up in two parts: whole group and small group instruction. The whole group gives the plans for grammar, vocabulary, spelling, reading, etc. The guided reading groups are utilizing three leveled readers each week. Instructions are given for both areas. 6. Do you like this series and would you keep it? I am sorry to say that I do not like the series. It tries to meet all state standards in every area except math. It also included science and social studies in the standards that are addressed each week. The skills are introduced much too rapidly for the first grade curriculum and the reading/tests are set for the above average student. The average and below average students struggle to master the many skills that are introduced and tested each week. Personally I feel that the series is developed to test students. 7. What are the bells and whistles that come with it? The series comes with student editions, sets of leveled readers (3 per week--6 copies). There are many workbook blackline pages that are given to the teacher. They are divided into Approaching, On-Level, Beyond Level, Grammar, Spelling. There are also different items such as transparencies, charts. There are vocabulary cards that are included but the print that is used is too small to use. I make my own spelling and target word cards due to the fact that they are too small. There are retelling cards which are very nice. I wish we had gone with Sc. Foresman.
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