Resource 2 - Running Records

Department of Education and Child Development. (2012b). Engaging in and exploring running records. Retrieved from https://www.earlyyearsliteracy.sa.edu.au/files/links/20120314_7_DECD_Running_Re.pdf

        The resource, ‘Engaging in and Exploring Running Records’, is a valuable resource in the understanding of the importance and benefit of using running records to aid with the assessment of students’ reading abilities and levels. Whilst this resource is a consultative draft, it was released in February, 2012 and is therefore extremely current with regard to its practicality for use as an assessment tool. As the document was prepared by the South Australian Government’s Department for Education and Child Development, it must be considered to be accurate in its representation of this topic.

        This resource is a valuable resource for teachers to become familiar with, or refresh their knowledge, regarding the topic of running records. The document gives a very comprehensive, yet clear, outline of the purpose for running records and explains the implementation and usage of this assessment method. In addition, the document outlines additional sources for the acquisition of further information on this topic.

        Through the use of running records, as outlined within this resource, students would be able to be assessed as to their reading abilities and comprehension which is outlined in the Australian English Curriculum Content Descriptors with regard to ‘Interpreting, Analysing, Evaluating’ within the Literacy Strand. The creation of assessments from the content and knowledges gained from this resource, would allow students to be monitored with regard to their progression of reading ability from Foundation Year to Year 4 (ACELY1649, ACELY1659, ACELY1669, ACELY1679, ACELY1691) as well as in higher year levels. In addition it would be possible to assess students’ comprehension strategies from Foundation Year to Year 4 (ACELY1650; ACELY1660, ACELY1670; ACELY1680; ACELY1692) along with that of higher year levels of schooling, as required.

        The use of running records for reading assessment would predominantly be used for students in the early years of their education to ensure a sound foundation was established for reading abilities. With regard to the Four Resources Model, this resource allows for the assessment and development of students’ abilities within mainly the ‘Code Breaker’ and ‘Meaning Maker’ resources. As such, this resource would be a valuable tool that could be adapted for use within a teacher’s individual classroom curriculum and, therefore, would allow the ‘Learning by Design’ pedagogy to be utilised.