Linking Assessment to Teaching: Reading, Writing & Word Study
Use student assessments to plan literacy instruction that meets the needs of all learners.
In this 8-week online course, you’ll learn how to gather and analyze evidence from students’ reading, writing, word study, and oral language to make responsive instructional decisions. Discover practical approaches to identifying students’ strengths and needs, then use those insights to design effective literacy instruction that supports every learner.
- Classroom Teachers & Interventionists
- Literacy Coaches & Teacher Leaders
- Course: EEDUC 6165-80
- Fees are subject to change
Effective instruction is grounded in careful observation of students as readers, writers, word-solvers, and speakers.
In this 8-week online course, you’ll learn how to gather meaningful evidence of students’ literacy development, interpret patterns in their learning, and use those insights to design instruction that builds on students’ strengths and addresses their needs.
Using your state standards alongside The Literacy Continuum, you’ll examine the behaviors and understandings that characterize successful reading, writing, and word learning. You’ll deepen your understanding of literacy development while strengthening your ability to make responsive instructional decisions.
The flexible online format allows you to engage with course content on your own schedule while participating in a supportive virtual learning community with opportunities for collaboration and feedback.
Course Outcomes
- Learn how to observe reading, writing, and language behaviors as a foundation for planning differentiated and targeted instruction
- Examine how second language acquisition impacts assessment and how to observe and analyze the behaviors of multilingual learners to inform differentiated instruction
- Identify how to assess for phonological awareness and other concepts related to word-solving and vocabulary development
- Develop an understanding of the demands of texts increasing in difficulty across a gradient
- Learn to use The Literacy Continuum as a resource to help analyze reading, writing and word-solving behaviors and link the assessment data to instruction
- Develop an understanding of how reading, writing and language behaviors change over time
- Examine how to design individual, small group and whole group literacy instruction to meet the needs of all students
You’ll need access to a student at this grade level (K–8) to complete assignments successfully.
Wendy Vaulton, Associate Director of Reading Recovery and Early Interventions
Wendy Vaulton has worked at the Center for Literacy Teaching and Instructional Leadership for more than 12 years. As the Center’s Reading Recovery trainer, she supports the preparation and ongoing development of Reading Recovery teacher leaders across the northeastern United States.
Wendy brings extensive experience as an educator, researcher, and professional learning facilitator. Her work has included serving as a Reading Recovery teacher, conducting early childhood education research, and designing and leading professional development for teachers and school leaders across the country and internationally. She is particularly interested in supporting effective literacy instruction, teacher decision-making, and leadership development.
Required Texts
You are responsible for purchasing/having access to the following professional texts for this course:
- Anderson, C. (2004). Assessing writers. Heinemann.
- Clay, M. M. (2017). Running records for classroom teachers, second edition. The Marie Clay Literacy Trust. ISBN USA 978-0-325-09279.
- Fountas, I.C. & Pinnell, G.S. (2017). The Fountas and Pinnell literacy continuum, expanded edition: A tool for assessment, planning, and teaching. Heinemann.
- Fountas, I. C., & Pinnell, G. S. (2017). Guided reading: Responsive teaching across the grades, second edition. Heinemann.
- Note: You will need this edition. Please do not use older versions/editions.
This option must be taken for 3 graduate credits. Take the course individually or as a required course in our 18-credit Online Graduate Certificate in Developing Literacy Expertise Through Responsive Classroom Teaching.
Interested in professional learning at your school or district? Schedule a meeting with one of our faculty trainers.
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